Apparel Magazine | October 2018

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OCTOBER 2018 I VOL 51 I NO 10

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editor ’ s note

fashionable reads

COST PER LIKE

Contemporary Muslim Fashions

by Jill D’Allesandro and Reina Lewis

From high-end couture to streetwear, Contemporary Muslim Fashions presents an exploration of modern Muslim modest dress, from traditional styles to presentday pieces. Detailing the ways global trends and religious beliefs shape Muslim style cultures, this book is full of documentary and fashion photography, including stills from runway shows. Accompanying the images are personal narratives by leading voices, writing on everything from modest dress history to social media. A celebration of the ingenuity and creativity of Muslim designers and wearers, this book provides an excellent examination of a significant area of the fashion industry that has maintained its religious and cultural identities.

Hot Mirror A new phenomenon has risen from Instagram influencers aptly titled Cost Per Like (CPL). It is the total cost of the outfit worn in the image for Instagram against the ratio of likes. It results in more consumers rapidly buying fast fashion strictly for Instagram posts, then quickly returning them in under a week. Instead of packing functional clothing for a holiday, consumers are packing for likes in potential posts. Social media has become the be all and end all of modern life, but are we actually getting sales from all this mess? Campaign after campaign, photoshoot after photoshoot – is all the effort really worth the sale? There’s a lot of hype around followers and likes, yes, I believe this does have some face value, but not much more. A lot of followers could land you in a lot of debt. Vicki Taylor from taylor boutique said while Instagram posts will send a few people in-store over the next week, and this may occasionally lead to an online sale – there is nothing instant. Instagram introduces a Swipe Up option for those who have over 10,000 followers, otherwise, there is an in-post-shop option where a dot appears on your photo with a hyperlink to buy. The in-post-shop has been around for a couple months now, but was negatively recieved by consumers because the dots pop up as they please, ruining ‘feed aesthetics’. “Instagram for us is more a branding exercise and a way to inform our followers, although our price points are more a considered purchase, not a quick fix,” added Taylor. While taylor boutique focuses on other sale techniques, another local label RUBY uses Instagram frequently and finds it is still an incredibly powerful tool and an amazing way to connect with their customers.

What is your view? Is Instagram really worth the cost per like? Or is it just a branding exercise? I want to hear your thoughts, email or call me. I look forward to hearing from you.

A sailor and a priest are out golfing. The sailor takes his first swing and slices it hard to the left of the green.

“F***! I missed!” exclaimed the sailor.

“My son! Please refrain from using that type of language, the Lord can hear you,” gasped the priest. The sailor apologises and they proceed with their game. The sailor attempts to chip his ball out of the brush. He gets off a good shot, but it rolls back into a sand trap. “F***, I missed!” he says again.

“My son! Please, refrain from such sinful language!

You will anger the Lord,” the priest pleaded. The sailor apologises again and they continue their game. The sailor takes a whack at his ball from the sand trap. He has a great shot, landing the ball right on the green. Still, it’s not good enough for him, so he mutters under his breathe: “f***, I missed.”

The priest bursts out, yelling: “My son! The Lord will strike you down should you continue in your sinful ways! You will be punished for your sins!” The sailor apologises profusely and lines up his putt. The putt heads straight for the hole... and then runs around the rim and stays out. “F***! I MISSED!” the sailor exclaims, louder than before.

Out of nowhere, a lightning bolt shoots from the sky. It streaks down from the clouds and hits the priest, instantly killing him. A deep, booming voice from the heavens speaks... “F***! I MISSED!”

ON THE COVER: Classic Sheepskins www.classicsheepskins.com

2 I October 2018

One of today’s most innovative photographers, Viviane Sassen looks back at a decade of her work in Hot Mirror and showcases new collages and previously unpublished photographs.

Recognising Surrealism as one of her earliest artistic influences, this midcareer retrospective volume focuses on Sassen’s fine art photography.

Uncanny shadows, fragmented bodies, and otherworldly landscapes, this book features a contextualising essay and insightful interviews with the artist. Obsess in a world of light and shadow with the master of both vibrant colour and muted hues.

Fashion Image Revolution

by Charlotte Cotton

Brian Dowling’s studio was the birthplace of some of the most remarkable fashion photography for more than 30 years. Using specialist analogue equipment in his Islington darkroom, Dowling curated amazing images from negative to paper. His studio was responsible for several technical innovations in colour photography.

Fashion Image Revolution presents a tribute to Dowling and features extensive interviews, client testimonials and numerous examples of iconic haute couture photographs. This ode to fashion photography celebrates Dowling’s achievements and alchemic talents.

East Meets West

by Martin Chapman

CHAIRMAN

Peter Mitchell GRAPHIC DESIGN TEAM Raymund Sarmiento PUBLISHER Tania Walters - tania@reviewmags.com Ciaran Carroll ADMIN/SUBSCRIPTIONS Kieran Mitchell - kieran@reviewmags.com ISSN 1171-2287 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Sarah Mitchell - sarah@reviewmags.com Suite 9, Level 3, 20 Augustus Tce, Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand EDITOR Caitlan Mitchell - caitlan@reviewmags.com PO Box 37 140, Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand 9 304 0142 CONTENT MANAGERS Georgia Saywell - nzapparel@reviewmags.com +64 NZ Apparel is published monthly under licence by Review Publishing Co Ltd. Please direct all

Caroline Boe - caroline@reviewmags.com EDITORIAL TEAM Alan Higgs

by Viviane Sassen

enquiries and correspondence to NZ Apparel. The opinions and material published in this edition of NZ Apparel are not necessarily those of the publishers unless specifically stated. All material appearing in NZ Apparel is copyright and may only be reproduced with the consent of the publisher. Copyright 2018 NZ Apparel Magazine.

From the dawn of the Mughal Empire through to the end of the British Raj, this stunning book details four centuries of exquisite jewellery that resulted from the cultural exchange between India and Europe.

Featuring over 150 pieces including jewel-encrusted jades, enamelled gold, famous gemstones and other magnificent works of art, East Meets West is full of fascinating essays and beautiful photographs illustrating the cultural and artistic conversations that sparked the design and creation of some of the most precious jewellery ever.

Happy, handmade knitwear. the Knitter. www.theknitter.co

hello@theknitter.co

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fast five

ZDHC RECOGNISES ECO PASSPORT For the last 25 years, over 10,000 manufacturers, brands, and retailers have worked with OEKO-TEX® to ensure their products are tested for potentially harmful levels of substances.

Millions of consumers now turn to the OEKO-TEX® label before making buying decisions. Leading the world in empowering and enabling consumers and companies, ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX® is now recognised by ZDHC as a LEVEL 3 indicator of ZDHC MRSL (Manufacturing Restricted Substances List) conformance. This is the highest level in the current programme and indicates that ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX® certified chemical substances meet the ZDHC’s guidelines for safer textile chemistries that are also verified as being responsibly manufactured.

The ZDHC’s MRSL covers chemical substances that are limited or banned from international use in the production of apparel and footwear materials and trim to protect workers, consumers, and the environment. Senior technical director of OEKO-TEX®, John Frazier, explained that they have worked with these industries for the past 25 years to eliminate harmful substances from the

global supply chain. “ECO PASSPORT is an important part of that work and proactively targets undesirable chemicals before they enter the supply chain,” Frazier added. The ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX® was designed to address the specific challenges chemical manufacturers face in their efforts to comply with sustainability initiatives while still protecting the confidentiality of their formulations. “Recognition as a LEVEL 3 indicator permits ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX® certified suppliers to adhere to the strictest ZDHC requirements while safeguarding their intellectual property.”

Sustainable production is verified with on-sitevisits of the manufacturer’s occupational safety methods, water and air protection mechanisms, and quality control practices in line with STeP by OEKOTEX®. “Sustainable apparel and footwear must begin with greener chemistries,” said Frazier.

“We are excited that ECO PASSPORT

by OEKO-TEX® certification is now acknowledged by ZDHC as an indicator of the responsible, comprehensive chemical product stewardship that is required to truly reduce the industry’s impact on workers, consumers, and the environment.”

SOLAR ENERGY TAKE OVER American retail giant Target has become one of the largest corporate installers of on-site solar in the US. Last year, Target installed 56 MW of solar on its facilities, compared to Walmart who has only five MW. Despite falling behind, Walmart plans to launch its new Project Gigaton to reduce supplier emissions and are installing solar on another 130 stores. This will makeup a total of 500 locations across 22 states and Puerto Rico. Currently, Walmart meets 28 percent of its power needs annually. Meanwhile, tech giants such as Apple, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and Amazon have achieved 100 percent renewable energy in their operations. Apple ranks as Number four on the top corporate onsite solar energy producers list in the US. Apple’s onsite installations can produce enough electricity to fully charge more than 44 million iPhones every day for a year. Solar has become increasingly more popular and has dropped in price by 52 percent in the last five years. If you combine all wwAmerican companies together they have built over three gigawatts of onsite and off-site solar installations.

LEVI’S CELEBRATES 100 YEARS OF OVERALLS Levi Strauss & Co. received the trademark for Freedom-Alls on October 22nd 1918. This was the first garment designed by Levi’s specifically for women. Referring to the functionality of the garment and America’s entry into World War I, Freedom-Alls were a form of self-expression and empowerment.

4 I October 2018

Commonly seen in the early years as a one-piece suit with a belted tunic over harem pants. The first colourways were blue with pinstripe pants and heavy khaki. They gained popularity after proving to be useful not just for housework, but for outdoor activities too, such as horse riding. “The story of

jeans is often told as a men’s story,” said Emma McClendon, associate curator of the museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology. “Side by side it’s a women’s story about unconventional garments, freedom and empowerment.”

$80 MILLION IN SALES FOR HALF SIZE BRA STARTUP After buying an ill-fitting bra at Victoria’s Secret, Heidi Zak wanted something that fitted her body better and believed millions of other women would as well. Zak asked herself why were bras so uncomfortable and hadn’t been changed at all? Co-founding ThirdLove with her husband David Spector, they built an online-only bra powerhouse with $160 million in expected sales this year. ThirdLove’s key point of difference in the flooded market is their voluminous amounts of data. There are over 600 million data points such as breast shape, cut fit, and band tightness from over 11 million women.

Resulting in better-fitting bras and the creation of half-sizing.

Former CEO of Victoria’s

Secret, Lori Greely, said ThirdLove is going after a customer that Victoria’s Secret wasn’t.

“Victoria’s Secret continued to put so much of their focus on the teenage college student, you could see that there were women who were looking for somewhere to graduate to."

Greely is now an investor and board member of ThirdLove.

In their early days, they struggled being online only as they couldn’t get customers across the line. Their saving grace was a try-before-you-buy program. In 2016, 75 percent of new customers were from the program.

Today, the company sells 24 styles in 74 sizes and continues to utilise customer data to determine future designs.

