My Heels Are Killing Me

Pearly Wong is a fashion designer based between Malaysia and Berlin. She talks to Sonia Sly about catering to an international market place and the realities of the industry for Malaysian designers.Pearly Wong studied in New York at the Fashion Institute of Technology, she's a regular on the Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week scene and she's based between Malaysia and Berlin. This year she also had the chance to bring her collection to New Zealand Fashion Week as part of the Malaysian Fashion Initiative.Pearly talks to Sonia Sly about her minimalist aesthetic, growing up in the rag trade and designing for an international marketplace. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Auckland-based designer James Dobson talks about life before the internet, meeting the needs of a clientele that range from 15-60, and why he has to remind himself that there is more to life than fashion.James Dobson - the founder and designer of New Zealand label Jimmy D - isn't afraid of pushing creative boundaries.He chats candidly with Sonia Sly at his K Road home (which is above his workroom) about approaching design with a sense of humour, working with stylist King Kang Chen, life before the internet and being at home in the fashion industry.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Courtney Sanders is a Melbourne-based Kiwi and co-founder of Well Made Clothes. She talks to Sonia Sly about setting up an online ethical clothing business and a movement towards slow fashion.Getting dressed isn't quite what it used to be. With the rise of mass-produced, cheaply made garments, we have more choice than ever. But although fashion can be fun and frivolous - even throw-away - what we choose to wear can now say as much about our values, as it does our sense of style.The same can be said for the designers who are keen to reassure their customers that 'no-one was harmed in the making' of this garment. "People who are interested in where the fashion industry is going are actively trying to buy less."Courtney Sanders, Co-founder of ethical online store Well Made Clothes started her business with Kelly Elkin, and says she wants to provide her customers with the option to make conscientious decisions based on their values.The store works with a stable of around 45 independent designers who must meet at least one of their 8 core values: handcrafted, transparent, sustainable, local, fair, minimal waste, vegan and gender equality.And while the market is competitive, Courtney says that over recent years an increasing demand for transparency from consumers is helping to keep a steady flow for the demand and supply of clothing that has been ethically produced - the only hindrance in the past, is the notion that sustainable clothing lacks attention to detail."There are lots of people making ethical clothing, but has a really bad rap for being badly designed. So it was really important to us that Well Made Clothes was design-led, because if something is poorly designed then you're not going to wear it, which is , and that's also bad for the environment." So why require designers to meet only one of those eight values? While many young designers are entering the industry with either a sustainable or ethical focus, finding a process that is entirely responsible is tricky even for established brands."Sometimes part of their range will meet our values and part of it won't, so we'll stock the part of the range that does."Before the inception of Well Made Clothes Courtney says that a curated online store like theirs didn't exist in either New Zealand or Australia. The pair were passionate about a multi-brand site with an ethical focus and applied for a grant from The Walkley Foundation in partnership with Google - winning it last year enabled them to start their business and invest in industry-leading technology. The store doesn't buy products wholesale, but instead, reflects the real-time stock of their designers…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Wynn Hamlyn Crawshaw is a young designer who moved from a career in construction to developing his own womenswear label.Wynn Hamlyn Crawshaw is a young designer who moved from a career in construction to developing his own womenswear label.He presented his latest collection at New Zealand Fashion Week this year.During the process of creating the collection Wynn pushed on despite often having bloody fingers from slipping needles.But the hard work paid off when he wowed the audience of buyers and media with a sophisticated line of knitwear, denim and wool suiting which he styled with coats and bags made from heavy, recycled Axminster carpet. The designer behind New Zealand label Wynn Hamlyn may have only two NZFW presentations under his belt, but he's already become one to watch."The sort of aesthetic of femininity and the sort of elegance that you can create within womenswear is something that I'm interested in. It's kind of like being interested in soccer or basketball, they're just two different things."Wynn lives below his Auckland studio where Sonia Sly talked to him about his preference for womenswear over menswear, making the shift from a career in construction to fashion design, and why he's dead set on striving for perfection.