charlie magazine

charlie.

CONTENTS.

008 // WILDFOXEmily Faulstich & Kimberley Gordon

016 // PONYHUNTER

Laura Allard-Fleischl

026 // THOUSAND PIECE PUZZLE

Shaye Laree

034 // MOODIE TUESDAY

Jon Thom

044 // ALYSSMN.

Alyssa Amelia

052 // PIA BOUTIQUE

Pia Naera

064 // NEEDLES & THREADS

Hadley Pegden

072 // GOOD AS GOLD

Ruben Bryant

080 // KELLY THOMPSON

Herself

088 // VILLAGE THIEVES VINTAGE

Anita Chhiba

096 // ONE TO WATCH

Hope McConnell

Emily Faulstich & Kimberley Gordon

WILDFOX

009 // WILDFOX

010 // WILDFOX

Emily Faulstich& Kimberley Gordon

From where did the name WILDFOX come? We started with the name Whitehorse, originating from our love for fairy tales and the idea of girls being their own rescue. We changed it to Wildfox because it represented the brand better. Emily’s mother helped us come up with it!

What, on the whole, does your job entail and what are your favorite things about what you do? Every week is different because there are so many steps in creating a line and so few people behind it, so we all wear many different hats. Right now I am in the middle of editing a photo shoot, it’s a big job so it takes the whole day for about a week. I get to work with incredible teams of women, the most talented women, and there is nothing more satisfying than that!

How does geography influence your designs? Well this is an easy one, since the weather barely changes in Los Angeles it’s like Spring all year, so doing a line based mostly around T shirts makes a lot of sense.

How would you describe the WILDFOX ethos in 3 adjectives? Whimsical, Cheeky, Nostalgic.

When and why did you begin to design? I drew fashion images in High School but they were meant for dolls that I wanted to design. Fashion Design came naturally after I let go of the doll dream, I applied for a fashion job when I was 23 & I got it.

Do you have any artists, musicians, or otherwise that you return to time and again for inspiration? Bombshells of the 60’s are often a huge source of inspiration. Also my favorite 80’s and 90’s movies- Can’t buy me love, Valley Girl, Footloose, Clueless, Reality Bites and more.

Your designs appear on much of young Hollywood, if you could pick an old school celebrity who embraced the Wildfox spirit long before her time who would it be? Goldie Hawn!

If you had to teleport to a different decade when would you pick and why? Easy, the 60’s! It’s my golden age… I swear 1969… moon walking, hippy ideals, Woodstock, clothing, amazing music, it’s my dream.

What seasons inspires you most?I really like Fall, but Emily loves summer.

011 // WILDFOX

How do you think the brand has taken off since you launched it four years ago considering the change in the economy during that time? The brand has taken off really fast, & to sell in so many countries in that time is a real achievement for us. It’s such hard work and the first two years are really difficult but luckily it was naturally successful – it’s like we found a gap in the market and as soon as we launched, everyone wanted to buy into the brand. And we started out as vintage-inspired t-shirt!

What advice would you give to others launching brands such as yours? The hard times feel harder in the moment. But if you can get through these, then it’s worth it. Be diligent and push really hard for what you want - you won’t make it unless you’re willing to do everything it takes!

Was there ever a time you felt the collection would not come through?Not really, we always work hard to achieve what we want. I get really nervous about the shoots though!

What is inspiring you right now? Magical things, hoodies and dark stories, b&w and mystical.

Where do you get your inspiration for the prints that appear in your collection? We always change themes for each collection. For this collection, because it’s our first swimwear range, we matched in every thing that we loved and wanted to make sure it really represented Wildfox.The brand is extremely vintage inspired & the swimwear had to reflect that.

What’s your ambition for the brand for the next few years?I want the brand to have an entire collection so you can get everything from us. We will expand our intimates and swimwear line a great deal too. We’ve done a whole swim collection, so we’ll have towel robes and beach and pool accessories to go along with the collection, so someone buying into the brand can create the whole look.

Tell me about a piece of advice you’ve been given you’d like to pass on. The great Rumi is a constant adviser for me: “Dance, when you’re broken open. Dance, if you’ve torn the bandage off. Dance in the middle of the fighting. Dance in your blood. Dance when you’re perfectly free.”

“I need feminism because women business owners employ 35% more people than all fortune 500 companies combined”

012 // WILDFOX

“you won’t make it

unless you’re willing to do everything it

takes”013 // WILDFOX

014 // WILDFOX

015 // WILDFOX

PONY HUNTER

Laura Allard-Fleischl

017 // PONYHUNTER

Laura Allan-Fleischl

When did you first start blogging? Just before I started uni, so about 4 or 5 years ago, I can’t actually remember, the past few years have been a blur.