Sales have jumped from $1.5 million in 2015 to almost $80 million in 2017.

BESPOKE TAILORED SHEEPSKIN Classic New Zealand works across a range of markets, but its key focus is homewares retailing. The natural fibres and unique New Zealand qualities of the products make them a must-have for personal and public interiors. The tannery is endorsed by the New Zealand FernMark, meaning it’s completely New Zealand produced and made.

The company has been using the same site since 1969, but it isn’t resting on its laurels – it’s always looking to diversify its range on trend with market demands. Two areas of recent growth have been the home furnishings and baby markets.

Wool has a diversity of uses, not just sheepskin throws or jumpers. The latest trends have it accessorising large feature pieces of furniture or used in more complex garments. Sheepskin is a good material for temperature regulation, meaning it’s warm in winter and cool in summer.

Classic offers bespoke tailored sheepskin pieces, which are guaranteed sustainable and transparent in origin. It tans and finishes the products using an environmentally-friendly process, which has helped the company remain a strong favourite of sheepskin buyers.

Retailers looking to sell the highest quality sheepskin or even add to the design of their store with a woollen accent; email Kieran at sales@classicsheepskins.co.nz.

IS FASHIONWARE Apparel21 offers an integrated system to manage and interpret data for core business activities to improve efficiencies.

• PLM

• Purchasing

• Point of Sale

• Planning/OTB

• Shipments

• Online Sales

• Production

• Warehouse Management

• Financials

• Wholesale • Retail

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6 I October 2018

• Reporting and Analysis

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trade talks

POWER VERSUS INFLUENCE: How good leadership can transform your team Leadership and authority are not synonymous. It’s a common misconception that with a little power and influence staff will fall in line – in fact, flaunting a title or power can make true leadership more difficult to achieve. Leadership isn’t just having people report to you it involves gaining their respect. A good leader can transform a team into a sleek, chic, paradigm-shifting force.

Command and control as a leadership tactic are quickly losing favour. Whipping employees into action by distributing tasks without explanation is an inefficient process. Influential leadership, however, is gaining traction. Leading through influence instead of power keeps employees engaged, making them more productive and more satisfied in their roles.

Younger staff, in particular, require a more flexible, influential approach. Millennials and Gen Z are both generations that taught themselves everything, from computer coding to piano, and react better to a work environment that embraces change instead of fearing it.

True leadership means investing time in people, and it’s essential for creating a thriving business with loyal staff.

UNDERSTANDING BEHAVIOUR A good leadership training course will teach a budding leader critical communication skills and interpersonal awareness. Both these are tools that help understand staff before any implementation of behaviour changes.

The reason is great leaders realise it’s their job to fit the company – not the job of their staff to fit one manager.

No leader is expected to understand the needs of all staff immediately. It takes time to understand what

motivates each person.

The best thing a new leader can do is take the time to listen, and realise that each member of staff might be different.

Already the concept of understanding individual staff members might be throwing off inexperienced or poor leaders. Why bother relating to individuals when setting universal standards is easier? Here’s why: it’s your job. Managers earn more than the staff reporting to them because part of the job is emotional labour.

INFLUENCING BEHAVIOUR All staff can influence each other’s behaviour, but only a leader does it with deliberation and accountability.

Leadership is a huge responsibility, especially when staff are younger or otherwise vulnerable. It means understanding someone’s character and bringing the best out of it. Though this is a tool, not for the brain, but for the heart. Without empathy, a leader can’t hope to understand their employee’s motivation.

The first step to influencing behaviour to be liked.

People are more likely to respect and follow the opinions of someone well-liked. This doesn’t mean being your employees’ best friend; it just means being passionate about your shared vision and making yourself open to conversation. If you’re struggling to influence a group or an individual, ask yourself what you need to change in the relationship.

Influence means creating change, and this sometimes requires more than a staff meeting – it means creating a culture shift. If staff are demonstrating disrespectful behaviour, a good leader would understand the source of the poor sentiment.

It could be anything from dissatisfaction with working conditions to an unsubstantiated rumour.

Investigate, interview, communicate and resolve.

DEMONSTRATING BEHAVIOUR Organisations with good leadership development programs are more likely to run workshops on influencing behaviour, indicating that a good leader is more likely to be found listening to staff. Involving staff in leadership development programs is one way to demonstrate an investment in their careers.

A leader who’s committed to the company vision and continuously achieves goals can be a leader employee’s will strive to emulate. On the flip side, a leader who blames others for their mistakes and constantly delegates responsibilities to employees’ work piles instead of their own will be resented and considered a poor co-worker – not just a poor leader.

It’s a cliché, but leading by example does work.

When imagining a dream employee, a good leader should be thinking about how they can best embody that dream.

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radar

BEEKEEPER’S DAUGHTER Beekeeper’s Daughter owner Ashlee Strange handmakes all her products. Growing up in a family of beekeepers, she’s always had an affinity for bee by-products. After having children and deciding to use natural products on their skin, she came back to bees.

“The most important properties of my skincare are the bee by-products,” said Strange.

“The benefits they have for skin are incredible.”

The Manuka honey, bee pollen and beeswax Strange uses have effects ranging from antibacterial through to anti-aging – and they promote wound healing, too.

Strange initially made products for herself, but was soon inundated with requests from friends and family. The business has grown since then, with a wide range of products available for maternity and baby shoppers alongside traditional skincare.

“Bees are my family’s business, and natural skincare is my way of sharing the extraordinary healing and skins soothing by-products of the bees with others,” said Strange. Pregnancy is a delicate time, and with increased bloodflow and stretched skin infused, beneficial skincare is hugely important.

Beekeeper’s Daughter’s maternity range offers nursing balm, sunscreen, and a body oil among others healing products. It’s available online at www.beekeepersdaughtor.co.nz or in selected stockists.

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BUCK & BAA

CADENSHAE

Buck & Baa is an organic baby clothing range, created to make sure the first years of a child’s life are as toxin-free as possible. Alexa Whitehead is the director and designer of the brand, and has brought to life a clothing line that’s good for the planet as well as children.

The clothing is made from organic fibres not just for the sake of the customers, but also the producers.

“Traditional cotton crops make up 15-25 percent of the world’s insecticides and pesticides,” explained Whitehead. “The fibres are harmful to the farmers, the environment, and those who wear them.” Whitehead believes there’s no difference between choosing to use natural skincare products and choosing to use chemical-free clothing fibres. “Their skin is thinner and more porous than adults’.”

The clothing line is designed by Whitehead here in New Zealand, and is ethically made in India.

The manufacturer Buck & Baa uses has a SA8000 certificate, which is an international standard for social accountability and fair working conditions.

“I want Buck & Baa to be a clothing brand that is friendly on the environment,” said Whitehead. “What we do in business has an effect on more than just us.”

The brand also does its best to minimise its carbon footprint.

Buck & Baa’s Summer 18/19 range goes from newborn up to size four, but the company plans to grow their range to ultimately cater for size 10s, too.

Stockists can be found around New Zealand as well as overseas. For more information visit www.buckandbaa.com.

Cadenshae was founded by Adam and Nikki Clarke, a couple with four children and a passion for keeping active. Nikki Clarke was working as a personal trainer, and after the birth of her first child she found working out while nursing difficult. Existing activewear was unsupportive and impractical for breastfeeding mothers. She set out to solve the problem. “I knew I needed to create a range that would help other mums,” said Clarke.

The goal of Cadenshae is to inspire mothers around the world to be the best version of themselves. The clothing allows wearers to look good, feel good, and get endorphins flowing.

“The clothing is serving a purpose and solving a problem,” said Clarke. “It ultimately helps to make life as a mum that little bit easier.”

Clarke designs all the products herself: nursing sports bras, tops, nursing hoodies, and maternity leggings. The garments look just like a customer’s pre-baby activewear wardrobe, but with added features that allow for easy nursing.

The range is then produced in China by factories the team has a close relationship with. The brand plans to expand to the UK, following its success in Australia and New Zealand. Lingerie, baby, and sportswear stores all stock the products. “We are really lucky to have such a niche product that can be offered in such a diverse range of retailers.” Cadenshae can also be found online at www.cadenshae.co.nz

HAAKAA

EGG MATERNITY Victoria Cranwell believes maternity wear is an industry like any other – genuine interest in consumers is paramount to success. Cranwell works with her “Mamas” on the shop floor on design and customer service. “We focus on ensuring each client receives the best service, knowledge, and care that we can provide,” eshe explained.

EGG Maternity recently appeared on the NZFW18 runway, ensuring its recognition as the future of pregnancy fashion. The clothing line is designed with the pressures of pregnancy in mind, so it doesn’t just look good – it performs well.

“No pregnancy is the same, and no body is the same either,” said Cranwell. EGG Maternity reflects this, creating different cuts with different materials to flatter changing bodies of all kinds.

“Pregnancy is an amazing but overwhelming time, and we work on making sure our ladies are listened to and supported.”

During pregnancy, women often feel they’re not looking their best. With EGG Maternity leading the charge in flattering, comfortable fashion, looks are the last of a customer’s worries. The brand has an exciting project lined up for Summer 2019. “It will reconnect us with our Mamas in other parts of New Zealand."

EGG Maternity is available online at www. eggmaternity.com or in selected stockists around the country.

ETC Aliesha Sherwin’s goal is to make mums look good and feel good while breastfeeding – a tall order, but she’s pulling it off. The director and designer of ETC hopes to lessen the stigma around feeding in public with her range of garments designed to make feeding nonchalant.

The maternity range looks just like regular clothing, which helps normalise the feeding process. That being said, there’s nothing bland or generic about ETC’s garments. Sherwin designs all her own fabrics or commissions an artist, so each piece is unique.

ETC carries a staple range that is never discontinued, but instead rotates throughout the seasons. It’s also always growing. Sherwin herself swears by the range: “I can’t live without my Staple Jeggings!”

She’s always inspired, and as a result the range is always growing. “The goal is to keep growing, hopefully into other countries,” she said. “And to make sure we become a brand that everyone knows, trusts, and loves!”

All ETC’s items are designed in Waerenga, where Sherwin lives, and can be found in stockists around the country including Mint Boutique, Street 2 Surf, Mainly Casual, and Les Koosof, and online at www.etcclothing.co.nz

Haakaa is the result of a mother’s search for a safe product for her children and the environment. Eco-friendly products are of huge importance to the brand’s customers, who want to provide a safe, healthy environment for their children to grow up in.

All items are designed in New Zealand, and manufactured overseas by facilities owned and operated by Haakaa. Marketing manager Kim Sionzon is a member of the team behind this global baby brand, which sells breastfeeding tools and baby accessories to stores, hospitals, and clinics around the world.

“We don’t just make products to gain profits,” said Sionzon. “We make products that enable mums to lead simpler, easier, greener lives.”

