We may live in cities, towns, and suburbs, but we exist fully in nature. The philosophy we live by is to exist in a way that leaves the planet better than we found it. We share this goal with our community, learning from one another and finding inspiration through conversation.

We’re looking, and talking, to New Zealand women to see how they keep close to nature, how they’re influenced by their natural environment and how they keep close to it, every day.

We start with Kowtow founder, Gosia Piatek who prioritises nature with each Kowtow collection and works to disrupt the status quo to ensure that nature is at the forefront so that with each piece walks with as light a footprint as possible.

“When I’m in nature I feel a sense of ease and belonging and an immense sense of happiness. I feel strongly connected.”

How would you describe Kowtow’s purpose as a brand?

We want to leave the planet better than it is now. Keeping nature in-mind is a part of everything we do. It’s a part of Kowtow soul.

How much does nature influence the Kowtow philosophy?

“There are two reasons why Kowtow was born, one was to ensure fashion could be made in a humane, ethical and kind way and the other to work with nature and not against it.”

In what ways is nature a part of Kowtow design practice?

I believe that natural fibres are the solution as we close the loop in becoming a circular company. From design concept, to the end of a product life cycle.

How is nature reflected in Kowtow clothing?

We are lucky as we have had a reductive design philosophy which means the steps we are taking towards circularity are easier to put into place so we can move towards more natural solutions. We use shell and nut buttons, metal tacks on our denim, and from the new year all of our elastic will be made from natural rubber.