How did the name of your blog Pony Hunter come about? It’s a long, boring story, I think I’ll keep people guessing, I’m sure anything they come up with will be more interesting than the truth.

What were your original plans for your blog and why did you start blogging? I had no plans to be fair, I just had too much time on my hands and decided to give it a go, more for a laugh than anything else, I certainly never expected anyone to read it!

018 // PONYHUNTER

What were the influences early on that made you love fashion so? I’m not sure, I’ve always loved dressing up so that could have something to do with it, my mother is extremely stylish and an amazing seamstress, she used to make all my clothes when I was younger and I’ve recently learned that my great grandmother was also pretty nifty with a sewing machine and sent my grandma away to university with a suitcase of the most stunning evening gowns.. this was during the war and depression when everyone else dressed rather conservatively.. so I suppose you could say it’s hereditary.

What is the biggest challenge about your fashion blogging? Finding the time and effort to keep at it. Also finding a way to keep it true to myself, it’s too easy to misinterpret things over the web, particularly with regard to fashion blogs, I feel like some people take them too seriously, I’m always terrified that everyone who reads mine sees me as a pretentious wank, it is a pretty wanky pastime.

019 // PONYHUNTER

Does fashion blogging bring you a lot of career opportunities within the fashion scene? I suppose so in some ways, I personally prefer to separate my career from my blog as much as possible, just because that’s not how I want to be seen, as a fashion blogger, I’d rather make my name for being talented at what I do, then having a bunch of pictures of myself wearing clothes on the internet. However that’s just me, there are fashion bloggers out there who write amazing pieces on very relevant topics, Patty Huntington for example, and similar bloggers, they really deserve to do well and I’m sure that’s enhanced by their blogging.

What is your favorite thing about blogging? When I get offered deals on clothing, that’s always great as I don’t really make enough to splurge on shopping sprees at the moment.

How much time do you spend on work related to your blog(s) each week? Maybe an hour or two every fortnight or so? It’s currently dwindling, but I’ll hopefully boost it back up again asap.

“I’m always terrified that everyone who reads mine sees me as a pretentious wank, it is a pretty wanky pastime”

What else do you do aside from blogging? I work full time at Red11 and spend the rest of my days working as a photographer, that’s my real passion. In the little spare time I find I like to search for amazing hidden cafes, markets and restaurants around Auckland, then make my boyfriend try them out with me, go for sushi dates with rosie and gina, watch friends play gigs, spend time with as many people as possible in the evenings and enjoy being in bed.

How often do you shop?It’s a pretty sporadic event.

Finally, what tips would you give new bloggers to help them start out on apath to success? Don’t take yourself too seriously. Do it because it’s something you would enjoy, not because you think people will have any interestin what you have to say. It sounds cynical, but I just believe that there are so many ways to get noticed in this world, bloggers will always have a certain stigma associated with them, and it’s not usually the most flattering. So get out there, have fun with it, but continue pursuing your passion outside the blogosphere.

020 // PONYHUNTER

“you won’t make it

unless you’re willing to do everything it

takes”021 // PONYHUNTER

022 // PONYHUNTER

023 // PONYHUNTER

024 // STREET STYLE

025 // STREET STYLE

Shaye Laree & Logan Cassin

THOUSANDPIECE

PUZZLE

Shaye Laree

Firstly what is Thousand Piece Puzzle?Thousand Piece Puzzle is an online fashion boutique. Our website is of clean and minimalist design embodying various pieces from hand picked local & international brands. We are all about collaborating with emerging creative’s giving them a platform to promote their work and also get industry experience alongside our brand.

How and when did you start it up?Logan and I have been friends for many years and we’ve both had an interest for fashion and arts. I was a passionate art student and he was already importing and selling at the age of 15.

Only until last year after bouncing a few ideas around with each other did we really have an idea what we really wanted to create. From then on we got straight into developing the business, launching the website November 2011.

When did you realize you wanted to be in the fashion industry?Probably when I noticed the influence of blogging. I always wanted to be in a creative type job but didn’t think there was any way to get involved in such a “who you know” type industry. I started following blogs of everyday people who had amazing style and it inspired me to make a move on what I love. A job doesn’t feel like a job if you love it.