Haakaa is brand made by mums for mums, and this makes them stand out in the crowd of maternity and baby products. “Other brands keep making products without understanding the every day struggles mothers really face in life,” explained Sionzon. Motherhood isn’t glitz and glamour – it’s a challenge, and all mothers deserve the best tools to take it on.

Haakaa is named after the haka, a lifeaffirming, strength-imbuing Māori war dance.

It means to be a strong fighter, and to find strength by choosing to smile through whatever challenges life brings. Haakaa believes this message is as inspiring for mothers and children as it is to any warrior.

All Haakaa’s products are made using environmentally-friendly materials like stainless steel, glass, bamboo, and natural rubber.

Haakaa has multiple stockists all over New Zealand and Australia, and distributors in more than 30 countries. For more information visit www.haakaa.co.nz.

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DIMPLES BY JANE-ANNE

You could say that founder Jane-Anne McAllister knows a thing or two when it comes to babies and what they need, with 14 children of her own and 24 grandchildren. However, her iconic New Zealand childrenswear brand Dimples has stood the test of time because of her determination, passion and entrepreneurial mindset, something she claims to have inherited from her father.

Unable to find practical, high-quality, and comfortable clothing for her own children, McAllister began sewing them herself and sought quality fabrics to use. It wasn’t long before her hobby turned into a business and her store Dimples opened in 1992, quickly gaining a reputation for quality New Zealandmade garments.

“I really wanted to make clothes that were not only comfortable but also fashionable, not just sleeping suits,” said McAllister. “One of the key aspects was the quality of the garments, allowing durability and washability, and that they didn’t just last one wash.”

From the get-go, the business has involved various other members of the family, and not just as fit-models. Daughters Charlotte and Rebecca both currently work in the business on the shop floor, as well as son William.

The store not only stocks the Dimples clothing brand but also furniture and products that are essentials for families and new parents. “We don’t sell anything in the store that we haven’t used, or don’t believe in.”

Over the years, the biggest challenge has been to stay New Zealand made when almost every other brand went offshore to lower prices, but in turn often lowered the quality levels. “I think by remaining New Zealand made we have maintained quality and value in our garments that has longevity.

Our collections are all designed and made in New Zealand using local businesses.”

A real highlight for McAllister came one evening when the phone rang and it was the buyer at Harrods in the UK. “I thought my husband was joking, but this was one of the biggest opportunities that landed on my doorstep and it was only due to the dollar crashing that we had to stop. Overall though, I would have to say that my greatest achievement was seeing

RASPBERRY REPUBLIC Magdalena and Piotr Stepinski are a dynamic duo in business and out of it. The co-founders of Raspberry Republic work in perfect synthesis, with Magdalena responsible for the creative process and production while Piotr handles the marketing and sales.

The two started their clothing brand in 2016 after becoming fed up with pointless corporate jobs. “We were always dreaming of a life where we would be in full control over our situation, and doing what we love,” said the Stepinskis. That life has come to fruition, with Raspberry Republic now available in more than 35 countries and the pair couldn’t be more proud.

The brand was the first in its segment to create clothes with certified organic cotton, and this led to it quickly taking off overseas rather than just locally, in the Stepinskis’ home town of Warsaw. Sustainable, ethical values are core to the brand, which ensures all it workers are legally hired, fully health-insured adults. “Since we are so close to our partners – both geographically but also relationship-wise – we have the opportunity to constantly visit them and check the working conditions ourselves.”

MINIMALISMA Maja Akraberg does everything at Minimalisma. She’s the owner, the creative, and the CEO of the small, Nordic clothing company. Akraberg’s husband joined the company earlier this year, making it a family business – appropriate, given it was the birth of the couple’s first child that sparked a journey and, ultimately, Minimalisma.

Akraberg worked for over a decade in the Danish fashion industry, but moved to Switzerland after having her first child. It was there she finally realised her dream

10 I October 2018

the brand and the store go from strength to strength and its stickability in the market, through good and bad economic times.”

The store has recently incorporated WeChat pay and AfterPay as payment options. “This is something that has allowed our customers to pay in ways that are convenient to them.”

It is safe to say that Dimples is synonymous with quality, and it is one of the biggest drawcards for customers. “Our customers know that when they buy from our store, it is not only quality, but a place where they can go to ask questions, get reassurance, and has very much a family and caring atmosphere.”

The team at Dimples regularly researches and attends international expos to source products from around the world to offer customers.

If you would like to stock the Dimples brand or be stocked in the store please contact donna@dimples.co.nz.

Raspberry Republic creates clothes for children aged from one month up to 11 years old. The prints are inspired by the couple’s travels, mythical creatures, and the environment. Most importantly, the brand wants kids to dress like kids. “We try to make clothes that the kids will love, rather than the parents,” said Stepinski. “Our main test pilots are our own three kids, who have a lot to say.”

The unique prints are what sets the brand apart from other childrenswear offerings. The creative pair aims to please their own imagination rather than anyone else’s, so each collection is a nice surprise for consumers whilst retaining a consistent illustration style. “We are just like a good restaurant: we take what the season and our imagination brings and leverage that to create awesome collections.” The twosome love the freedom to create that their jobs give them, and customers love the results.

Since Raspberry Republic’s first collection of twenty pieces, it’s grown to a SS19 collection of almost a hundred garments. It’s also expanded geographically, with New Zealand and Australian stockists picking up on the brand.

If retailers are interested in stocking Raspberry Republic, they’re best to contact Piotr at info@raspberryrepublic.com.

of launching Minimalisma, and the first collection was born in May of 2012.

“I bring my drawing book with me everywhere and get my best ideas while travelling,” said Akraberg, who is inspired by her home – the Faroe Islands. The clothing reflects this, with the 2018 Spring/Summer collection inspired by the wildflowers and blurred seas and skies of Faroese sceneries.

Something important to Akraberg is that children like the garments as much as their parents. “My children and their friends are my most valued critics,” she said. “I helped dress a 6-year-old girl and she kept telling me and her mother how she loved

what she was wearing. It was so sweet, and made me feel so proud and happy about my work.”

The natural materials used set the range apart.

“We use no regenerated qualities such as viscose or bamboo,” said Akraberg. “I do all quality control of our production myself.” One of the first styles she made was the Bieber/Arona legging, a response to the missing availability of soft-waisted leggings. “It’s so important to keep the waistline soft and the waist cut high to that all organs are properly covered and warm, she explained.

From the next collection (SS19), all Minimalisma’s styles will be available up to size 1012. The high quality organic garments are popular worldwide, although it has so far been limited to physical sales. An e-commerce site is coming, but for now New Zealand-based customers can look for Minimalisma in SoBeauBaby. Any retailers looking to stock the can contact sales@minimalisma.com.

TIBA + MARL Co-founder of Tiba + Marl, Lydia Barron’s idea for the brand was born when her and business partner Anna Tizard had babies of their own and struggled to find baby changing bags that fit their styles. Together they discovered a gap in the market for such products and decided to design and create the bags themselves.

With a background in footwear and accessories design and Tizard’s accessories buying experience, the two were passionate and excited to create a brand that was both contemporary and sartorial while also being unisex.

When designing products, what sets Tiba + Marl apart from other brands is the fact their designs don’t look anything like traditional baby bags - a point of difference Barron believes is the most impactful element of the brand. “We combine modern graphic prints and premium and high-tech materials yet always ensure the bags are super functional, creating stylish yet practical design.”

All Tiba + Marl bags are water resistant and wipe-clean inside and out. The bags feature a luxury padded changing mat, an insulated bottle holder, a multitude of pockets and a coordinating wet clutch that comes with a cross-body strap, making it excellent for wet items and for use as a separate bag.

Barron and Tizard focus on trend driven shapes when designing their bags. Sports-luxe backpacks, stylish totes, chic hold-alls and the like all serve as inspiration for designs that mean Tiba + Marl bags offer a life beyond the nappy changing phase.

“The unisex element is also incredibly important to us and is woven into our brand DNA. It was one of our

key objectives when we came up with the idea for the brand. We wanted to make sure we also catered for and thought of stay-at-home dads, same-sex parents, along with creating bags that could be used by both parents seamlessly.”

Tiba + Marl are continuously looking at new ways of expanding the boundaries of what a ‘baby changing bag brand’ can be and are always pushing new products, from footmuffs and bum-bags to kids’ accessories.

“With both of us coming from a design and retail background, we are obsessed with fashion, scouring shows, blogs and always keeping a keen eye on street style, and this is reflected in the aesthetic of the brand. We love sports-wear inspired, androgynous style – which I think comes through in our collections – we love super technical, yet lux, fabrications, clever design details and attention to usability that still looks sartorial.”

Barron describes the brand’s design aesthetic as practical, technical and styling with loads of smart features. From double zips, bespoke hardware, metal feet to all the features one would expect from a baby bag – practical and utilitarian elements hold significant importance to the functionality of Tiba + Marl bags. The two always ensure that the bags’ features are bundled up in an edgy, sartorial package.

Barron added that it has been such an incredible journey. “The fact no day is ever the same keeps us on our toes.”

This Christmas, Tiba + Marl will be introducing some 100 percent natural lifestyle and beauty products and are working with independent stockists as the brand works towards international expansion.

To find out more or to become a stockist, email wholesale@tibaandmarl.com.

MISTER FLY

SUMMER 2018

Mister Fly was created by two mums in 2015 who were searching for a stylish, practical range of accessories. Alex Skurrie and Kara Toovey have been so successful with their products that they’ve since expanded the owners’ circle to include CFO Marcus Toovey.

Despite growing so rapidly, the quality and workmanship remain at a high standard. “We get feedback daily about the quality and how happy our customers are with the product,” they said. “We only ever produce items that we are 100 percent happy with, and that we would personally display in our homes.”

A simple, gender neutral palette is used by the designers, which includes modern prints that make the products functional yet exciting. The team described their design aesthetic as “grey,” and stated it likes minimal colour and playful animal prints. At the moment, the team’s favourite design is the tiger, a simple design in greys that is playful but muted. The backpacks and bibs are considered good for gifting.

The team has grown from two mums with a dream to a board of three, a team of designers, and a warehouse manager. “Everyone is so passionate about the brand,” said the team. “We all have the same vision." This shared vision is likely the reason Mister Fly is now is stocked in over 300 stores in 18 different countries. Retailers looking to stock the product should email twomums@misterfly.com.au.

KORAL KORAL’s maternity focused line is for the sophisticated woman who doesn’t want to compromise her personal style during pregnancy.

KORAL Maternity allows women to feel comfortable, while maintaining a sense of fashion and edge during these precious months.

KORAL Maternity includes a variety of separates including nursing bras, tops, sweatpants and the popular ‘Lustrous’ and ‘Forge’ leggings.

KORAL updated these tried and true favourites with lower waistlines and widened fold-over waistbands, made of soft elastic for optimal comfort.

