Made entirely by hand, Zizou bags are practical and enduring, each a unique labour of love of the highest quality. Originally from Tāmaki Makaurau, Kat Wheatley graduated from AUT, with a Bachelors in Visual Arts. She works from her studio apartment in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Each bag is entirely unique, inspired by classic silhouettes and timeless aesthetics.

Crocheting enables the natural raffia fibres to influence the designs and patterns, Kat’s intuitive process allows each Zizou bag to take form organically, each row building on itself. Some straps are made with a loop that is then wrapped with a continuous braid, while others are crocheted - extending from the bag.

Kat hand dyes small batches of raffia with flax dye by boiling water on the stove in her kitchen, the warmth softening the fibres and creating varying shades of browns, rattans, and blues. Minimising waste, Kat uses all batches of dyed raffia by incorporating scraps into contrasting dots or stripes.