Where does your inspiration come from?We are heavily influenced by European design, in particular minimalist Bauhaus art, sculpture, architecture, graphic design and interior design. We feel we have an international aesthetic which is strongly driven by the above. It is our personal interests in these that I guess is naturally portrayed in what you see with Thousand Piece Puzzle. We, of course have worked with some unbelievably talented people in the likes of art and fashion. Each individually giving us inspiration by what they naturally do so well.


“It’s not just about marketing the clothes for sale but creating an experience around it”

How do you market yourself?Through word of mouth and social media, if people share the same passion and enjoy what we do, then they will pass it on. We try to push the boundaries a bit. It’s not just about marketing the clothes for sale but creating an experience around it.

What does your job consist of and what are your favorite things about what you do?From start to finish we work on everything that forms the basis of TPP and cover everything on a day to day basis. I personally have a strong influence on the creative dimensions of the business while Logan has a stronger influence on the commerce side of the business. We both however, cross over regarding all but everything we do. We are so heavily involved and extremely particular about everything we create so to have 2minds working parallel to each other has been pretty effective for us.

We are so directly involved in everything that TPP is and stands for, so essentially we love what we do because we do what we love. We have been fortunate enough to do things that we previously wouldn’t have dreamt of. Not to mention we have worked with some amazing people on a wide range of things.

What is the most challenging part your job?Staying fresh and task focused as we both work really hard.

Before starting your own brand, did you have any experience in the industry and/or relevant tertiary education?Logan studied a Bachelor in Commerce at Auckland University and I studied a Bachelor of Design at AUT. Both degrees being useful for what we do now. Despite that, we had had very little experience in the industry, so there were obviously a lot of new challenges we’ve faced along the way.

How would you best describe the style of clothing you sell and your own personal style?We sell clothing we like. My style has fluctuated so much over the last few years. I am currently into minimalistic fashion so very fortunate to be able to stock the Swedish unisex brand Odeur. We have a lot more minimalistic brands in the pipeline so very excited for what’s to come.

Where do you see Thousand Piece Puzzle in five years time?Selling amazing clothes & hosting many events such as art exhibitions, featuring up and coming creative’s, various pop-up stores and increasing our international presence. Of course we do love to travel, so looking forward to being able to get more inspiration from the amazing places around the world.


What made you decide on an online boutique as a-posed to a shop?Being an online boutique gives us the flexibility to develop around the brand, incorporating with arts, Thousand Piece Puzzle visual experiments and create added dimensions to the stereotypical sole online store. We’re able to finesse the little details and create a unique customer visual experience, that we may be restricted to when having a physical shop, particularly in TPP’s early days.

Who are some of your favorite fashion designers and why?I love brands like Marques Almeida, Acne, Odeur, Commoners and Alexander Wang for the layering of minimal monochromatic pieces. I also love how they toy with geometric shapes and different textures.

We also love brands like Etudes, Norse Projects, Vanishing Elephant and Wood Wood, which have a preppy alternative style using bold prints and quality fabrics.

Generally our favourite brands are those that go further with their development of their aesthetic than just the garments themselves, obviously the clothes from our favourite brands are amazingly detailed and well crafted however.

If anyone is interested in collaborating or promoting their work please email

[email protected] for more information.


“we love what we do because we do what we

love”


Shaye Laree

Jon Thom & Chris Brun

MOODIETUESDAY

JonThom

Firstly what is Moodie Tuesday?Moodie Tuesday is a boutique t-shirt label, all tees are strictly limited (only 20 are made worldwide). Tees feature artist/designer Jon Thom’s own paintings, drawings, photography and inspirations.

How and when did you start up Moodie Tuesday?I started Moodie Tuesday by printing around 50 tees with 7 different prints. The majority of the prints were paintings I had created on mdf boards. The works were photographed and then screen printed onto tees. I started making tees under the name Moodie Tuesday in 2010. I mainly sold them to my friends and family while I was still full-time at Uni. I slowly eased myself out of Uni and full-time into Moodie Tuesday and we began trading early in 2012.

What does fashion mean to you?For me fashion is an extension of my creative practice, I began exhibiting my artworks at high school, then moved to Dunedin to study Design and Art History at uni. I like the place where there is an intersection of ideas or values, the idea that art can be fused with fashion in a commercial context interests me a lot.

When did you realize you wanted to be in the fashion industry?I studied Law in my first year of university, I hated it. When I was meant to be studying I would be on fashion blogs and looking at online stores. It occurred to me that if I pursued the things that I did while avoiding my other work I could to find path that I could be passionate about. I knew nothing about the fashion industry so began researching on the internet, then making contact with people who could help me achieve my goals.