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Kelly Thompson is the ultimate multi-tasker. The former Wellington makeup artist and photographer is based in Melbourne and is best known for her beautiful fashion illustrations and personal style.Kelly Thompson is the ultimate multi-tasker. The former Wellington makeup artist and fashion photographer is best known for her beautiful fashion illustrations and personal style which she blogs on her website, Kelly Thompson Creative.Winning a coveted ad campaign for beauty brand Escada five years ago saw her career sky rocket with international exposure following. But this humble Kiwi girl still maintains strong ties with New Zealand and the fashion industry - she's a regular at New Zealand Fashion Week.She has a large online following, but despite having 21.9k followers on her instagram account she says that catering to a social media hungry audience can be frustrating."Now people who aren't necessarily particularly talented might have $100,000 instagram followers be them real or be them fake, but they can often win out on a job purely because of their following and not necessarily based on the skill of their work."Kelly talks to Sonia Sly about getting the perfect shot, building a business from the ground up, plans for the future and the highs and lows of growing a brand in an increasingly fickle digital world.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Anabela Rea talks trends, landing a job in fashion and the importance of promoting cultural diversity and clothing that works for all types of women.There are many ways to skin a cat and so too in the fashion industry there are multiple ways to land your foot inside a fashion-focused door.Anabela Rea has followed a varied path that has taken her from styling fashion shoots, to art direction and working in wardrobe for music videos and film sets.These days you're likely to find her editing the fashion-related, colourful pull-out pages of The Sunday Star Times where she's been working as a features editor for the past two years.For the former stylist, reflecting diversity is essential."Different faces don't always make it into the limelight, so I try to mix it up a wee bit." she says. Rea also believes in standing by her choices because fashion isn't just about what works on a stick-thin model."There's the Lauren Hutton quote: 'Fashion is what they offer you four times a year and style is what you choose.' So I think being an editor you've got to take that on and kind of run with it. You're in the position of having to be a bit of a taste-maker and to exercise your judgement about what you think is going to be a trend and what you think will actually suit women, and not just beautiful young models but all kinds of women." Rea talks to Sonia Sly about the importance of cultural diversity in the fashion industry, spotting trends that are here to stay and why it's not all about being a front row girl at fashion week...Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Jessie Wong, 23, is taking the fashion industry by storm with her luxury leather accessories brand, Yu Mei. She explains why a good bag should weather its journey with you."The first bag I ever made was called a rat bag, which also happened to be the name of a Dunedin pub but I didn't know that at the time." - Jessie Wong, designer and founder of Yu Mei.Life is flat out for Jessie Wong, who is preparing to meet new buyers after a successful presentation of her Yu Mei leather accessories collection at New Zealand Fashion Week.It was there that she took on the task of making one of her handbags from start to finish in front of a live audience. The 23 year old says she was focused and locked in to the task, only taking a glimpse of her friends watching from the sidelines amidst a throng of excited media and buyers.But while she's currently capturing the attention of fashion lovers everywhere, Jessie says it's been a lot of hard work to get the brand to where it is today, with her luxury-leather line stocked around the country and across the ditch. The designer laughs as she recalls going without sleep for two days straight just to push out a collection, but she's aware of the reality of the industry.After completing internships at Akira Isogawa and Twenty Seven Names she learnt very quickly that hard work is necessary, and it definitely pays off, but the most important thing is that she loves what she does."It's what I've always wanted to do," she says.As for the name of the label, Jessie takes inspiration from her Chinese background. Yu Mei is her Chinese name, but it was one that she's had in the back of her mind for a label since her high school days."The words look really beautiful they sound really beautiful when they're pronounced right: Yu May, not Yu Me. All the girls in my generation on my dad's side of the family middle name, so that's quite nice. Also, it's nice to just keep the whole New Zealand made aspect of it and I did wonder if it would be too Asian, but then you have your Jimmy Choo and Alexander Wang..."Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Headhunted to work for Tom Ford's eponymous label just as it was getting off the ground was like watching history in the making, according to designer Quentin Hart who worked with Ford for 3 years until he decided to break away from the fashion bubble he was living in. Today, he couldn't be happier as the designer for iconic Kiwi brand Swanndri, transitioning from the high fashion runway to designing for the great outdoors.Before he arrived in New Zealand, fashion designer Quentin Hart came from the prestige of working at the luxury end of the international market where resources were unlimited, and it was a space where ideas on paper could easily be realised into fully-fledged garments with no expense spared.Quentin joined Tom Ford in 2006, just as the designer was launching his eponymous label. During this time, Quentin was based between the design office in London and Milan, where the garments were made.Not long out of studying a four year Bachelor of Fashion Design at the University of West of England, Quentin was picked up as a design assistant for esteemed womenswear designer, Jasper Conran, before being headhunted by Ford.Being part of this new creative venture was an exciting time not just for Quentin, but everyone involved. Quentin recalls his first day as he stepped into his new workplace with naive eyes."I turned up there expecting to see a big flash building and it hadn't been fitted out. I walked into the room and there was the design director - who I reported to - and Tom, sitting around a table with a series of ideas. I just sort of realised that this was history in the making in the fashion industry," says Quentin.Working with Tom allowed the young designer to stretch his creativity and there were no limits as to what could be achieved. But with a huge workload and short lead times, plus travel to Italy for collection launches and working 14-hour days for seven day periods, the mandatory hours and high pressure left him with no time to pursue outside interests."I worked quite closely with and he had high expectations of all of his staff," Quentin says of the designer who liked a dynamic environment, and much like other industries, the team would socialise with Friday drinks.But the reality of working from one season's collection to the next was gruelling at the best of times. Quentin says there were no defined work hours, which meant all hands on deck and not getting the job done was not an option.Working for Ford was surreal for the young designer who has plenty of fond memories of the three years he spent working there, including the exclusive launch of the Tom Ford label (2007), which was celebrated with a lavish party, replete with a celebrity guest list…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

When Jonathan Thai moved from New Zealand to New York to get his dance career moving, he never would have imagined that be styling editorial shoots for Vogue and working with the cream of the international fashion industry, producing shows for designers at New York Fashion. Sonia Sly finds out what it was like to work with Winona Ryder and working on a show that sent a stream of models topple over on the runway.Strong creative vision, perseverance and a down-to-earth personality are qualities that have helped stylist and creative consultant, Jonathan Thai, make a high profile career in fashion. Not here in New Zealand, but New York.Jonathan moved to the United States 11 years ago to pursue a dance career, but when he injured himself while auditioning for a Janet Jackson video his plan was turned on its head.Not one to sit down and let opportunities slip by, he turned to his second love, fashion.One job assisting on a fashion film led to another and now the 28-year-old's impressive catalogue of work includes styling editorial shoots for US, British, French and German Vogue, Elle, Glamour and W Magazine. He has also worked closely with photographers Steven Meisel and Craig McDean.Jonathan has produced New York Fashion Week shows for designers Helmut Lang, Thakoon, Victoria Beckham and Proenza Schouler, among others, and has clocked up a list of celebrity clients such as Lady Gaga and Winona Ryder."She was inquisitive", he says of of the Stranger Things star."She just looks at up at you with those big chocolatey brown eyes. She's just so...weird and that's what I love about her."Now, due to the pull of family and a definitive change in the US political climate, which he says affects the fashion industry, Jonathan is back in New Zealand. "Fashion is a very artistic and creative expression and as artists we should exercise our right to voice our opinions," he says, adding that staff in the office he was working in before he left were in tears when Donald Trump was elected."I was looking at coverage of the New York Fashion Week and there were so many designers that were resisting President Trump it is quite interesting to see who's in opposition and who's just not saying anything at all, and I think that says a lot about the industry too."I'm just waiting for more of the fashion community to be able to step up, but at the same time they do rely on people buying their design."Jonathan says there are plenty of opportunities to embrace in the fashion industry here in New Zealand and that our warm, friendly nature and give-it-a-go attitude are a great asset when it comes to the potential of collaborating on international projects…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

