THE PHOTOGRAPHY
Creative director behind ‘Monica Toretto, New Zealand’, with a 20 year photography background, Monica Toretto graduated with a Bachelor in Fashion (Design & Technology) in 2018, adding another creative strand to her artistic reservoir.
Ms Toretto is the senior photographer and writer for Southland based ‘IluvSouthland’ Group responsible for the website “We Are Southland”, which promotes and showcases all things Southland, New Zealand.
As an artist she combined her own poetry with photography to self publish a book titled “Words” that was penned during a particular difficult time in her life and the process proved to be quite therapeutic. “Words” is available through this website.
Monica started photography in the equine industry, but that quickly blossomed into a passion for sport photography in general. And although she thoroughly enjoys fashion and documentary style photography, her true love is football and basketball and she can be found quite frequently on the sideline with camera in hand. Monica has been a photographer for Southland’s professional basketball team, Zero Fees Southland Sharks, and Southland Football for many seasons. She is also a contributing photographer for a host of businesses, corporations, clubs, associations and events – local, national and international. Her images appearing in print and electronically.

THE FASHION
As a fashion designer, Monica Toretto likes to design and produce creative, unique and one of a kind garments that are available in limited numbers through the website or purchased at exhibitions and runway shows.
Often sold as a complete look (the complete package of top and bottom, sometimes even with a jacket or over garment), the emphasis is on building a wardrobe of clothes consisting of garments that will last and are treasured, instead of fast fashion trends that contribute to the negative environmental impact of the fashion industry. Additionally, Monica tries to incorporate what others see as industry waste into many of her designs, by using off cuts, recycled, 2nd hand and left overs from other designers and manufacturers that would otherwise end up in the landfill. Ms Toretto also enjoys costume designing and producing show pieces that are not your average everyday wear.

Awards & recognition:
2017 Frost Textile Top Production Student (Southern Institute of Technology, Year 2).
2018 Designer – official playing shirt for Southland Stags Rugby team.
2018 2nd Runner Up – FibreOctave Wearable Art Show.
2019 Costume & Wardrobe – “M.U.M”, film by Neon Shrimp Productions.
2019 Costume Designer – Invercargill Musical Theatre’s production of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” , characters “The Baron” and ‘The Baroness”.
2019 Costume & Wardrobe – “The Defector”, film by Marcus Beirowski.