How would you define your city’s fashion?Dunedin is known for it’s gothic, sporty aesthetic, it is cold so there is always a lot of layering. There are a lot of puffer jackets worn down here! There is a strong creative community in the city and a number of high end designers who are highly regarded.

Where does your inspiration come from?I listen to a lot music, I can’t work without music. I spend hours looking at tumblrs and blogs. Working with other designers and seeing their creations inspires me to create more. Traveling is always good too.


How do you market yourself?Moodie Tuesday is represented by PROCESS Fashion PR. The collection is held in their showroom in Grey Lynn, Auckland. I work with Caroline and Zeenat who communicate with press about the label. We are heavily focused on social media which we run ourselves. Word of mouth is important, particularly in Dunedin, Chris is good at introducing people to the brand.

Who is your target market? Moodie Tuesday’s target market is primarily 18 to 34 year olds, we have around a 60% female, 40% male followers.

Have you found print based or Internet more effective in terms of advertising and selling? We have found a combination of the two to be effective. I am reluctant to take out print ads because there is no real way to judge the success of the advertisement. On the other hand with the likes of Facebook advertising you can directly target types of people and receive detailed analytics of the ad placed. As we are at this stage an exclusively online label, we are already inclined to lean towards internet advertising.

What does your job consist of and what are your favorite things about what you do? There is quite a lengthy process involved in creating a Moodie Tuesday tee; I spend a lot of time researching and sourcing images to inspire the art work that will feature on the tee. I draw or paint the image, have the image photographed, prepare the files for printing, digitally print the artwork onto the tees, print the A5 art prints that accompany the tees. A lot of my time is spent sending emails to PROCESS so they can effectively communicate what Moodie Tuesday is about to press.

What is the most challenging part your job? Cash flow.

“Do your research, this industry requires a lot of work; it might seem glamourous but there is a lot of work involved in establishing a label”


Before starting your own brand, did you have any experience in the industry and/or relevant tertiary education? I had no formal fashion training before starting Moodie Tuesday. I studied both Communication Design and Art History at University which has been important to shaping the brand’s identity. Early on I began getting business mentoring that was tailored to the fashion industry from Tracy Kennedy at the Dunedin Fashion Incubator which runs through the Otago Polytechnic’s Fashion School. Here I got the confidence to pursue Moodie Tuesday and was taught a lot of what I know now. I had to learn a lot very quickly and am still learning how to successfully run a business on a daily basis.

How would you best describe the style of clothing you sell and your own personal style? At the moment Moodie Tuesday specialises in printed t-shirts. We use a digital printer so the tees have a washed out vintage aesthetic. In the new year we will be releasing a capsule range of menswear garments these are sporty with a minimalist aesthetic and focus on fabrics. My personal style is relaxed with a sportswear influence.

Who are some of your favorite fashion designers and why?I like Alexander Wang for his ability to create garments that always have an effortlessly cool aesthetic. Also Scandinavian brands like Soulland and Norse Projects because of their minimalist streetwear that focuses on quality and construction details. I am a big fan of P.A.M., I like the sense of humour that runs throughout their pieces, I think it reminds the fashion world we should not always take ourselves so seriously.

What advice do you have for aspiring fashion designers?I would say do your research, this industry requires a lot of work; it might seem glamourous but there is a lot of work involved in establishing a label and marketing it. I think you could be an amazing designer but without having a business head or being prepared to do things differently and stand for what you believe in it will be hard to make it.


mood i e t u e s d a y . c o m

MOODIE TUESDAYSPRING / SUMMER

2013

PAINTING THE PICTUREmoodietuesday.com

042 // STREET STYLE

043 // STREET STYLE

Alyssa Amelia

ALYSSMN.

045 // ALYSSMN

046 // ALYSSMN

AlyssaAmelia

When did you first decide you wanted to start up your own label?If you’re asking if there was some sort of epiphany- there really wasn’t. I’ve always had my own sense of style and therefore it was natural for me to want to create my own pieces. This got the ball rolling for me to make ALYSSMN a reality.

What labels do you stock and what is your favorite label?ALYSSMN stocks Ottomode, Stylestalker, Eniko + Skye & Jeffrey Campbell! The rest of the clothing in store are all pieces I have designed. Aside from the labels we carry (which I adore every item), as an avid shopper myself, I’d have to say Alexander Wang is my favorite label.

How would you best describe your own personal style?How can I explain my own style...that’s a hard one! Everyday is a new day to play dress ups but mainly it’s a mash up of 80s Motley Crue groupie mixed with New York street style with a hint of high fashion snob.