The focus of this collection is versatility. It is perfect for active and passive pregnancy days, but most importantly, it enables the wearer to stay true to their style through it all; before, during, and after.

KORAL is a luxe Los Angeles activewear label motivated by movement.

Deviating from the predictable to conceive unstoppable fashion for the unstoppable woman who is interested in style, as much as function, versatility and durability.

Integrity is at the core of KORAL’s creative director and designer Ilana Kugel, who channelled her native Brazilian roots, background in swimwear design, and awareness of function, form and fabrics, with Peter Koral’s industry expertise to propel workout clothes as we know today into an elevated fashion label with a sophisticated edge.

High quality Lycra technology ensures that while you push the limits, the outfit will stand the test of time with absolute colour, UV protecting, breathable and eco-friendly properties, allowing KORAL to feel like a second skin, improve mobility, increase oxygen delivery and protect against environmental toxins, without releasing its own. Sensual colours, sleek Lycra fabrics, mesh insert details and effortless layering options elevate the female silhouette, giving it a distinct edge in sex appeal that fluently transitions from workout, to a night out, and to everything in between.

For more information or to become a stockist, contact amanda@internationalfashiongroup.com.au.

LITTLE BAMBINOS Rachel Williams found a gap in the market for children’s clothing and established Little Bambinos to introduce leading international brands to New Zealand. When Ulia Ash, a loyal customer of the business, discovered it was up for sale at the beginning of 2017, she jumped at the opportunity and is now the owner of the store.

Ash had three children at the time, and her youngest had just started preschool that week. “I was feeling really lost with what to do with my time as I enjoyed being busy and was exploring options for a part-time job,” Ash said. “That weekend I received a customer email from Little Bambinos that it was up for sale. I had always dreamed of having my own business, but I never knew what that business might be.” With young children, Ash wanted a job that could be flexible and fit around her family life and with her husband’s support. “I took the plunge and bought the business.”

Little Bambinos is a boutique online store specialising in infant and children’s clothing, footwear and accessories. The business highlights products from a range of local and international designers, many of which

are exclusive to Little Bambinos.

Like many of the company’s designers, Ash prefers to use ecofriendly fibres and sustainable manufacturing processes. Many of the store’s collections are made from organic cotton and natural dyes.

The carefully curated selection of brands and attention to detail her team provides in their customer service sets the store apart from others. “We are always striving to showcase the clothes in the best possible way being online. Images are everything, and we are constantly trying to add to our imagery.” Little Bambinos now has a journal tab on their website and a Pinterest page. They also style their own photo shoots every season to show how many looks can be made with their brands.

To ensure excellent customer service, Little Bambinos check and read all comments on social media and emails and have an incredibly fast response time, ensuring customers feel like they are given the store’s full attention. “I also make it personal as I get to know

MARLOW & MAE Rebekah Sansbury is the founder and designer behind Marlow & Mae, a family-run business based out of Australia’s sunny Queensland.

Established in 2015 after the birth of Sansbury’s first child, the company now ships more than a hundred orders worldwide every week.

For two years Sansbury designed and sewed each garment herself, but when the business grew quickly around the time of her second child’s birth, the family knew it was time to invest in a manufacturer. “It was a huge decision to go from making the clothes myself and trusting manufacturing to have the same touch,” said Sansbury. “Looking back I’m so happy and proud with our end result.”

The quality of the clothing is of huge importance to Sansbury. “I want to offer pieces that will be loved and worn for generations to come,” she said. “You won’t find any fast fashion in our collection.” The

12 I October 2018

my customers and what they like and try to make those connections when we are in touch.”

The most important thing to Ash is making her customers happy. “I really want them to be impressed with the service and to feel like they are buying something special.” Many children’s clothes are attached to memories and are passed down. Ash wants to be part of this process and nostalgia. “Buying quality over quantity also means that you are far more likely to attach yourself to the clothing items as opposed to just wearing them and then discarding them.”

Little Bambinos carries a variety of diverse brands including Ryee + Cru, L’ovedbaby, Jamie Kay, Louise Misha, Daughter, Wheat, Sleepy Doe, Konges Slojd, Bibs, Shirley Bredal, Bobo Choses and Poudre Organic and stocks mainly children’s and infant’s clothes and footwear and some bedding, swaddles, soothers and toys.

In an exciting expansion, Little Bambinos has moved into its first physical space as the team was invited to join the Collective in Christchurch – a store that runs as a collective. Ash is excited to finally have a place for customers to see products in-store.

Future plans for the business include a pop-up shop in Auckland next year and the ongoing expansion and addition of brands online. “At the moment I feel we have so much to offer for girls and would love to see more boys clothing added to our store and to have bigger sizes available.”

Little Bambinos stocks products from newborn sizes up to ten-years. For brands interested in being stocked in the store, contact Ulia Ash at hello@littlebaminos.nz.

designs are made in India, Nepal, China, and Spain, and the brand is currently working with a company in Turkey to bring in unique, hand-knitted pieces.

A product Sansbury is currently excited about is Marlow & Mae’s new toddler Espadrille Avarcas sandals, which are made on Menorca in Spain. All the brand’s products are artfully and thoughtfully made, as well ethical. I love watching my children grow in our pieces,” said Sansbury. “I love how well made and original our designs are.”

Marlow & Mae carries garments in sizes from newborn to 4 years old. “The brand is currently exclusively sold online, and doesn’t offer wholesale. However, it plans to grow in the next few years and wholesale will soon be available. Retailers interested in stocking the brand can contact Sansbury at rebekahsansbury@live.com, where they will be added to a database for wholesale when it becomes available.

retail eye

KOWTOW 29 COLLEGE STREET TE ARO WELLINGTON Eleven years after its inception, Kowtow launched a flagship store in its hometown Wellington. Building on the desire to create an ethical label that would be the example for a fashion-forward business, their store has an emphasis on natural, locally sourced and sustainable materials. “The store opening is an opportunity to bring the Kowtow ethos into a physical space,” explained founder and creative director Gosia Piatek. “The only option for us was to engage interior designer and architect, Rufus Knight, as he is leading the charge with innovative interiors.”

Knight, in turn, was excited to work with Kowtow as sustainability and traceability is core to what the label does and what Knight wanted to execute in the design. Every detail was carefully considered; from the recycled nylon rugs to the New Zealand grown and milled timber.

From the outside looking in, a passerby can have an open and transparent view of the store through two large windows which delicately frame the space.

Exuding minimalism, simplicity and generosity; floor to ceiling structures divide the area with rhythm while supporting a bespoke racking system.

The store articulates minimalism, simplicity and generosity. From the outside, two large windows frame the space. Instead of traditional displays, any passerby can have an open and transparent view of the store’s day-to-day life.

The point of sale anchors the interior, inviting conversation over the valchromat unit, FSC certified and made with post-industrial recycled wood chips.

The display shelves that punctuate the space are also made of the same recycled material. “We were fortunate to work with such an outstanding team.

Rufus Knight understood the importance of designing a space that would communicate our values in ethics and sustainability,” said Piatek. Sustainably grown, harvested and milled eucalyptus, finished by hand with a non-toxic, eco-friendly Osmo hard wax oil was used in the store as well. Handmade ceramic tiles by local Wellington artist Gidon Bing are sprinkled through the interior as well. The rugs in-store are made from salvaged and recycled synthetics, including fishing nets recovered from the ocean. A modular sofa designed by Simon James was upholstered with renewable and compostable fibres such as virgin wool blends. The linen curtains are made from a material that was sustainably grown, harvested and processed using the environmentally friendly dew-retting method. Lastly, the Hotaru Buoy pendant lights were designed by Barber & Osgerby, manufactured

by Ozeki & Co Ltd., a celebrated Japanese company dedicated to making paper lanterns since 1891.

The design and concept of the store was a collaboration between Kowtow and Rufus Knight.

“Aesthetically, we were on the same page,” said Piatek.

“He really perfected minimalism.” Working with Makers of Architecture and Makers of Fabrication, Piatek said Knight recommended them from the beginning. “Beth Cameron managed the entire project and was incredibly thorough and committed to ensuring the space was filled with natural and sustainable fittings. The level of research and care put into every single element by both Rufus and Makers was exceptional, and I think that really shows in the result. We made a great team.”

PHOTOS BY SIMON WILSON

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I 13

trade talks fitout

design

FITOUT COLLABORATIVE TIM WEBBER DESIGNS Interior re-design is a huge endeavour for businesses, who lose out on trading time and spend money at the same time. That’s where Fitout Collaborative steps in. The interior construction business is built around efficient builds, minimising paperwork and procrastination to produce the client’s needs in record time.

Unlike other construction companies, Fitout Collaborative considers the fitout of a space only one part of the sales process for its clients. By embracing technology, the team can create incredible efficiencies in all areas of the project: pricing, project management, value engineering, and more.

The team is dedicated to involving themselves in every part of the process, from the initial design through to the manual labour. This comes from its ethos of streamlining – minimising paperwork by limiting sub-contracting, but also from its creative angle. Fitout Collaborative will bring clients’ ideas to life, but will also offer fresh takes and suggestions for those seeking inspiration.

This sets the company apart from most interior construction companies, which will not be as dedicated to the deadlines of a project – ultimately costing clients more in lost trading time. It’s also unusual to find a team with design and council knowledge in addition to actual construction knowhow.

The depth of service it provides extends from the very beginning of the construction process through to the end. It will even work on Council consents and documentation in addition to the value engineering and actual construction work.

The result is a company with a priority of client satisfaction in all areas: budget, product quality, and efficiency.

14 I October 2018

Tim Webber had always had an interest in design and making things with his hands. After his schooling years, Webber found a passion for woodwork and graphic drawing. “I went on to study a Bachelor of Design and majored in furniture and sculpture where I did a lot of experimenting with various aspects of furniture and product design,” Webber added. About six months after he graduated, Webber decided to step out and put all of his efforts into creating his own range of furniture. He had the opportunity to set up in the corner of one of his father’s warehouses, and with the use of a small workshop, it allowed him to experiment and explore how his first range would come together. “The ‘why’ is really because I love designing products and seeing them being used in peoples’ everyday lives, be it at home or work. It brings me a lot of pleasure knowing people are getting enjoyment from products I’ve developed.” Webber described his work as clean and stripped back with well-considered and beautiful details. He designs with a strong notion of functionality in mind as well as the ability to be able to be used across residential and commercial spaces. “I’m very proud of our local New Zealand manufacturing which means we’re able to achieve a high-quality product, using sustainable materials, with short lead times.” All of these elements result in the very best product and service customers can have. His in-house team of designers and makers work together on custom projects covering lighting, accessories, and furniture.

security

packaging

display

LEADING SOLUTIONS

NOISSUE

EDA

Retailers right across New Zealand are losing significant sales and profit through shrinkage, yet there is a prevailing attitude of complacency. The cost to both businesses is huge, in fact a typical kiwi store with $2m turnover a year will lose an average of $30k a year.

