• Home
  • News
  • Monday Marks the Start of Something New for Misty

Monday Marks the Start of Something New for Misty

October 1, 2018

Misty Ratima, fashion designer and EIT tutor spoke in te reo at the launch of Project Runway. Photo Credit Tom Hollow

After Monday, Misty Ratima knows her life will change. And the fashion designer, EIT te reo Māori tutor, and mother of four who embraces life to the full, is determined it will be for the better.

Misty is one of 14 contestants in New Zealand’s first Project Runway reality television programme that begins on TVNZ 2 on Monday night.

“We’ve been warned that our lives will change after the exposure,” says Misty. “We’re not sure how but that it will.”

The prospect is not daunting for the 40-year-old, who is no stranger to tackling new challenges. “I’ve got thick skin and plenty of life experience to help me cope.”

Wanting to grow in her understanding of her Māori heritage, Misty returned to her home stomping ground from Auckland 17 years ago. She started her EIT study journey at Te Ūranga Waka where she gained a Bachelor of Arts (Māori) and, after completing her fashion certificate programme, cross-credited into Ideaschool’s Bachelor of Visual Arts and Design.

Since 2013, she has also tutored EIT students in te reo Māori.

In 2016, Misty won the indigenous Māori design competition Miromoda, which gave her the opportunity to showcase her first Te Kohu (which means ‘the mist’) range to a live audience of 600 at New Zealand Fashion Week in 2017. And she won Miromoda again in 2018 and again took her designs to the catwalks for NZ Fashion Week.

All good learning opportunities for her stint as a TV reality star.

Filming took place in June in Auckland, and while Misty won’t talk about any details, she says had “the life of my life”.

“It was nerve wracking to prepare for – you wanted to be your best self on camera but being my true self was really important to me. I wanted to show my confidence as a designer.”

Misty credits her mother and grandmothers for her interest in fashion, and more importantly in her view, being stylish with a point of difference without spending lots of money. “My mother is a stunning woman who takes great pride in her appearance. She showed me how to op shop and dress stylishly from second hand stores.”

This ability to work with small budgets was particularly useful for Project Runway, Misty says.

On Monday night, when the first show airs, Misty will be at home with her children watching her favourite show, only this time with her in it. “My kids were hugely supportive of me being away from them to film the show. I hope they feel just as positive when they see their Mum on TV.”