Where did the inspiration come from when designing your store?I love 1950s vintage, I love New York street style - I wanted to create a store that combined those 2 elements and that’s exactly what the ALYSSMN store looks like. Had you had any experience in the industry before starting Alyssmn?I come from a family retail background and worked in many different retail environments. This experience gave me the confidence to go ahead and pursue my dreams in the fashion industry.

What does your job consist of and what are your favorite things about what you do?During the day I wear many different hats (haha) I do everything from designing the clothes, sourcing new fabrics, merchandising, being in store to help my customers and developing my online profile through Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram etc.

My favorite part of my job is designing-being inspired to create original pieces gives me the ultimate high. And also, dealing with my customers face to face is super rewarding.

047 // ALYSSMN

What is the hardest bit about your job?I’d say the hardest part of my job is the incredibly long hours that I put in even long after the store has closed. I’m constantly sacrificing a hectic social life in favor of my desk and design scrapbook.

What is your day-to-day beauty routine?There’s not much to it as I don’t really have the time but I believe in taking care of my skin and using great moisturizers- the rest? I give all credit to NARS!

Can you think of any momentous occasion in your life that made you interested in fashion?I can’t pinpoint a specific time or place. My love for fashion developed from my initial passion for music (I have been singing and playing the piano since I was 6 and being a lover of all things creative, it was a natural progression.

What advice would you give young woman today that are wanting to start up their own label?Without sounding too negative, the industry is very competitive and the retail climate is extremely tough. However, if you love something enough you should be prepared to put in the long hours and the dedication required to make your business grow. My advice to young women out there is to be original, be yourself and persevere with making your dreams a reality.

Are there any closing thoughts on fashion or style that you’d like to share?I believe fashion is a form of art and self-expression so dare to be different.

“Fashion is a form of art and self expression, so dare to be different”

048 // ALYSSMN

“be yourself and persevere with making your dreams

a reality”

049 // ALYSSMN

Alyssa Amelia

050 // ALYSSMN

051 // ALYSSMN

Pia Naera

PIA BOUTIQUE

053 // PIA BOUTIQUE

“fashion is all

about fun, femininity

and colour”

054 // PIA BOUTIQUE

Pia Naera

Firstly what is Pia Boutique?Pia Boutique is a new fresh fashion label that focuses on the relationship between fashion, graphic & textile design.

How and when did you start up Pia Boutique?Pia Boutique was launched on the 1st of May 2012. I had designed some digital printed dresses for my last Uni assignment. They were extremely popular but I only had 3! So I decided to dedicate this year to growing & developing my label.

What does fashion mean to you?Fashion is all about fun, femininity and colour.

When did you realize you wanted to be in the fashion industry?Ever since high school - the only subjects I actually enjoyed were design and textiles. But Uni was where I was able to grow and develop myself and a designer.

Where does your inspiration come from?I do alot of research into whats relevant with the upcoming trends - I grab my inspiration from blogs, magazines & beautiful things around me.

How do you market yourself?Pia Boutique is all about having fun, being creative & wearing beautiful things! I like to share a lot of who I am - as a designer through my work.

Who is your target market?Females from age 15 and above.

Have you found print based or Internet more effective in terms of advertising and selling?Social media is an absolute key to advertising yourself.

What does your job consist of and what are your favorite things about what you do?Designing, organizing production & orders etc! Everyday is different which I love! I also love being able to liase with my customers and have that one-on-one communication with them.

What is the most challenging part your job?Keeping up with my work load - but I love being busy.

055 // PIA BOUTIQUE

Before starting your own brand, did you have any experience in the industry and/or relevant tertiary education?Yes! I studied graphic design and had worked in retail a wee bit.

How would you best describe the style of clothing you sell and your own personal style?My pieces are all - floaty, bright, printed, soft & beautiful.

What advice do you have for aspiring fashion designers?Never dream too big.

Who are some of your favorite fashion designers and why?My top 3 designers are: Mara hoffman, Mary Katrantzou & NZ designer - Cybele! All these designers have amazing talent & I love the way they use & design their prints.

056 // PIA BOUTIQUE

057 // PIA BOUTIQUE

058 // PIA BOUTIQUE

059 // PIA BOUTIQUE

062 // STREET STYLE

063 // STREET STYLE

Hadley Pegden

NEEDLES& THREADS

Hadley Pegden

Firstly what is Needles and Threads?Needles and Threads is a men’s street wear and boutique clothing store.