“We bring new energy to the age-old problem of store theft. We feel new energy is important, why?

Because we provide security solutions that need to be one step ahead,” explained Sheri Whitmill, Leading Solutions director. One example of this is the Forstag (as pictured above), customers have praised how reliable and easy the tags are to use. The Forstag boast many good qualities including…

Less injuries: An integrated ‘all-in-one’ style of tag removes the danger of loose pins turning up in places where they can cause harm to staff and customers.

Less damage: Light and small, this tag is ideal for specific products such as footwear, clothing, lingerie or any items with straps or eyelets.

Higher Yield: Utilising an ‘all-in-one’ solution can improve productivity levels when tagging stock by more than 30 percent as proven by recent time in motion studies.

Normally, it would be difficult to implement a new security system, particularly this close to the Christmas season. However, the Forstag works with existing store gates and is positively welcomed by staff as a product they want to use.

“These days, there is always a solution to shrinkage: with new and exciting developments that are both discreet and reliable,” added Whitmill. “Let’s not accept the status quo where shrinkage is concerned – all that’s required is a call to action.”

For more information or to get a free quote call 09 979 5479 or email sales@leadingsolutions.co.nz.

Established in 2017, noissue was created with the goal of making custom branded packaging available for small to medium sized businesses. “We believe that sustainable packaging doesn’t have to be unattainable,” said Ben Conard, noissue’s marketing director. “You can be environmentally conscious and responsible while creating a premium product for your customers to enjoy, and we can help you do it.”

The name ‘noissue’ was chosen because the team is committed to eliminating the unnecessary issues that can crop up with custom production. Their goal is to make packaging easy, so you can get back to what’s most important: your business.

Their interactive online platform allows companies to design and order without having to go back and forth, via email, with a sales rep. The low minimum order quantities, eco-friendly focus and quick turnaround is what sets them apart from the pack.

As a globally accessible business, noissue has clients all around the world. New Zealand-based companies noissue work with include; Kate Sylvester, Kowtow, Workshop and Commoners. Next year, the team is branching into compostable mailers among other new products.

For custom, eco-friendly wrapping tissue or stickers, contact the noissue team on hi@noissue.co.

EDA Australasia started out as a standard exhibition company, but over 30 years it’s evolved into a fullspectrum display business, capable of designing, producing, and maintaining beautiful retailer and display systems.

The brand is known for its clever design work, which general manager of sales and marketing Alex Doidge said is down to a deep client targeting strategy. “It is essential that we look through the eyes of the shopper and see what they see,” said Doidge.

It sounds simple, but seeing through the eyes of a customer is more than literal – it means looking for trends, sustainability factors, and colours that influence the targeted customers.

It’s important to EDA that all products are built to last long-term. Designed for the footwear and apparel markets, EDA’s highly customisable permanent display can be revamped every season at minimal cost to retailers. “Some of the products use digital tech, and some are simply clever graphics or substrates,” explained Doidge. “All of them are designed to bring attention to high-selling hero products.”

The company offers a continued service, meaning clients are able to reap the full benefits of EDA’s end-to-end service. The product is designed, manufactured, and after installation the team will continue to service it in line with the client’s marketing and launch calendar. “We’ll even come and pick it up after five years and recycle it,” said Doidge.

Most display manufacturers design in isolation, but EDA considers the total brand strategy and the context of the product. This means the brand experience is continuous for customers from online and advertising through to their visit to stores.

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I 15

On The colour trending

PHILIP LIM Resene Ruby Tuesday

THOM BROWNE Resene Happy

he seventies have been known to be the ugly duckling decade in the fashion world.

The era of “anti-fashion” and “bad taste” has not held back world-class designers and fashion houses from re-inventing timeless trends. The revival of one of the decade’s most notable trends “the fringe” has hit the runways again this season and is demonstrating dominance once again.

Phillip Lim’s modern interpretation of fringe is a classic example of re-inventing seventies-inspired garments to make them wearable today and without fear of falling victim to fast fashion. Contrary to the usual theme of connecting references in pieces that have nothing in common, Lim stripped down and showcased a cohesive Spring Ready-to-Wear collection that was bare in colour palette but rich in texture and shape, bringing forth a clean modernity in their silhouettes. Lim created an A-Line white coat with a vibrant orange fringe in a hue like Resene Daredevil.

16 I October 2018

JACQUEMUS Resene Sea Fog

Lim took a classic coat, reinvented an old trend, modernised it by adding colour and created a timeless wardrobe must-have.

Angela Missoni showcased their Spring/Resort Ready-to-Wear collection which included another in-season trend of crochet, which continued the 70s on the fringe theme. Hoping to broaden their offering for women, the range of knitted dresses with exaggerated fringe gave off a nomadic attitude. In a hue similar to Resene Reflection, Missoni used earthy tones with a touch of vibrancy, that captured her signature high-end craftsmanship in a contemporary and charming nature.

La Riviera by Simon Porte Jacquemus was a trip down memory lane for the designer who drew inspiration for this collection from the summers he spent as a child in the South of France. “It’s a bit cliché, I know, but she was going to the casino on the seashore, she was dancing and drinking cocktails.”

ANGELA MISSONI Resene Reflection

Flimsy silk fabrics and hemlines that barely cover the model’s rare end were a focal point for this collection that was designed for women that are comfortable in their own skin. Similar to Resene Sea Fog, Jacquemus created a halter dress in sequins that were a strong contrast from the starkness of the solid black dress.

The fringe detail dangling from well above the knee was a modern addition to a very classic silhouette.

More is more for Vivienne Hu, the designer created a collection quite unlike any of her others. Hu explored vintage nineteen-seventies feminine inspired silhouettes. Contrasting colours and clashing patterns were the running theme for this Ready-to-Wear collection. Hu curated the ultimate fringe midi dress with a plunging neckline and the inclusion of a frilled wrap around sash in a hue like Resene Elixir. This combination of textures and colours gives us a taste of the Vivienne Hu we know and the edgier side that we really want to see.

Fringe OSCAR DE LA RENTA Resene Nero

Bold colours, even bolder texture and patterns, Thom Browne had only one thing in mind when curating his latest Spring Ready-to-Wear collection – madness. “It’s a lot of colour. It’s summer. It’s a lot of fruit,” said Browne before the first model walked.

Masks, head-gear and a lot of mix and match dropped jaws and made for an enthralling catwalk. Browne drew inspiration from a lot of classic trends like plaid, double-breasted suits and fringe. Combining two of the most recognisable trends – plaid and fringe, Browne created a skirt suit for the modern maximalist woman who loves colour. In a hue similar to Resene Happy we see the classic nineteen-fifties preppy America.

Layers of fringe encircling the neckline of the model

VIVIENNE HU Resene Elixir

TMALL CHINA DAY Resene Double Resolution Bue

inspired by Berber textiles Phillip Lim, once again, is on the fringe with this crop droopy layered crop top. Although very maximal, the collection remains wearable. Similar to Resene Ruby Tuesday, Lim uses a bold colour palette to break the sharpness of the black midriff, although long and loose, each piece is cut with precision and exudes clean modernity.

Angel Chen by Tmall China Day debuted her co-ed Spring 2019 Ready to Wear show drenched in colour print and texture. With pirate references in mixed brocade prints and textured fabrics Chen’s collection was nothing short of eye-catching. Being no stranger to the runway after working with Alexander Wang, Chen knew her debut collection had to be over-the-top and included accessories like a neon

PHILLIP LIM Resene Daredevil

pink backpack. In a hue similar to Resene Double Resolution Blue we see the model in a silhouette that most of us are familiar with – streetwear. What makes this stand out is the flurry of multicoloured fringe hanging off the edges of the garments.

Oscar De La Renta’s nomadic theme for his Spring 2019 collection offered relaxed shapes but a lot of embellishment. The shapes were effortless and included resort-wear garments such as sarongs and caftans.

The creative team at Oscar De La Renta included tailoring too, delivered with a feminine attitude — a silk longline blazer with a plunging neckline, finished off with drooping fringe in a colour similar to Resene Nero was a classic yet unique edition to the collection of a holiday-maker’s dream.

apparelmagazine.co.nz

I 17

e - commerce

HOW TO ROLL OUT A HYBRID PAID AND ORGANIC SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY There are pros and cons for executing a paid (boosting posts) versus organic social media strategy but it’s actually valuable rolling out both together.

The reality is that social media channels are becoming more of a pay-to-play platform, with Facebook’s recent algorithm updates jeopardising a brand’s organic reach.

Facebook’s current algorithm prioritises content from paid partnerships or sponsored posts – these have increased reach by appearing front and centre in people’s newsfeeds. As a result there is an expectation for brands to put spend behind their posts. Those who do not are penalised, appearing lower in people’s feeds, especially if their content is deemed too salesy.

With the majority of brands running social ads, social media is no longer deemed a ‘free’ advertising platform. To succeed in this space, an effective media strategy that encompasses organic and paid posts will maximize your reach while keeping your budget in check.

Below you will see the strengths of an organic and paid social media strategy and how combining these efforts will give you bang for your buck.

ORGANIC SOCIAL MEDIA STILL MATTERS Despite the bombardments of ads and constant algorithm changes, organic social media isn’t going anywhere. It’s a great way for brands to promote themselves without hounding their audiences with sales pitches post after post.

RAISING BRAND AWARENESS Organic presence goes hand in hand with brand awareness. Letting people know who you are, showing off your personality, educating, entertaining and inspiring your audience are the actions that make social media enticing in the first place and which cost nothing but your time.

Brands like Naveya & Sloane are an example of an effective organic media strategy; they showcase their designs while also taking the consumer behind the scenes into the design process, educating and providing inspiration for their audience. Their content subtly promotes their services without being too in-your-face and is less likely to get knocked by the algorithm.

Meanwhile their paid social media strategy meshes with their organic one by staying-on brand. The organic posts serve as sharable inspirational content without pushing a strong sales pitch, compared to the stronger call-to action in their paid posts.

CUSTOMER SERVICE AND COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT Consumers use social media to reach out to brands so managing customers and communities is a big part of your organic presence. The offer of an instant, free channel for people to make contact will always be in demand as paid social media grows.

Questions and concerns aren’t the only opportunities to connect with customers. Social media is the perfect place to pick your audiences brains on content ideas. It is also a perfect place to curate usergenerated content like customer photos to sell yourself without being salesy.

PROMO OF A BIG PIECE OF CONTENT

A paid campaign helps ensure a killer piece of content attracts new customers. Whether it’s a case study, webinar or a prioritized promotion, these items are brilliant ways to encourage visits from new and former fans.

RAISING AWARENESS BEYOND ORGANIC REACH Paid ads serve as another avenue for brands to make an impression on their target audiences. For making yourself visible or highlighting a fresh deal, ads make those offers ‘can’t miss’ opportunities.

