About Catalyst
The Catalyst woman does not go unnoticed. She likes to stand out in a crowd, and to be playful with her wardrobe. She is the woman who raises eyebrows when she steps into a lift full of grey suits. She represents the ‘sparkling ingredient’ we’d all love to have in our lives.
Each season our Catalyst designers interpret the themes and trends of the day into a collection that represents a fusion of opposites. Masculine meets feminine, sporty meets luxury, flirty meets serious. Colour, texture and style is expressed in unconventional ways to ensure the Catalyst woman truly sparkles.
Great importance is placed on sourcing quality fabrics and interesting trims – a signature feature of the Catalyst range. Above all else, exclusive prints are the cornerstone of the Catalyst collection, providing a very unique handwriting that has a dedicated following.
Catalyst is one of four brands from High Society, a New Zealand based fashion company with a 40 year history. Others includeObi, Chocolat and Mosaic.
Designers
Catalyst is jointly designed by Laurinda Sutcliffe and Jane Laird.
Laurinda Sutcliffe is the Creative Director for High Society and responsible for the design direction of all four brands. She has a Fine Arts degree from Melbourne University and gained extensive retail experience in merchandising and store management as a buyer for one of Sydney’s leading fashion chains before moving to New Zealand and joining High Society as co-director in 1989. In her role, she has recruited and mentored a number of talented design graduates into top design positions and overseen the design and production of more than 50 collections.
Jane Laird joined High Society in 2005 from a fashion background, graduating top of her class in 2003 with a BA in fashion Design and Technology. Jane worked in sales and marketing with the company before being recruited to use her design skills as co-designer on Catalyst for the Winter 2007 season. Now into her 5th season as the Catalyst designer she travels with Laurinda to LA and Europe to source inspirational themes and ideas for her ranges.
