What’s your favourite…

Building?

It is very hard to narrow that down, I love so many. I especially like Henri Matisse’s home in France and how it changed over his life. Plants, colour and art were the heart of the home. 

Clothing designer?  

I really respect and admire Celine designer Phoebe Philo’s philosophy. Her devotion to design, customers and family really inspires and influences the way we try and run our business. 

Clothing brand?

At the moment I’m loving the work of Simone Rocha, but as brands evolve and people change, so do my favourites. 

Inspiring design-related book/podcast/TV show/website/magazine/story?  

Fargo season two stands out in recent times as a show with such a wonderful commitment to detail. The costume, art design and tone were just magic.

Fashion project you’ve had a hand in?

We recently did the Tongariro crossing to shoot our AW17 Campaign for The Lost Pink Valley, it was amazing. We had a great team committed to making it beautiful even though the weather conditions and climb were sometimes pretty dicey.  

Fashion project that isn’t yours, but you’re envious of?

I love the collaborations and work of Opening Ceremony. They are very driven and work with a family of contributors that extends beyond the world of fashion.  

What first drew you to design?

My mother was a very creative influence in our life. She was a maker, gardener and a very well put together woman with a very strong sense of style. I’ve always wanted to make my own things. 

Where does inspiration come from for you?

I design collections around current conditions and experiences that have sparked a feeling or thought. Whether it be a special place we’ve travelled to, a book I’m reading, a recent art show that has inspired me, photography…

Do you have any creative side hustles going on outside of your line of work? If so, what?

The cool thing about a fashion business is that you can explore all kinds of interests in the life of the job. We design and print our own fabrics, art direct shoots, collaborate with wonderful people, put on shows and can develop products and ideas. There’s always something exciting to turn to. 

How has technology impacted on your work? How do you think it will impact on it in the future?

A lot of what we do will always be very analogue and by hand. The final fittings, the making of patterns, the way we find things out and develop as we sew. But technology is always a part of what we do. The biggest change has been how the world has shrunk thanks to technology – you can work across borders and seasons, see what is happening as it happens with shows, automate difficult tasks. As a business, technology like Xero, Vend and Receipt Bank mean we have more control and spend more time on the things we like in the business. 

What do you enjoy the most about working in this industry?

One of the lovely things about the industry here is the friends we’ve made and how people share their experience and the good and hard times together. People like Kristine Crabb, our makers, collaborators and the people we work with. We’re lucky to have met and got to know friends like Murray Bevan, Priya Patel, Xanthe White, Melanie Roger, Kirstin Carlin, Duncan Innes, Karen Inderbitzen-Waller and Avril Planqueel… our team, customers, stockists, really the people are the reason we love every day.