Rather than viewing a paid and organic social media strategy as a game of “either-or,” consider how you can benefit from both. Between learning about your audience to raising awareness, organic content isn’t going anywhere. As more brands continue to roll out paid campaigns, having your organic strategy locked down will keep you ahead of the curve.

WHEN TO EXECUTE A PAID SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY Running social ads allows you to extend your key messaging and reach a wider demographic within your target audience's. Rather than get buried under competing content, boosted posts place your ads higher and more frequently in people’s feeds.

By Amanda McConchie

ARCHIVE YOUR GOALS

Latitude Solutions offer a range of services and specialise in strategic enablement. This involves one of their ten team members coming into your business to see where your company can utilise technology enabling you to achieve your goals.

If you don’t know what your goals are, Ash Siddiqui is more than happy to have a coffee with you and together figure out what they are. Latitude Solutions can provide crucial tools in boosting what you are already producing whether that is a service or something tangible.

No two clients or problems are ever the same.

Latitude Solutions’ point of difference is that they customise each client to order and have a wealth of knowledge and experience. They will work to your budget, your way. “We’re all about solutions, IT just happens to be a tool,” said Siddiqui. “We aren’t in IT; we enable business transformations.” Don’t be afraid that they will completely change the systems you work with; they are more than happy to adapt and develop

18 I October 2018

them. “We don’t do band-aids, we will get you to a safe and reliable place that is in the direction you want to go.”

Latitude Solutions is proudly independent, and their services aren’t transactional, meaning it does not stop and go. “Most importantly, we care. We are experts in our field, and we will look after you.”

Established in 1992, it all started with a CD burner and Windows 3.11. At 12-years old, founder Ash Siddiqui came up with a way for his uncle to digitise his ‘phone book thick’ medical catalogue that was being shipped across the globe, a suggestion that would save thousands on freight. “It was actually

quite fitting because the catalogues were filled with the latest technology in the medical world,” he said. “Although my uncle was sceptical at first, it was inherently successful, and it grew rapidly after that.” The new digital catalogues offered a lot more information as well, bringing a traditionally 2D format to 3D. As a teenager, his business quickly grew through referrals from digitising medical equipment catalogues to digitising fibreglass car body catalogues to finding a large array of technology solutions for businesses.

“Creating solutions is my passion to this day; it just also happens to be my job.”

Laybuy has launched a global product feature for international customers in the United Kingdom and Australia, which allows customers in those countries to use the buy now, pay later service from local NZ sites. This is a first for any buy now, pay later provider. Now when using Laybuy, location is no longer an obstacle.

Customers throughout New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom can shop with New Zealand and Australian merchants who offer Laybuy options.

The only Buy Now, Pay Later provider to currently offer a streamlined checkout process, where customers are not required to set up different Laybuy accounts for each country

they are shopping from. With the need for only one account to work for all merchants offering Laybuy, this is a new effortless solution that provides customers with more freedom and more selection when making online purchases.

“We’re really excited about the launch of Laybuy Global, and what this means for the future of online shopping, not only for our New Zealand customers shopping from Australian retailers, and vice versa but also for our New Zealand and Australian retailers being able to provide this option to consumers in the UK,” said Gary Rohloff, Laybuy’s founder.

“International customers can now shop with flexibility at local businesses right here

in New Zealand, and for our merchants, it means the possibility of more business from a larger market. Laybuy Global removes the barrier that previously existed for customers overseas wanting to use Buy Now, Pay Later platforms.”

As New Zealand’s fastest growing Buy Now, Pay Later payment company, Laybuy is going from strength to strength as a result of its innovative methods and forward thinking in a way that benefits both customers and merchants. Laybuy will continue to strive to provide customers with effortless checkout systems, helping small businesses expand their client base internationally, and removing barriers that prevent customers from shopping.

Call us now for a FREE one hour consultation.*

3 tips to improve your wifi

Ph: 09 571 9959 www.latitudesolutions.co.nz

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I 19

25/07/18 apparelmagazine.co.nz

9:27 AM

RE-X

wiGroup’s CEO Bevan Ducasse created Africa’s first mobile payment linked to a credit card ten years ago. Since then, companies around the world have used the technology to facilitate mobile transactions. Re-X takes things further by adapting wiGroup’s technology to deliver a truly extraordinary mobile customer experience, tailored to a brand’s identity and objectives.

With Re-X, customers can skip queues, earn rewards, and make payment from their mobile device. This is vital to the brand’s ethos – that customer interactions should be effortless and meaningful.

Re-X helps brands to develop, integrate, and deploy a customised mobile solution that incorporates mobile loyalty, payment, rewards, and mobile commerce – all powered by the wiGroup platform.

Today, wiGroup technology powers over 140 retail brands in 13 countries including Virgin Mobile, Vodacom, Barclays, Burger King, and Discovery Vitality. Deployed solutions have a track record of significant and quantified increases in customer spend, visitation frequency and lifetime value.

On average, wiGroup-powered mobile rewards programs deliver a 26 percent increase in average transaction value, and a 24 percent increase in product sales for targeted offers. The mobile loyalty and rewards programs are popular, with redemption rates above 80 percent for several popular programs.

Brands wanting to stay relevant and well-loved need to make sure their app-based interactions line

FIRST GLOBAL LOGISTICS Bryan Johnston founded the company in 2009 with the vision of a boutique, personalised international freight company. That vision holds strong today, with a multi-level service available for tailoring to each company’s needs.

E-commerce is one of the most rapidly growing industries in the world, but there is one aspect that can’t be digitised: the actual sending of product. First Global Logistics takes pride in being a cost-effective, personalised delivery service that transports more than a million parcels each year from New Zealand to Australia.

That’s not to say First Global Logistics isn’t hightech; it’s developed a comprehensive online experience for clients to design their service and follow it from beginning to end. The personalised tracking portal allows clients to place their own logo and a personalised message onto the tracking portal, so customers can feel they’re remaining safe in the hands

20 I October 2018

up with their image. Online consumer experience is as important as in-store experience. The smartphone age means consumers have an unprecedented level of interaction with brands – mobile is now a primary tool for brands to stay relevant and lovable.

Despite the relevance of mobile solutions, brands often experience challenges in implementation. Many vendors have only pieces of the puzzle, or push a white-label approach instead of starting with the customer and designing a tailored, brand-relevant consumer experience.

The wiGroup platform is easy for

businesses to use, and is already integrated with over 40 global point of sale solutions. Re-X recognises that ease of integration is a priority for businesses who are adopting new systems, so typical projects with Re-X only take three to six months from the start of development to going live. This includes end-to-end custom app design and development, integration with the brand’s existing systems such as point of sale, and a range of optional services businesses can add for their customers.

Re-X is currently developing mobile solutions for several retail brands in Australia and New Zealand, with a focus on improved customer engagement, streamlined at-the-counter experiences, and beautifully designed click and collect.

Re-X expect to see some exciting launches in the coming months.

of the brand they’ve bought from.

The portal also allows clients to place banner ads on the page, so customers can click through for promotions while following their package.

The company’s key point of difference is its capability of providing a multi-level service, including both an express courier and Australia Post for the final leg of cross-Tasman deliveries. Clients can select which service they’d like to use. First Global Logistics has also worked closely with the Australian Customs and Tax office, so the clients are able to work with the new GST tax regulations with more ease.

More than 75 percent of online sales are for delivery to the Australian east coast – Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. Thanks to First Global Logistics, companies can now send these deliveries cheaper and more quickly than they can to the South Island.

In fact, the shipping company is making South Island access easier, too – it recently opened a Christchurch branch, which will allow South Islandbased businesses to ship to Australia as quickly as Aucklanders. It will also speed up deliveries around

the South Island.

The depth of service goes far, offering traditional airfreight and seafreight forwarding alongside more customisable options. The company also has two purpose-built Customs Bonded 3PL facilities next to both Auckland and Christchurch airports.

The company’s first major client was Huffer Clothing, which was sending parcels to Australian customers frequently. This inspired Johnston to find a better way of doing things, so arranged an airfreight deal with Virgin Blue and engaged with Toll Priority in Australia. The door-to-door courier service has been wildly successful, with the company now expanding its deliveries into the USA and China.

First Global Logistics supplies all 27 David Jones stores every week, all out of Auckland. They also supply Myers distribution centres from Auckland cheaper and sometimes faster than an Australian distribution centre.

At the heart of First Global Logistics’ ethos is a consultative approach. After nine years involvement with e-commerce – longer than most e-commerce businesspeople themselves – Johnston understands what’s required to grow an online business. He believes that despite the Amazons and Ali Babas of the industry, good quality and innovation will always have a place in the world market. His company’s goal is to help small New Zealand businesses get access to that market by providing them with an understanding, cooperative logistics partner.

fashionable films

THE NUN

Following the story of grown-up Christopher Robin who has lost his imagination, the fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Marc Forster sees him reunited with his old friend Winnie-the-Pooh.

Christopher leaves for boarding school, throwing a party with his friends from the Hundred Acre Wood, promising them they won’t be forgotten. As the film progresses, Christopher grows up, gets married, has a child and works a busy job. But as Pooh awakens and sets out to find Christopher, the film takes a turn.

Costuming for adult Christopher was based around his job in the city, with sets of powerful suits and hats, creating a sophisticated and grown-up contrast to the young Christopher the audience knows from the books. Costume designer Jenny Beavan knitted Winnie-the-Pooh’s red sweater to make the bear appear old and loved. As Christopher becomes reunited with his childhood friends, his costumes bring back a piece of his younger self, with a vibrant red vest, matching Pooh, and creating a school-boy type look.

Gothic supernatural horror film The Nun, directed by Corin Hardy, follows a priest with a haunted past and a nun in her novitiate as they are sent to investigate the suicide of a young nun in a Romanian abbey. Full of eerie visuals, atmosphere and jump-scares, the two uncover an unholy secret in the order and risk their faith and souls as they confront the evil force appearing as a demonic nun.

Based in a small village and filmed at the Palace of the Parliament, costuming for the cast consisted predominantly of black and white nun novitiate and clerical clothing. Costume designer Sharon Gilham worked to take these otherwise peaceful and holy garments and create a malevolent image and representation of the demonic nun. White costumes for some of the sisters plays on the idea of purity, goodness and light, forming a more significant contrast between the darkness and evil portrayed in the nun’s costume. Makeup special effects including yellow contact lenses, pale, flaking skin and blackening around the eyes and mouth created a horror-inducing look that was absolutely haunting.

Director Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman tells the incredible true story of an American hero – Ron Stallworth. It’s the early 1970s and Stallworth (John David Washington) is the first African-American detective to join the Colorado Springs Police Department.

Initially assigned to the records room, he continually faces racial slurs from coworkers.

