Spotlight on the Flora Array print
The Flora Array print is Zoozies's debut print, released at the launch of the brand, in December 2021. It was designed by textile artist Zuzana Chovanova and like every Zoozies print, it has a story to tell. Read more about the artistic process behind this unique fabric print.
It all started in the summer of 2020, just before the first New Zealand lockdown. Zuzana had just spent Christmas in Australia, visiting her dad in New South Wales, where she had been captivated by all the beautiful Australian native flora. The shapes, colours, and the overall exotic appearance of the vegetation immediately became a big source of inspiration. After returning back to New Zealand, she began sketching in her notepad. The native plants, such as banksia, protea, waratah, kangaroo paw, Sturt's desert pea and a few others were individually drawn, using charcoal pencils.
However, the sketches were not immediately translated into a pattern, but instead they would sit in a notepad for a while. It was not until March 2021 that they were visited again, some were re-sketched and then the digitising in the computer followed. Some creative ideas need to rest before they are ready to be explored again and brought to the end result successfully - and that was exactly the case of the Flora Array print.
All charcoal drawings were scanned in, adjusted and digitally manipulated in Photoshop and then arranged into a repeat network. Different textures were trialled for the background of the print, including watercolour, charcoal texture and plain colour. The final decision was to use the plain black background. Since scale is a very important factor in textile design, the print was tried on a few different scales before committing to large-scale printing on fabric.
The final pattern repeat tile was sent to the fabric printers in Auckland and an A3 sample swatch was screen-printed to see the initial result - final check of the scale, pattern definition and colour bleeding. From there, a couple of adjustments were made and the fabric length was printed. The chosen base fabric was 55% linen 45% cotton fabric.
The colour palette was always going to be black and white, creating a timeless and easy-to-combine print. Zuzana also wanted the actual motifs to stand out more than its colours as the pattern was a celebration of Australia's native plants and their spikey, irregular and almost prehistoric-looking forms and shapes.
The Flora Array print was introduced in December 2021 in two garment styles - Flora Array Dress and Flora Array Pants, as well as one silk scarf style - Flora Array Silk Scarf. Both garment styles were fabricated from the 55% linen 45% cotton fabric, that was screen-printed in Auckland, New Zealand, using the Flora Array pattern tile. The silk scarf was digitally printed onto a silk fabric, using the same Flora Array pattern tile but in a slightly smaller scale, to suit its size and purpose.
Shop the Flora Array Collection below
The Flora Array dress is an everyday dress, with a simple yet stylish silhouette, crafted from a linen-cotton fabric, printed and made in New Zealand. It features a unique hand-painted print, inspired by Australia and the country's beautiful native flora.
The dress has been pre-washed to ensure it arrives at your doorstep with softer feel and fresh scent.
Dressing for the office, brunch or dinner dates is sorted this summer with the smart Flora Array dress. Get the matching scarf to complete the look!
Our model wears a size 12 and this is the size she usually wears. She is 171 cm tall.
If you are ordering a made to order item (none at the moment), please allow two to three weeks for this item to be shipped.
The Flora Array Pants are fitted, high-waisted and with a flattering wide-leg silhouette that creates a modern comfy look. They are a statement style made from lightweight cotton-linen blend fabric. The removable tie belt can be added to highlight the waist and ensure a more secure fit. These pants feature a cropped length and seam line pockets.
Flora Array is a unique hand-painted print, inspired by Australia and the country's beautiful native flora. Read more about this Australiana print in the Print Story tab.
The item is consciously made in New Zealand, with environment and sustainability in mind, in limited runs. It has also been pre-washed to ensure it arrives at your doorstep with softer feel and fresh scent.
These wide-leg pants look great with white top and sneakers for a simple timeless look. Or mix colours and textures by pairing the pants with our Garden Sweatshirt.
Our model wears a size 10 and this is the size she usually wears. She is 171 cm tall.
This eye-catching Flora Array Silk Scarf has been delicately printed on a square piece of 100% silk twill which makes for a luxurious finish. It features hand-rolled hems and the Zoozies logo border all around.
The scarf comes wrapped in a matching Zoozies printed tissue paper and with a hand-written card. Perfect gift for all the scarf lovers!