Claudia Mckechnie

Claudia Mckechnie

Caker Crush

• Firstly, could you write a lil paragraph about yourself? You can talk about anything you like!

  …My name is Claudia Rose McKechnie - despite wanting to legally change it to ‘Angel’ in my first year of primary school… I have since grown to like it :--)
  
  I was born and raised in Auckland, post gap year I moved to Wellington to study fine arts at Massey University – I loved wellington but after two years moved back here to finish my degree at AUT.
  
  I am in my last year studying Visual Arts, majoring in Sculpture and minoring in Digital Fabrication – which I am thoroughly enjoying.

• What are you watching/reading/listening to at the moment?

  (Re)watching – How to with John Wilson, which doubles as good background noise, I often opt it for when working on Rhino 3D. 
  
  Reading – mostly readings for uni… Eros the Bittersweet by Jane Carson, essays by Rosalind Krauss, I found a really great book called Part Object, Part Sculpture which has been a really great resource to articulate my practise this year.
  
  Listening – honestly… I’ve been recycling through; A Perfect Circle, Silver Jews, The Brain Jonestown Massacre and Joanne Robertson lately.

• So you're baking a cake for your friend's birthday, what was your birthday cake of choice as a kid and what is it now?

  …I hardly have any recollection of birthday cakes as a child – the only one I remember (perhaps due to photo evidence) was one my dad made for my 3rd birthday, which took the form of a castle – it was pretty impressive. I can’t remember the flavour but I do remember picking off the M&M façade, which tasted pretty good.
  
  Nowadays I think my perfect birthday treat would be an almond croissant, but if it had to be a cake maybe flourless choc? Or Matcha or Miso… Working at The Caker has skewed my view on cake and I can’t choose a favourite.

• What is your creative outlet at the moment?

  I’d say I channel most of my creativity into uni, but I will admit I am still an avid tumblr user… 

• What are your most cherished items of clothing/accessories?

  Hmm I would say all of my sunglasses, I never leave the house without a pair, aaand probably a bag I bought off a friend who resells archive designer/special pieces. Its brown leather with rabbit fur trim, bows and beaded sequin detailing. I adore it <3 

• I feel lucky enough to be privy to your secret food Instagram ;-) Do you like to cook from cookbooks/recipes or do your own thing?

  I do! Although I never follow them exactly, I just can’t for some reason. I love Ottolenghi … especially the lamb koftas. I also have Carter Were’s new cookbook which I am excited to make my way through.

• Which textures/materials are you feeling at the moment when putting together a 'fit'?

  As of late I think my main concern has been unpredictable weather… so I’ve been layering cotton, cashmere, …leather (which is my useless version of a rain jacket) and anything with a fur-trimmed hood ;--).

• What star sign are you and which traits from it resonate with you?

  Leo… which I’m always reluctant to tell people. 
  
  I like to think I’m a very loyal person, who cares deeply for my friends and those close to me. Definitely resonate with being creative, and my friends say I am generous so I guess that too?

• Tell us about a dream you had recently!

  Oh my god, the timing of this question … the other night I dreamt that I killed a crow with a red apple and was punished by getting tied to a cross surrounded by my fellow convicts. We stoned each other to death. I was the only one to survive, I have no idea what to make of this.

• What's your favourite soda flavour?

  ~Orange soda~

• Your teddy bear is so cute - have you had him your whole life?

  I have! His name is Billy <3 I recently got a pink bunny to keep him company. Her name is Miu Miu.

• What does food mean in your family? Do you have fond memories of any specific dishes?

  Food never had too much meaning in my family, but I would say my mum’s ‘make your own sushi’ which usually fell on a Friday night.
  
  My sisters and I all did ballet growing up, being different ages our classes were staggered on Fridays which meant we never sat down to eat at the same time. On Fridays my Mum would make a huge spread of rice, nori, nattō, tofu, vegetables etc to make temaki – a kind of rolled sushi cone. I love Japanese food, she and my dad lived in japan for roughly a decade so we often ate meals like this!

• If you could raid the archives of one designer, dead or alive, who would it be?

  Everything (Lee) Alexander McQueen did was insane, as designer and artist. Definitely would love to raid his archive.