Determined to make a name for himself Stallworth goes undercover to infiltrate and expose the Ku Klux Klan. To help him in his dangerous mission he recruits the help of Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver), and together they team up to destroy the extremist hate group.

Costume designer Marci Rodgers drew inspiration from female leaders in the Black Power movement. When deciding on a wardrobe for each of the characters, Rodgers stayed with clothing authentic to the time period of the film. She did extensive historical research in the archives of the Library of Congress to gather inspiration for clothing that would represent each character fittingly in a range of prints, dark, earthy tones and metallics and textured items with wide collars. Rodgers also looked through 70s-era fashion advertisements in vintage issues of a range of magazines, including Essence and Hustler and embraced the images of civil rights activists for Patrice’s character in particular. Using Stallworth’s book as a reference, Rodgers worked to create the most stylized costumes for his character as the ‘star of the show’.

A SIMPLE FAVOUR A neo-noir mystery thriller, A Simple Favour, directed by Paul Feig stars Anna Kendrick as Stephanie; a small-town mommy vlogger' determined to discover the truth behind her mysterious and wealthy best friend, Emily’s (Blake Lively) sudden disappearance. Stephanie’s husband, Sean (Henry Golding) accompanies her to solve the case. The thriller throws betrayals and reversals into the mix to form the revolving question, who is duping who with loyalty, love, murder and revenge?

Costume designer Renée Ehrlich Kalfus worked to design the pieces for what she described as one of the most fun films she has worked on. When working on Blake Lively’s character, she focused on the idea of a powerful and stylish New York woman and gathered inspiration from the film’s director who came to set each day in a full suit. Icons including Katharine Hepburn and Lauren Bacall as well as Madonna were also drawn on for inspiration for Lively’s chic and lavish character. Visual counterpart, wardrobe for Anna Kendrick’s character is full of bright colour and busy patterns such as a shirt with colourful pompoms on it and a lace floral skirt with cutouts.

Inspiration for her character came from DIY clothing projects and vloggers on Instagram. Each characters outfits contrast each other perfectly and match their personalities brilliantly.

After a brutal attack from a megalodon, a crew is left trapped in a submarine in the depths of the Pacific Ocean. Time is running out for the characters in director Jon Turteltaub’s science-fiction action thriller, and its up to rescue diver Jonas Taylor to save the crew while under massive threat from the 75-foot-long prehistoric beast. In a series of fear-inducing events, scientists and divers work together to save each other from the colossal threat. Who will survive and how will the megalodon be defeated?

Amanda Neale designed the costumes for the film, sticking with a theme of neutral colours, greys, navy, blacks and deep earthy tones, fitting with the sombre atmosphere in the movie. Diving team characters were fitted with plain, neutral wet-suits and gear with minimal features aside from the odd splash of colour from a stripe or two on the outfit. The reasonably minimal styling of the costumes allowed for the focus to be put on the events and progression of the movie while adding to the darkness of the film.

apparelmagazine.co.nz

I 21

fashion week report

WIDI’Z ELEGANCE

Vancouver Fashion Week showcased a diverse range of up and coming designers from across the globe for their Spring/Summer 2019 collections. An extensive range of international media was there including Nylon Magazine, VOGUE Korea, i-D, Vice, and many more. Special guest Miss J Alexander also enjoyed the shows, and expressed her love for New Zealand designers. "Designers united in youth and possibility. Very ready-to-wear to the point of being out on the street," said Juyeon Woo from VOGUE Korea. We recommend New Zealand buyers to keep an eye on Vancouver Fashion Week's emerging designers, especially NOT DEAD YET and ALEX S. YU.

MGHN

PHASED BY LJ

LASALLE VANCOUVER COLLEGE

ALEX S. YU

NOTRE DECES NOT DEAD YET

SARAH RUNNALLS

LIMA ROSA

MISAKI OBA

KSLAM TOM FOOLERY

22 I October 2018

JEI LIM

SARAH KOSINSKI

PANACHEMMXVII

WET INK PROFANITY

EWMA

NABA

CHRISTINA YOTHER DESIGNS

MANON PRADIER

PILAR AGUILAR

KAN BY PAULINA HERNANDEZ C.

HANNAH ERIKSSON

MAATROOM

NYNNE

ECHELLE

CHANNY

THIBAUT

SUSAN NEW YORK DESIGN

IMI

DEVOTION DESIGNS

KAORI KATO

JACQUELINE AU ALEX S. YU

PHOTOS BY GETTY

apparel presents Last month Apparel magazine was proud to present three emerging New Zealand designers on the world stage at Vancouver Fashion Week. VFW is the fastest growing and top fashion week for emerging designers and its focus on global diversity is its drawcard. Throughout the week retailers, buyers, and international press took to social media showcasing the creativity on the runway. ' Apparel Presents ' has become the must-see show with its prime slot of Friday night, and once again the designers didn't disappoint. To a full house with standing room only the selected New Zealand designers wowed the crowd, with international media keen to interview these rising stars. #ApparelPresents

DORIS LU

Doris Lu’s collection was based on The Bravest Female Samurai and was influenced by a mix of cultures. Where Lu was born and raised has taught her the differences between female and male. Often, in Japanese society, normal married women are house-wives.

However, this is not the case in China. Chinese women need to go out for work, but at the same time, they have to do all the housework. Lu explained that this is all because they are female. “The funniest thing is, if in a family, a female earns more money than a male, people will consider the man in the family as useless,” she said. “My collection empowers women not to think you are weak because of the gender you are.” Each garment has a range of Japanese cultural elements and influences from traditional samurais. “We met with many magazine publishers from different countries.” The audience took to Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to share Lu’s collection as it walked down the runway.

24 I October 2018

During the show I met many successful designers and employers, which gave me a lot of inspiration. Also, the experiences I had at Vancouver Fashion Week has brought me many fashion opportunities to explore my future.

OUT OF COMFORT For OUT OF COMFORT designer Shannon Thompson, seeing her work speak for itself on an international platform was a huge milestone. “As well as meeting some incredible people and gaining the exposure and feedback that I received was pretty special!” Thompson added that she is lucky to call New Zealand home, as a designer, she noticed how much Kiwis are celebrated internationally.

“It was really cool to experience,” she said. “I loved the diversity of all the shows, there was always something different coming onto the runway.” Thompson is now working on some exciting projects for next year and continuing to grow her brand organically and thoughtfully.

Seeing my work speak for itself on an international platform was a huge milestone.

KATE FISHER

The highlight of Vancouver Fashion Week for Kate Fisher was seeing it all come together down the runway. Top international media coverage for Fisher included Vogue Korea and Nylon magazine who featured her designs. “That was pretty exciting.” Fisher also enjoyed meeting the other designers and sharing their experiences. “It was great to hear everyone’s story of where they are with their designs and business goals.” She added that the shows had a lot of diversity and was exciting to see so many emerging designers like herself.

“The Kiwis definitely came out on top.” Fisher’s next step is setting up a studio and scaling production to made to order. “I want to make small release capsule collections, and I also plan on travelling for the next year, exploring my options and looking at what is happening in other markets. I don’t want to rush into business as it’s a big risk with high costs.”

The highlight for me was definitely seeing it all come together down the runway, along with the coverage from vogue Korea and nylon magazine.

The Kiwis definitely came out on top. apparelmagazine.co.nz

I 25

designer showcase

CHRISTINA YOTHER

NOT DEAD YET Adam-Lin Bungag’s brand started under the name ADAM before being changed to NOT DEAD YET – a new name with a significant personal meaning behind it. Bungag was experiencing a tough time, struggling with his self-worth and courage to get into the industry as well as in his own personal life. “I wanted to change my life, but I didn’t really know how to maintain momentum because I felt like every time I took a step forward I would take six more in the opposite direction,” he explained.

As a permanent reminder to himself that, no matter how rough the road ahead may be, he can still keep going for his dreams, Bungag tattooed the words NOT DEAD YET on his neck. “Since most people had started to know me for my tattoo, my friends and I thought it would be a smart move to have my label’s name changed to what it is now.”

A team of two runs Bungag’s brand with himself as the sole designer, and his close friend Marchel Eang as manager of NOT DEAD YET’s social media and e-commerce.

At Vancouver Fashion Week this year, Bungag showed his EULOGY collection – a demonstration of the initiation of facing self-reflection. The collection looks at taking the first steps towards understanding that to move forward, one must first acknowledge, understand and learn from their past.

“It is the pain in the process of reflecting on our reality," he said. "It is the moment we face our fears and look back to ground ourselves in being able to comprehend how we made it to where we are now.

It is learning to accept what has been given to us and choosing to grow.” explained Bungag.

Nods to emo and punk rock were spliced and infused into the collection in reference to the music that helped many process, grow and overcome emotions and traumas during vulnerable periods.

The key fabric used in the collection was plaid, while band t-shirts inspired by Bungag’s previous collections continued the storyline about a queer journey of self-discovery.

Bungag’s EULOGY collection marks the third time his brand has showed at Vancouver Fashion Week with La Salle College. NOT DEAD YET has also shown twice independently outside the event.

Showing at the fashion week this year, Bungag said he couldn't decide on a particular highlight of the show himself, “I always like to hear what other people see and how they’ve interpreted my story and clothing. Let us know what the highlight is.”

Through showcasing his collection this year, Bungag wanted to remind his Vancouverites that there is fashion outside of shopping centres.

“There are rich wells of artistry and story-telling in this city that aren’t restrictive of what labels you wear. Most importantly, I want my city to know that I’m here and that I’m trying to change how we think of fashion and all I can hope for is that I can continue sharing my stories to as many people as possible.”

Bungag’s brand NOT DEAD YET will be two years old next March.

26 I October 2018

Christina Yother knew she wanted to start her own fashion brand from a young age and graduated with a degree in Fashion Design from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta, Georgia in June this year. Focusing more on the business side of fashion in her senior year, she worked on developing a brand for herself that she could further improve and expand when she graduated.

Developing her brand included making a professional website and Instagram and working with local photographers for exposure.

“I wanted to start my brand right away and not lose any momentum I had during school. I kept wondering if I should wait to officially start it for a few years and try to get experience somewhere else and learn a little more but the advice I got from so many people was that even with experience, you won’t know what you’re doing until you’re actually doing it and there’s no way to fully prepare so I just decided to go for it,” said Yother.

The sole designer of her brand, Yother runs her business alone, taking care of marketing, sourcing, website design, social media, PR, graphics and the likes. “I felt comfortable with figuring out the process as I went along because starting my own brand has always been my dream, so I knew I was willing to put

in the extra work.”

The collection Yother showed at Vancouver Fashion Week, her first time exhibiting, was her SS19 collection - inspired by yoga.

A fan of yoga herself, Yother was inspired by the quote “Yoga is a dance between control and surrender,” causing her to think about the ways this could be translated into fabrics and clothes.