What does it take to make the modern gentleman? With a love of art and design New Zealand menswear label, French 83, provides a twist on classic suiting for the young professional. Add a dash of our good old Kiwi lifestyle and they've got a great brand story that works for their international clientele. Sonia Sly meets the team to find out why they took an unconventional approach to their business model by launching in Beijing, before breaking into the New Zealand marketplace.Notch, armano, peaked and shawl lapels to the besom, patch, welt and flap pocket. Menswear is all about the details and new label, French 83 are providing a twist on classic staples to create contemporary suiting for the modern man.Located at the bottom of Auckland's Anzac Avenue, the label shares the space with a hair salon - get your hair done and then head to the back of the store to shop up a storm, or the other way around. It's convenient, and exactly the way that men like to shop.What you'll find at French 83 are beautifully laid out racks and shelves set against a natural wood interior. The look is clean, elegant and boasts a sophisticated edge. There are bomber jackets in contemporary prints to suits and even a brushed cotton shirt features unexpectedly on the racks, which designer Nicole Wesseling says is about catering to the needs of the guy who has a life away from his city office job.The label has been running for five years with one of its founders, Peter Cheng, now based in China. Intensive research into the market and manufacturing process began before launching retail stores in New Zealand and Beijing. In its early stages the label worked closely with students at Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design, the very place they found designer Nicole Wesseling, who had dreams of starting her own label. She still does womenswear on the side, but French 83 is her main focus."It's ridiculous designing straight out of uni, but I just rolled with it," says Nicole.The 24-year-old says that designing for the menswear label is similar to when she was creating collections at fashion school. She pulls ideas from different places and largely works on her own throughout the design process.French 83's target audience is the young professional and their market extends across to Asia. In China and Hong Kong their clients are largely European and Nicole says it's important to keep both markets in mind…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

If you want to know what the future of fashion looks like it pays to keep an eye on emerging designers who create without boundaries. Sonia Sly meets emerging designers from around the world to find out what their vision for the future of fashion looks like and what concerns them most.When was the last time you looked through your wardrobe and considered how much of it you actually wear and which garments have been ethically and sustainably produced?It's probably not at the forefront of your mind when you're racing around to get ready for work or a busy day ahead.In this podcast episode of My Heels Are Killing Me Sonia Sly meets young designers at iD Dunedin Fashion Week to find out how they see the future of fashion.Despite a Colmar Brunton survey over a year ago finding that a majority of New Zealanders are interested in purchasing ethically and sustainably, 100 million kilograms of textile waste is thrown into rubbish dumps every year where it ends up amongst rotting fruit, used nappies and other horrors that you won't want to think about.The problem affects the entire industry, and some designers are making clothes with longevity and are thinking about the environmental impacts of the industry.Kiwi label, Kowtow has been ploughing ahead with its brand here and overseas and younger labels such as Ovna Ovich are also steadily finding their way into the marketplace.But for those who are just about to set foot in the industry, producing sustainably is an immediate challenge. The question is, how to do it creatively?Olivia Balle, 22, and Kristen Maeclem, 22, (below) both studied fashion at Massey University and recently showed their graduate collection at iD Dunedin Fashion Week where they were finalists for the Emerging Designer Awards.They have an environmental ethos and when they saw garment production in India and China their eyes were opened to how it affects communities. This reinforced their desire to design clothing using only 'found' materials."When we were searching for inspiration we were looking at up-cycling but there's so much ugly stuff out there," says Maeclem. "That really put us off and I think other designers would feel the same."The pair knew that they wanted to work with lots of colour and that their collection should be fun. So their creative process took them somewhere unexpected - rubbish bins - where they sourced soda cans, chip packets and even scrap pieces of thread."The materials we sourced determined what we made," says Maeclem. "We wanted to create something new but we didn't want to use new materials because there's so much stuff out there already that we can utilise."…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