What prompted you to start your own brand?Was just something that came about, sort of jumped in the deep end with it and just driven it to where it is today. Would rather be working for myself than for someone, being driven is what is important to myself and not just settling for being average.

Where did your inspiration come from?I was doing a lot of my own shopping overseas through online stores, saw how big the trend was developing and decided to jump onboard and start something along the same lines here in New Zealand.

How do you market yourself?Alot of our marketing is purely word of mouth, I personally would rather spend costs on what we actually are selling and bringing in. We have done the odd radio ad, news paper and magazines to test things out. But we market ourselves through our service and social media mainly.


Who is your target audience?We predominately were targeting 17-25 year olds through our online store, but now with our brick and mortar set up here in Ponsonby we are now targeting through to 35 year olds to suit the Ponsonby demographic.

Have you found print based or Internet more effective in terms of advertising and selling?Definitely internet based, its how we started out online so majority of our customers know us for that, we have developed a facebook page thats 1.5years old with over 5000+ followers so we drive our advertising a lot for online. Also we concentrate highly on SEO to target certain area’s of our site and gain the best quality traffic through the site as we can.

What does your job consist of and what are your favorite things about what you do?My job covers basically everything to do with the store, from admin and accounts right through to the selection of garments, brands and selling to the customer. Also do all the online management and uploads, but will be moving into this area more over the next few months and be in the store less.

What is the most challenging part your job?Planning, you can never predict season’s and the weather, summer may drop early or late in a year and you have to have the right stock in store and online to sell to the customers and fulfill their needs. New Zealand’s weather is all over the show so makes it pretty difficult to cater to at times.

Where did the inspiration come from when designing your store?Alot of my idea’s with the store come from my mum, keeping things clean and simple is what i like in a lifestyle so I bring that into the store and its layouts and designs. Spend a lot of time on blogs looking at stores and architecture overeas to get inspiration and new idea’s/concepts.

How did you choose the perfect location for your store?We wanted to target a area that had its own culture, suited the style we were trying to bring to the area, had not alot of conflict with other store’s close by with similar or the same brands. Just wanted to do our own thing but somewhere with the same vibe.


Before starting your own brand, did you have any experience in the industry and/or relevant tertiary education?I started the online store in my 3rd year of my degree because I was getting a bit bored of studying, I have a double major degree in Marketing and Management, along with a certificate in Management from NZIM. Had my own sense of style but knew a few people within the clothing industry who helped me out and get in contact with the right people.

How would you best describe the style of clothing you sell and your own personal style?Clean would be the best description in one word, overall I like a clean look in a old fashioned sense of gentleman back in the day. Only thing thats changed is the tyoe of clothes but when it comes down to it, how you dress gives off the certain traits you have as an individual so when we pick whats coming through to the store we don’t necessarily base it on trends and what we “should” have in store, its based off what we actually would wear and give across that clean look and gentleman’s style with a new age edge.

“It’s a tough industry. I don’t like to get caught up in the glitz and glam of it”

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start up his or her own label?Be driven, your going to have your good and bad days. Consistency with the brand and your drive behind it is what it all comes down to. Your the one behind it, creating its culture and image so drive that to the public and don’t lose sight of it by others around you.

Are there any closing thoughts on fashion or style that you’d like to share?It’s a tough industry, that goes without having to say but it can be fun. Myself I don’t like to get caught up in the glitz and glam of it, rather just do my own thing and focus more from a business perspective cause at the end of the day your here to make money and survive.


“at the end of the day you’re here to make

money and survive”


Hadley Pegden

Ruben Bryant

GOOD AS GOLD

073 // GOOD AS GOLD

074 // GOOD AS GOLD

RubenBryant

Firstly what is Good as Gold and when did you start it up?GAG is a shop on Victoria Street Wellington, and an online shop with loads of rad stuff. We started up the shop in 2004.

What does fashion mean to you?It’s just clothes, some look good, some look shit.

What brands do you stock?Lots, 80 plus brands from NZ, Aussie, Denmark, Sweden, USA, Japan, Hungry, France, check out goodasgold.co.nz.

When did you realize you wanted to be in the fashion industry?2003 when I made the decision to open GAG, but I’ve always been into rad clothes and design.

How would you define your city’s fashion?Like a minestrone soup, with lots of chunks.

Where does your inspiration come from?My brain, the internet, mags, the street, my son, my dogs, my lady, my homies, travels.

How do you market yourself?Online, facebook, twitter, instagram, pintrest, svlly, nuji etc, and a little bit in Vice Magazine.

