“Inspiration comes from touch, texture, and drape, it’s hard to replicate that connection when buying fabric online unless you already know it well.”
She has set up a large workroom at the back of the shop where she plans to take sewing classes and workshops.
“I’ve long wanted to share the joy of making your own clothes,” she said.
“I studied at fashion school, but also spent years teaching myself. Through these experiences, I realised how important it is to give others the confidence to sew what they dream of, whether a practical piece or something beautiful, rather than relying solely on online purchases.”
The sewing workshops will run weekly, with a different focus each time: one week might be a blouse, the next a dress.
“I’ll also offer beginner classes, starting right from how to sew a straight line.”
Beyond sewing, the space will be open for other handcraft workshops too, a creative hub where people can come together to make and connect.
Workshops will begin in mid-October and will be released as a series, so participants can pick and choose the pieces they’d like to learn to create.
Former fashion designer Chelsea Thorpe will stock natural fabrics and is passionate about sustainable fashion. She wants to teach people how to sew quality clothing that will last. Photo / Kim Parkinson
Thorpe is sharing the shop with her friend Leigh Rutherford who owns Isla & Olive which sells children’s clothing, homewares, natural skincare and art.
Rutherford used to be in the Aviary Collective but said she was loving the new space which has plenty of room for her to spread out.
The shop, located at 109 Gladstone Rd, dates back to the 1920s and was initially set up as Hammon Jewellers.
It features a distinctive and well-preserved leadlight and oak shopfront from its early days.
Thorpe worked as a fashion designer in the early 2000s and showed at New Zealand Fashion Week.
She has four daughters and owned several retail businesses, a cafe and started an online toy brand with her sister called Tanglewood Toys.
Rutherford started Isla & Olive about 12 years ago as a baby and children’s brand when she made, hand-sewed baby clothing.
Both women share a love for fashion and a passion for sustainability.
“Fashion, for me, has always been about craft and creativity. But once you step into the industry, it often shifts to focus on margins, production, and deadlines, far removed from the process I love,” Thorpe said.
“Sustainability and respect for the craft go hand in hand. When the maker is removed, clothing becomes just another consumable item to wear and discard, something that feels unnecessary and disconnected.
“Natural fibres are central to my approach,” she said.
“They’re better for the environment and for the wearer: linen and cotton keep you cool in summer, wool and silk keep you warm in winter. Ultimately, when you wear natural fibres, you’re wearing something of the earth rather than synthetic.”
Rutherford planned to introduce a few new brands to the shop including Aurelium Jewellery, Vintage Stitch Up, art by local artist Cate King and Ande Slowgoods.
The two friends are looking forward to being in Gisborne’s CBD and filling a space that has been vacant for some time.
The shop opens next week on Wednesday, October 1.
Leigh Rutherford from Isla & Olive is enjoying the new space at 109 Gladstone Rd where she has plenty of room to display her children’s clothing, homewares, skincare and art.