“I ended up using drawstrings and gathering details because they control the fabric and create the surrender in the drape. I would describe my aesthetic as a mix of feminine and active details and this collection shows that through light, flowy fabrics, feminine silhouettes, and ruffles mixed with sporty racer backs, drawstrings, and layering.”

Showcasing unique colour combinations and highquality silk fabrics, Yother was able to display something meaningful and important

to her through her designs.

At Vancouver Fashion Week she was excited to show her collection for the first time and meet many magazine writers, bloggers, models and fellow designers that served as an inspiration to her. “A highlight was also getting great feedback from all these people that I find inspiring.”

From the whole experience, Yother hopes to gain exposure and reach more people through her brand. “I want to make a difference in fashion by creating less waste and making my clothes more eco-friendly, and I think the first step towards that is growing my brand because the more people who know about my brand or wear it, the bigger difference I can make.”

“I would also love to build relationships with other people in the industry and get noticed by stores and have the opportunity for my brand to be sold there.”

Yother’s brand is currently available for pre-order on her website www. christinayotherdesigns.com.

ALEX S. YU Twenty-seven-year-old Alex Yu was born in Taipei, Taiwan but moved to Vancouver at an early age. He went on to study in Vancouver at Blanche Macdonald Centre and at London College of Fashion. “I’ve always liked fashion, and was obsessed with models and designers during secondary school,” said Yu. “In second year university, I suddenly realised that I wanted to try fashion and took some part time sewing classes. I never looked back.” Yu works with manufacturers, but makes about 85 percent of the samples himself. His brand’s core values are good quality and fair pricing. His eponymous label started in September 2014 not long after he graduated from London College of Fashion.

“I entered and won a competition held by Niche Magazine which was searching for the Emerging Designer of the Year. The prize was to create and showcase a 16-look collection at Vancouver Fashion Week.”

The SS19 collection, titled The Abnormal Symmetry, was inspired by a graphic film by Satoshi Kon called The Perfect Blue. This collection seeks to find order in chaos through men’s and womenswear. Working with a lot of denim, Yu developed many of his own original denims with a denim manufacturer in Taiwan. “I used denim extensively as it’s considered the Canadian tuxedo and the shades of indigos really go with the collection.” On top of this, Yu also developed original patterns which were digitally printed. Using stripes, he manipulated them into different orientations and cut the fabric to find abnormal symmetries.

Another highlight of the collection is a new collaboration with local Vancouver artist Aidan Shamray who created the runway track and video.

“These collaborations are important to me and they help to further enhance my brand image.”

His ninth time presenting in Vancouver, Yu continues to show at Vancouver Fashion Week as they have been extremely supportive and has always been a pleasure to showcase his work with the team. “I’m honoured to be showing at Vancouver Fashion Week every season since my first fashion week.” Yu has also showcased his designs at Toronto, London, Calgary, Harbin and Tokyo Fashion Weeks.

apparelmagazine.co.nz

I 27

from the archives

David Elman looked to Europe for inspiration. These highheeled summer sandals in assorted colours and metallics replicated a design by French footwear label Charles Jourdan, 1995.

DAVID ELMAN 1953-2018

Since 1953, the name David Elman has been synonymous with elegant shoes. Women who were teenagers in the 1950s often associate the label with their first high heels. “They were pale green leather sling-backs with almond toes,” remembers one, “and cost more money than I made in a week. I had to save up for them, but they were worth every penny.”

Raymond Monks, the founder of David Elman, came from a shoe-making family. His grandfather was involved in shoe manufacturing in England and his father William, a clicker (leather cutter) by trade, opened a factory in Parnell in Auckland in the 1930s, producing men’s shoes and, during WWII, regulation boots for the army.

Raymond worked alongside his father and four brothers in the business until setting up on his own in a small factory on Great North Road, Grey Lynn, with the intention of making fashion shoes for women.

Raymond’s son Brooke has recollections of sitting at the kitchen table when he was about ten, listening to the family discuss what to call the new business. “Dad played the violin and a Ukrainian-born American violinist he much admired

was called Mischa Elman. He also liked the name David. That’s how the name David Elman came about.”

From the outset, the emphasis was on quality materials, a high level of craftsmanship, exemplary attention to detail, not being too flashy and maintaining a balance between comfort and good design. It was also about going the extra mile. David Elman shoes were made in half sizes in A, B and C fittings as well as triple A fittings for women with narrow feet.

In the early days, David Elman shoes were sold exclusively in Auckland, at John Greer in Vulcan Lane and Remuera, followed by Ashley Ardrey in Wellington, then a few other select shops around the country. “There were many shoe factories operating in New Zealand post-war,” said Brooke Monks. “We were actually one of the smallest. We deliberately restricted the number of outlets stocking the brand to preserve exclusivity.”

Warren Smith, who managed John Greer from 1965 until 1975 and later became shop manager for David Elman, a position he retained for 38 years, remembers John Greer as one of Raymond’s major mentors. “John was a cultured Irishman with impeccable taste and a flair for colour. Raymond would bring sample shoes into the salon and get his advice on colour combinations and trims.”

Brooke joined his father at David Elman in 1965 when he was 22. He started from scratch, learning how to cut patterns, how to use the machines and how to sell the product. In 1970, to give him a better feel for the business, Raymond sent him to London where

Dad played the violin and a Ukrainianborn American violinist he much admired was called Mischa Elman. He also liked the name David. That’s how the name David Elman came about.

28 I October 2018

he worked in retail for one year at a fashionable shoe store in Chelsea’s King’s Road. “The Beatles were customers,” he recalls, “and one of my biggest sales was selling Liberace 11 pairs of shoes.” From London, he went to Milan. There, he did a course at Ars Sutoria, a prestigious academy offering tuition in shoe manufacture, pattern-making and shoe design.

Following his overseas experience, Brooke made twice-yearly trips to Europe. He attended shoe fairs in Milan, Paris and Dusseldorf, and visited shoe factories in Florence, sourcing ideas, machinery, leather, lasts and shoe components such as heels, inners and soles.

In 1980, he and his younger brother Simon opened their own David Elman shoe boutique in Auckland’s Queen Street. Called Cassandre, it was a tiny space just 35 square metres, staffed by Warren Smith, Verity Monks (Brooke and Simon’s sister) and one other.

Sales exceeded all expectations; leading to the opening of two more boutiques, Carrano in Remuera and Carel in Takapuna, within two years. In 1986, after a period of consolidation, the company opened two further stores, one in Newmarket (Prada), the other in Hamilton.

To better establish brand identity, the European shop names were eventually changed to David Elman.

Stores were also set up in Christchurch, Dunedin and, in Australia, in Sydney and Melbourne. As the

business expanded, the need for more manufacturing space resulted in a move to a 930 square metre factory in Avondale.

The brand’s fashion standing was enhanced by its association with well-dressed society women, seminal fashion figure Paddy Walker and high-profile designers. Vinka Lucas, Michael Mattar, Gus Fisher (El Jay), Patrick Steel and Kevin Berkahn were among the exponents of luxury fashion who referred their clients to David Elman for co-ordinated footwear.

With weddings and evening events in mind, white satin shoes were always kept in stock and these could be hand-dyed to match any outfit. Fabric-covered shoes in other styles, using material supplied by a client or designer, were another option. Kevin Berkahn says it wasn’t unusual for David Elman to make shoes for an entire wedding party – bride, bridesmaids, mothers of the bride and groom. Making a pair of matching shoes cost $25 and delivery was guaranteed within four weeks.

Raymond Monks retired in 1987 and Brooke Monks took over the running of the business.

Throughout the 1990s, despite increasing competition from cheap shoe imports, it continued to prosper.

When Pieter Stewart started the Corbans (later Wella) Fashion Collections in 1990, she asked David Elman if they could provide footwear for the parade.

They willingly obliged that year and in subsequent years and benefited greatly from the live television exposure.

They also made the shoes for Paula Ryan’s debut fashion collection, which she showed at New Zealand Fashion Week in 2001, and for her seasonal footwear collections from then on.

David Elman advertisements from the 1990s testify to a cavalcade of shifting shoe shapes, colours, finishing touches and textures. Replacing the lizard, python and water-snake skins of yesteryear were animal prints and mock crocodile patent leathers.

High-heeled sandals, little more than a fretwork of delicate strips, recalled the 1950s Hollywood starlet, and classic courts appeared in various guises, dressed up in exuberantly coloured leathers and suedes, polka dot grosgrains and houndstooth checks. The loafer and other deftly designed flats proved that, in the right hands, low heels could look stylish and chic.

By the mid-2000s, with the future of locally manufactured footwear looking even bleaker, it became obvious that for David Elman to survive, the

company needed to diversify. Exclusive shoe imports from Italy, Portugal and Spain were added to the mix and sold alongside the David Elman brand in the remaining Elman stores in Auckland and Hamilton.

When the factory finally closed in 2008, Brooke Monks gave some of the machinery to footwear designer Sandy Cooper whose brand, Minnie Cooper, David Elman had been producing for about 15 years.

Sandy then opened her own factory and took on six former David Elman employees.

After the closure of the factory, David Elman continued to retail European footwear until this too, became unsustainable. Brooke said constant discounting and other changes, particularly in the electronic world, such as online shopping, made it impossible to compete.

With the closure of the last remaining Auckland store earlier this year and the Hamilton store about to shut its doors, the David Elman story is coming to an end. The brand has been worn and respected by fashion-conscious New Zealand women for three generations. Referring to his wife Sue, who worked with him in the business for 33 years, Brooke Monks said: “Shoes have been our life. I can’t believe it’s over.”

Words by Cecilie Geary, NZ Fashion Museum

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& manual) ​L​EADING BRANDS​:​ Juki,(computerised Tajima, ​B​rother, Pegasus, Jiffy, Eisenkolb, Typical, Stirovap, Siruba Computerised Digitising & Grading (Card or paper patterns) Computerised Marker Making (Compatible with Pad, Gerber Accumark and Lectra) Sample cutting with Fabric Estimates Sample Making Production Runs Production Cutting

Email: sales@walkersotech.co.nz or sales@sewingtime.co.nz

0800 446953 • 09 525 0011​​• 03 366 1112 • New show room at 23 Fairfax Ave, Penrose, Auckland • 8 Stanley St, Sydenham, Christchurch

Call the team at or www.sewingtime.co.nz Ph: (09) www.walkersotech.co.nz 369 9249 or email helenh@hsr.co.nz 21D PORANA RD, WAIRAU VALLEY

BOOK NOW

CONTACT CAITLAN 09 304 0142 EXT 706 OR

caitlan@reviewmags.com

Top quality products require the best quality.

You’re lucky.

We’ve got the best threads, needles and accessories for you.

terryapparel.co.nz apparel@terrys.co.nz tel: +64 9 966 1832 24m Allright Place, Mount Wellington Private Bag 14-935, Panmure, Auckland 1741

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