AQ Bags
Handcrafted in Wellington from NZ recycled sails and eye-catching fabrics, AQ Bags are practical, durable, and full of character. Unique bags with a story, made for everyday adventures.
The photos that follow are just a few of my favourite garments I've created over the years, each one holds a memory, a challenge overcome, or a new technique discovered.
I’ve also added a link to the WOW Award Winners archive on the World of WearableArt website. It’s an inspiring collection that gives you a real sense of the creativity and diversity in the show over the years. WOW archive
And if any of it sparks something in you and you're thinking you might like to give WOW a go, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d be more than happy to answer any questions or share what I’ve learned along the way.
For years, we’ve dreamed of bringing recycled sails into a WOW garment - textiles that have weathered oceans, holding stories of their past. "First Light" is the realisation of that vision. A tribute to Pencarrow Lighthouse - New Zealand’s first lighthouse, and Mary Jane Bennett - New Zealand’s first and only woman lighthouse keeper, who kept its flame alive from 1855 to 1865.
As sailors, our family feels a deep connection to the sea and the guiding presence of lighthouses. We often spot Pencarrow’s silhouette across the water on our coastal walks. For Harvey, who between WOW projects, has been offshore sailing, that connection has become even more personal. His first night sail taught him the profound significance of a lighthouse’s glow - a symbol of safety, guidance, and home.
The garment is a fusion of history and light. Harvey hand-painted the recycled sails capturing the wild seas and storm-laden skies Mary Jane watched over. The wooden structure, crafted from cedar offcuts from Brett’s boat-building projects, mimics the intricate design of a Fresnel lens, magnifying the beam of light that signals the entrance to Wellington harbour.
To honour Mary Jane Bennett, the design features period-inspired elements - a bonnet and shoes reminiscent of the mid-1800s, reflecting the era when she bravely maintained the light.
At its heart, "First Light" is about illumination - of history, of personal journeys, of the hidden life within reclaimed materials. As the garment takes the stage, we hope its lens will shine like a beacon, just as Pencarrow did for the sailors who came before us. May our light shine.
The journey of "First Light" began over two years ago when we biked up to Pencarrow Lighthouse. I’ve always had an admiration for lighthouses. Living by the sea, swimming year-round, and sailing as a family, the nautical world is deeply ingrained in our lives. But reading about Mary Jane Bennett, New Zealand’s first and only female lighthouse keeper, I was drawn into her story. That moment sparked the idea for a WOW garment inspired by Pencarrow’s light and the woman who kept it shining.
We had long wanted to use recycled sails in a WOW piece, and our workshop had a growing stash of saved sailcloth, waiting for the right project. I’ve always been drawn to their intricate weaves - not necessarily their properties as sails! For this design, I chose a headsail made from two different sailcloths - a textured white one and a brown one with woven black carbon strands. Both were pretty rugged, heavy, and stiff, and while I’m used to sewing sails into bags, shaping them into a dress was a new challenge. I realised I didn’t have enough of the brown sail, so ended up unpicking a duffle bag I had for sale, just to reclaim the fabric!
To contrast, I chose a lightweight, very worn, bright blue spinnaker. It ended up surprising me. When I tried to cut a section, it tore, puckering into perfect, organic pleats. Instead of fighting it, I used the effect, tearing and dyeing the fabric to create the sea like texture of the underskirt and other details.
With the sails as the foundation, Harvey worked on the initial sketches and the Fresnel lens-inspired, wooden structure became central to the piece. We love blending hard and soft materials, as it aligns with our different skill sets and I was fascinated by the intricate beauty of old lighthouse lenses and the dedication keepers had in maintaining them.
Harvey, back in NZ over Christmas, took on the lighthouse painting. Using our Pencarrow photos as reference, he worked in oils onto the sailcloth - tricky, given its woven textured surface. After he returned overseas, our creative discussions continued via video calls, with details refined on his iPad and progress shared for his input.
Meanwhile, Brett became the "keeper of the light," constructing the wooden lens structure. He built the piece using cedar offcuts from past boat-building projects and using brass detail and oiling it to capture an aged, nautical aesthetic. Creating the compass rose on the hat was a chance to learn new fine woodworking techniques, shaping leftover kwila and pine from our deck into a lightweight veneer.
Adding the final historical and nautical touches was one of my favourite parts - the embroidered sailor’s tally ribbon and the knot for the bonnet, and sourcing anchor buttons, tiny shoe tacks and buckles from Brett’s mum’s treasured haberdashery collection. Every piece holds meaning, connecting past and present, history and craftsmanship.
From discarded sails to an illuminated beacon on stage, "First Light" is a celebration of family collaboration, sustainability, storytelling, and our love of the sea.
Handcrafted in Wellington from NZ recycled sails and eye-catching fabrics, AQ Bags are practical, durable, and full of character. Unique bags with a story, made for everyday adventures.
