The country’s very own activewear brand Canterbury of New Zealand has dived into a new look with their latest launch that takes a look back at the brand’s roots.

Founded in 1904, Canterbury of New Zealand recently launched their third release under the Heritage line that is essentially a throwback to their roots as ‘The World’s Toughest Activewear’.

‘The Compass Collection’ looks back at the extensive archive the brand has “built from years of experience”.

“It took just over a year as we mitigated the lockdown disruptions, and our product team did an amazing job maintaining development while both working remotely and keeping to the timeline of our 2022 campaign launch,” says AJ Moriarty, Head of Product and Marketing at Canterbury of New Zealand.

Moriarty says that the new line keeps to the tone of the campaign “which is a nod to the resilience of the people and communities who live in our clothing and stay true to our homeland”.

“We wanted to pay homage to where we have been, and what we have seen and experienced the most over our near 120 years,” he adds.

For the collection, Moriarty says Canterbury of New Zealand reintroduces the classic looks of the rugby jersey with staple graphics, a footy pitch through the front and a sailing illustration on the front, “the best of both Canterbury and New Zealand”.

He adds that the graphics and style is reminiscent of the brand’s origins which have proved popular and speaks to the iconic style that has made a household name.

“Facing into these archive references has been really well received for both the product designs and execution but also the story and connection with our product lineage and heritage,” says Moriarty.

“The premise of our Elevated Collections is to always showcase our rich heritage using our unique DNA and iconic designs.”

Read more: The story behind the rebrand of Ārepa.

Looking back, Canterbury of New Zealand took this opportunity to present the line in a style that will both showcase a nostalgic appeal while also reaching out to a younger audience who may have previously been unaware of the brand’s rich heritage.

The release of the line had the help of renowned visual artist Tom Gould who has been featured on the popular American fashion magazine, Vogue. He captured Canterbury of New Zealand’s new work with “striking film” of people modelling the line.

“It’s this positivity and Kiwi resilience I wanted to capture in the new brand creative and gallery exhibition I’ve developed for Canterbury of New Zealand,” says Gould.

However, the process of creating the line had Canterbury of New Zealand face unique challenges with Covid-19 lockdowns and the ongoing supply chain issues. “Trying to align product development to meet the campaign launch deadline was a juggle,” he adds.

On the other hand, Moriarty says a highlight of creating the line was the “collaboration” with teams to work through the issues.

“The Compass Collection’s sales have surpassed early expectations and anyone who’s had a sneaky look at the Terrain Collection, which has a strong utilitarian, sailing and outdoors aesthetic, have said really positive things,” he says.

The collection is now available on the Canterbury of New Zealand website and clothing store Knowear in Auckland.