Oh hej! Kirsten Judd and Alice Isles have a shared belief that fashion should feel good and be fun, not intimidating or pretentious. They wanted to create a collection of beautiful designs featuring close attention to detail, that are easy to wear and match. Raised in Wellington, Kirsten and Alice studied together in Otago and went on to work in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Being in the heart of China meant they could access exotic, premium fabrics – linens, silks and cashmeres – that don’t cost an arm and a leg. Their brand hej hej (pronounced hey hey) launched in January with a collection of 100% linen garments inspired by life in China. ‘Living through the baking hot summers of Shanghai and Hong Kong, we discovered linen was by far the best way to beat the heat, and it’s also highly functional,’ said Kirsten.
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The hej hej gals will be launching their winter range at a Wellington pop-up in July. ‘Our knitwear was inspired by fond memories of growing up in wild Wellington winters dressed in homemade winter woollies – that may not have been the height of fashion – but Wellington’s always been on our minds as the natural fit for hej hej’s first winter collection launch,’ says Alice. Today, Alice is based in Auckland and Kirsten in Shanghai. On the ground in China, Kirsten, a Mandarin speaker, works closely with fabric suppliers and makers. ‘Being close to our suppliers makes all the difference: it means our demands for quality, ethical standards and attention to detail can be met. And the fact that we can get together with our suppliers over a cup of tea to work through measurements and fittings makes it more enjoyable for us.’