Margaret Marr grew up in Matata near Whakatane in the Bay of Plenty. Her tribal affiliation is Te Arawa.

She left school after School Certificate and came to Auckland where she got a job sewing garments. In the late 80's she did a Graphic Design course.

Researching her designs has lead to her being more aware of what she wants to do: "This is the way that I express myself and who I am."

"I've never gone out there and said I'm selling fashion. I've said I'm selling an identity. Having my own business means I'm not being dictated to by the mainstream fashion industry."

"I want my designs to go into the workplace and out for the evening - to mix tradition with a strong 90s statement."

Margaret's winning entry from the 1995 Pasifika Fashion show is in the Auckland Museum's Textile Collection.

She has three children and, with help from the Maori Women's Development Fund, she went from a single mum's benefit to owning her own retail outlet.

"I was doing street-smart separates for women and men. I wanted to get Maori designs out on the street and to shift people's perceptions away from thinking that anything Polynesian is merely a leisure outfit to wear on holiday or at the beach. I want it to go into workplaces and out for the evening."

She has won many awards, a highlight being a full-length contemporary Maori puipui gown which was a finalist in the Oceania section of the 1995 Benson & Hedges Fashion Awards.

She tested out her designs at the Otara market before opening her retail space Whenua fashions off Karangahape Rd.