ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Félise Du Chateau  "I was mooching around the local Mall on a grey Winters day a couple of years ago looking in shop windows for something to wear that would lift my spirits. All I could find was the same two hues....Black and Grey.... and wondered WHY. It’s winter, the skies are not too happy so why not have a little colour to inject some positiveness into the day. Decided then and there I would make my own outfit. But where to buy fabric that had life, texture and joy. After sitting in a cafe and observing the same old, same old, this African woman walked by in her head-dress, colourful top and pants that were also warm as she had several layers of cloth wrapped around her. I knew then I had to search the web for a supplier close to home. The rest is history...

Why am I attracted to these vibrant colours.  I know nothing of the story behind the prints but just love the feeling I get when I see them.  They are “Unique, Fierce, Innovative, Bold, Playful and totally sums up a storyboard of Happiness.

As a young girl born in British Guiana in South America to a mixed race mother and Corsican father, my life was filled with colour, conflict, danger, primitive experiences, survival and a love of nature.  At the tender age of 4 my dad died and left me so bereft that I would not speak English as it was not his tongue, but only spoke French much to the annoyance and frustration of my mother. I would not accept his death at that age and even up to the age of 12 found myself looking at faces in crowds to find him.  

To this day, 68 years later, I am not easily phased with obstacles, I find a way to get over, through or under any barrier to achieve my goal.  Here I am at this age of 72 starting a Fashion range that is inspired by the tenacity of my father and the creativity, dogged determination and artistry of my mother.

My mother was born in British Guiana the product of slavery stock that originated from South Sarahan African descent.  My father Corsican of French and Italian descent. The Corsican flag is the Maures head. How uncanny that these two people should meet through the most unlikely of circumstances.  You see, my dad is one of a handful of people who escaped AND survived the journey from Devils Island. There is my determination coming from his DNA and my mother’s people survived the trip across the water in Slave ships only to become some of the historical figures woven into the tapestry in  British Guiana where it was unlawful for a slave to learn to read and write.  

With this DNA pumping through my veins, I never take NO for an answer.  I find a way in a positive manner to make things happen. So in 1994, I set off from NZ to France to find my father’s family whom I had never met.  It took me 3 years after that to track them down in Corsica and went to our village called GUAGNO which is 1455 meters up in the mountains. Guagno is, I’m told my village.  It is where the Caviglioli’s live. That is my maiden name. The village is stony, carved from the landscape and its peoples are hard. They are mostly shepherds.

The Tapestry of my life has brought me to this place here and now.  I’m told that in every great Tapestry, there is one really bad mistake.  However, in my view of life, there are never mistakes, just the process of where you start from to get to the end result.  It’s a journey of perseverance.

My dad made a mistake that took him to a Prison hundreds of miles away from his family at the tender age of 14, but the positive was that he not only survived the trip to that hellish place, but escaped and made it through a South American jungle only to see my mother, pursue her with no English language, marry her and here I am.....if he can do that,  then I need to follow my dream and make my fashion speak about what I’ve become. I am passionate about life, fiercely protective of my family and joyous In my approach to every facet of my being.

 

SHOP DESIGNER GARMENTS