Ar.Ti—no fluff, just facts. "Ar" comes from the letter "R" for Ro, and "Ti" from my middle names, Teleni Ilia. These names connect me directly to my late father, Teleni Uluafaleilia Setu.

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The journey starts in Ōtara, South Auckland. I grew up here through the 70s, 80s, and 90s. The place was buzzing with vibrant island culture and the street style was iconic—real, raw, and unmatched. Our community was built on resilience. The Dawn Raids left their mark, but our poly fams stood 10 toes down.

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That strength is why Ar.Ti is DNA Grounded in our heritage. We’re keeping our Small Beginnings Locked to stay true to the soil that raised us.

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Being a Kiwi-born Samoan means living between two worlds, and if I’m being completely honest, getting rejected by both. On the streets of South Auckland, the system judged you instantly if your skin was darker. Then you’d go home, and your "own" would look down on you for not being "Samoan enough."​ School didn't help either. They completely wiped the real history of New Zealand from our classrooms. It wasn’t until my mid-teens that the wool fell from my eyes and I realized that Māori—the original caretakers of this land—were carrying massive, generational trauma unfairly forced right onto them.​ Seeing their struggle made everything click. We were all caught in the same trap with no blueprint from school and no validation at home. So, we looked at what was right in front of us on our tellys. Back then, we didn’t have a choice in what was broadcast, but when we looked at Black American culture, we saw people who actually had similar skin shades to us. That was the very first connection—simply seeing someone who looked like us across the seas. Everything else followed from there. Their music, their stories, and their fight became our lifeline. We took that influence, mixed it with our raw South Auckland reality, and birthed a brand-new urban Pacific identity. Fashion wasn’t a hobby for me; it was survival. It was my bridge.

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Transparency is how I operate. I’ve chosen a print-on-demand model because it’s the honest way forward for me right now. While it aligns with making only what’s needed, the reality is that the traditional route takes a lump sum of cash I just don’t have yet. I’m being real about the hustle—this is the lane I’ve chosen to get my vision out there without cutting corners on my values. I salute everyone putting in the work their own way; this is just my path to keeping things intentional and making sure your garment is uniquely yours.

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I know it means a bit of a wait for your Ar.Ti piece, but I appreciate the patience of those who value that approach. It’s not about being better than the next person; it’s just about staying true to the process and keeping it authentic.

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Ar.Ti is my truth. No filters, no shortcuts. It's the story of South Auckland through my eyes. This is my lane, feel free to stay.