Who is your target market?Anyone and everyone.

How did you go about choosing the perfect location for your store?We just moved to a bigger shop, and I had been trying to get the lease on it for years, it’s a great spot just off the main drag, with great windows and natural light.

What does your job consist of and what are your favorite things about what you do?Managing the staff, buying the stock, walking our 2 bulldogs, keeping on top of the constant changing world of the online inter-web, fixing stuff, and just trying to keep everyone happy. My favorite thing is traveling to see ranges, and looking for new brands and all the rad peeps I have met.

What is the most challenging part your job?Just all the random stuff that goes wrong, internet breaking, other stores trying to sneak exclussive brands off us, pigeons pooping on our windows, paying the bills is always a little draining.

075 // GOOD AS GOLD

Before starting your own brand, did you have any experience in the industry and/or relevant tertiary education?I studied Graphic Design, and have worked in retail my whole life. But I learnt a lot overseas doing the buying and managing lots of staff in a large snowboard shop Aspen Colorado.

How would you best describe the style of clothing you sell and your own personal style?GAG sells a real mix of styles, so I can’t define one steez from the shop. My personal style is very relaxed, but again its a mix of what we sell in the store so its always kinda changing.

Who are some of your favorite fashion designers and why?Henrik Vibskov, PAM, Damir Doma, Juyna Watanabe.

What advice do you have for aspiring fashion designers?Goodluck, its not an easy career, don’t half step and commit fully.

“Don’t half step and commit fully”

076 // GOOD AS GOLD

077 // GOOD AS GOLD

078 // STREET STYLE

079 // STREET STYLE

Illustrator and Photographer

KELLY THOMPSON

Kelly Thompson

I hear that you had a chance to speak at Semi Permanent earlier last year, could you tell us more about the experience?Being asked to speak at Semi Permanent was pretty amazing for me. I remember going to Semi Permanent while I was in University and just feeling so overwhelmingly inspired and in awe of the creative work and the careers that the speakers had. To then be asked to be one of those speakers is a pretty phenomenal feeling, and I must admit, that when I saw the line-up of speakers I definitely had moments of feeling not worthy.

At first I was ridiculously nervous, but once I was there and on stage it was completely fine, it’s a really nice feeling to think someone I might say could give an audience member the feeling that I once had as an emerging creative. Then I was asked to go back and speak at the Brisbane and Melbourne events, so that was exiting.

What message did you bring to the audience?Throughout my speech I talked about where I started, how my career has progressed, how I actually create my work and what im doing next. I guess one of the main things I was hoping to do was inform people about why I do my work and how it is created, as many people are curious about my technique. One other thing that I really wanted to drum in was the importance of time and practice and the dedication required if you want to be an illustrator.

You completed a Bachelor of design at Massy University, Wellington, with an Illustration paper and majoring in Photography. How has this helped you in terms of developing your own illustration work to date?Well I only did one illustration paper throughout my degree, and then wished I did that from the start, so I guess that gave me inspiration. Photography has been one of the most helpful and important aspects in my work, starting as a fashion based photographer has given me much valuable insight into lighting and form and the models I have photographed have filled me with such inspiration and knowledge about human mannerism.


How long have you been illustrating for?I probably started illustrating professionally in 2007/2008, so approximately four to five years now.

Do you believe that you can learn a creative talent or do you believe it’s more of a natural talent?I think that a lot of success comes from raw drive and dedication; talent is only a tiny part and is nothing without motivation. I think you can learn the “rules”, but you have to have the confidence to push it further and the will to make yourself better.

What sorts of things do you design/illustrate?Most people would know me by my girl illustrations, I have many beautiful models who I have drawn and I sell regularly as prints. When I’m not doing personal work I draw all sorts of things, and basically anything depending on my client brief. I rarely get to draw girls for clients, at the moment I’m working for the VIC Aids Council drawing homoerotic sailor tattoos.

Could you please talk us through the typical process that you go through while illustrating?After initial ideas, I then research to find my references as I always draw from reference. I usually do a couple of rounds of pencils, and then start to refine my line work and line weight. Once I am happy with the pencil work I then scan and colour my imagery in Photoshop.

Roughly how long does it take to come up with a final illustrated product?It really depends on the subject matter and the size, but one of my one metre by eighty centre metre pencil girls would take up to two weeks maximum including colour if I’m uninterrupted and have all focus on that image.

Are there any illustrators you admire or look up to?Richard Grey who is a fashion illustrator, Tomer Hanuka and David Downton.

Where do you source your inspiration from?I don’t really go out on an inspiration hunt, it really just happens unexpectedly. Unfortunately lately it always seems to be when I’m very busy and have no time for anything else.

“I think that a lot of success comes from raw drive and dedication, talent is nothing without motivation”


“focus and sacifice and dig in your

heels”085 // KELLY THOMPSON

What do you like to do in your spare time?This is going to sound bad, but lately I don’t really have any. I usually have to tidy up in my spare time, and wash my hair (laughs).If I did have more spare time I like to go away for weekends in the country, or at the beach. Catch up on reading though magazine stacks, go to exhibitions and rummage at the Melbourne markets for second hand treats.

What are your dreams for the future?To make more time to do personal work, I’m about to start painting and I really want to immerse myself in it. I also dream of an email checker who gets my inbox to zero every day. I’d like to have a really big vegetable garden. I’d like to work more with textiles and fashion brands.

Do you have any advice for people who want to unleash their own dreams?My advice would be that you have to focus and sacrifice and dig in your heels, you also have to realise that things take time and if you really want something to happen you have to be patient.


Anita Chhiba

VILLAGETHIEVESVINTAGE

Anita Chhiba

Tell us about Village Thieves Vintage?VTV is a creative foundry, run through facebook. I mainly sell vintage clothing and jewellery, but have extended into all sorts, from prints and shoes, to accessories and vintage homeware. Its pretty much just a brainstorm of my ideas in physical form.

What made you want to start up your own label? I just wanted to do my own thing and its cool being able to make whatever I want. The biggest appeal was wand not answer to anyone else.

Did you have any prior educational experience?Yes, I did a Certificate in Art and Design and recently graduated with a Bachelor of Design majoring in Graphic Design both at AUT.

What does your job consist of and what are your favorite things about what you do?Pretty much mainly orders from customers, sourcing stock and supplies for jewellery, photoshoots, heaps of drawing, and designing new things, and working with others on colabs. My favourite thing about what I do isnt really what I do, its seeing people out wearing my stuff. Thats cool.

How did the brand grow?Social networking is really powerful and thats how I got a following. I pretty much owe the entire thing the power of social media.

How would you best describe your own personal style?Bi-polar, but mostly mixing vintage stuff with new things. Its pretty all over the place.

Who are your favorite style icons?I don’t know, kind of just started paying attention to what Rihanna wears. Oh and MIA, shes always cool.

Do you have any goals for your brand in the future?I want to expand and just keep making stuff I like. Would be awesome to have employees.Long way to go though.

What advice would you give young woman today that are wanting to start up their own label?Get it done!


“having complete creative

freedom to turn my ideas

into actual things”


Anita Chhiba

094 // STREET STYLE

095 // STREET STYLE

Hope McConnell

ONE TO WATCH

097 // HOPE McCONNELL

Hi guys!

My name is Hope McConnell, I am 16 years old and I live in Tauranga.

I have been interested in fashion, and entering comps since I was 10 years old. Two years ago I also got through to the final four and then won the Girlfriend Young Designer of the Year

The finals of the competition went for four months in which time the four finalists (including me) would be given $300 a month and would have to style a look for a set catergory E.g. beachy, winter, prom night and so on.

Girlfriend readers and other people would vote for their favourite and at the end of the four months the votes were tallied up and I won!

I was interviewed by Central TV which was super exciting and turned out that I had over 50% of the total votes and Girlfriend visited me at my school to present me with prizes like a $400 make up kit, perfume, a mag subscription and the next month i had a double page spread in Girlfriend. I was so thankfull and exited for the opportunity and it gave me a great boost foward into the fashion industry. I have always loved fashion designing and I have already entered many competitions. I dream to be a fashion designer in New York.

A more recent competition I have entered was for Global Connexions. I entered the print and colour section and also overall workmanship. I won both, including a Bernina electronic sewing machine, which is fantastic for creating garmetns with.

I have been studying textiles since I started high school and cant get enough. The fashion industry really excites me and I am hoping to head into fashion journalism combined with Styling.

I love fashion!

Hope

xx


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

EDITOR & DIRECTOR

CHELSEA ALLEY [email protected]

PHOTOGRAHYYISELLE LOWREY &

CHELSEA ALLEY MATTHEWS

All Wildfox, Ponyhunter, Thousand Piece Puzzle, Moodie Tuesday, Alyssmn, Pia

Boutique, Needles & Threads, Good as Gold, Kelly Thompson, Village Thieves Vintage and

Hope McConnell photographs and words credit to their own.

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