New York-based Kiwi Rachel Stickley knows all about styling props. When she's on the job her art tools are at the ready and she could be doing anything from sourcing furniture to melting lipsticks and being covered in paint.You're relaxing, reading a glossy magazine and as you do you come across beauty advertisements and editorials. Your eye is drawn to the perfect white snow-freeze style whip that sits poised in an open jar of moisturiser. It's elegant. The light draws a halo above it emanating a warm glow with the suggestion that you'll be better off with this product in your life - like the picture you'll be glowing from the inside out.But whether you're lured in by the advert or not, next time consider how long it took for the product stylist to make it 'picture perfect.' It's a skill - even an art form - as New York-based Kiwi Stickley knows all about. When she's on the job her art tools are at the ready and she could be doing anything from sourcing furniture to melting lipsticks.Stickley has been working in New York for 6 years and left a job in advertising to go freelance - a dream career for a creative person who doesn't like the routine of a 9 to 5 office job. But the glamour of working with models and styling the latest beauty products also comes with the challenge of being covered in paint and not to mention the long hours.The industry demands it, according to Stickley whose experience in New York has opened up a range of opportunities that she never expected to find herself in."New York is a place that's really unique in the United States where it really embraces young people and immigrants, and if you have aspirations and you wanna work really hard, everyone has been in your shoes before," she says.Styling editorial shoots and working with cosmetics and lifestyle brands offers different hands-on creative challenges. And while it looks easy, it requires thinking outside the box and having an eye for detail."There's a lot of knowledge that goes into understanding textures and the tools used to manipulate them," Stickley says.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Caitlan Mitchell is the editor for one of the longest running industry magazines in the country. She speaks to Sonia Sly about ambition, modelling, fashion photography and the relevance of print in the digital age."My Dad borrowed $200 from his mum and started NZ Apparel in his garage." - Caitlan Mitchell, Editor NZ ApparelIn this episode of My Heels Are Killing Me Sonia Sly speaks to Caitlan Mitchell about growing up in the fashion business and the relevance of print media in the digital age. Caitlan Mitchell may only be 22, but she knew from a young age that one day she would run her father's business. You could say it was in her blood. But determination and early ambition were not lost on her - or her mother."When I was four years old my mum remembers the day that I sat down next to the editor of Apparel who asked, 'what do you want to be when you grow up?' I said, 'I'm going to have your job," she laughs.Today, Mitchell is happy to be in the driving seat as the Editor for NZ Apparel which has been running since the late 1960s and features news about designers, the latest brands, trends, events and caters to those who work behind the scenes.Unlike her siblings, who didn't care much for the magazine, Mitchell says that she has always had her sights on running the business and that it was as much her father's baby, as her own."I came in every day after school and folded envelopes. Mum made it so that every envelope we stuffed we got 50 cents, but for every envelope you screwed up you had to give back 10 cents. That was a key factor in my work ethic," says Mitchell. Despite her siblings lack of interest, today the magazine is a family affair. Mitchell works alongside her mother and two siblings - her father has since retired - and the publishing house runs four titles which include Supermarket News, Hotel Magazine, Restaurant and & Cafe Magazine and a consumer e-zine Fennec & Friends.Mitchell has been immersed in the industry since she was a baby where she was cast in television commercials. In her teens she found herself working as model, but made a sideways step into fashion photography."I'm too tall for a start," says the 6 ft1 former model.Mitchell says it requires looking at yourself and asking if you have the potential to make it on the international scene. She decided it wasn't for her and left modelling to study photography at Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design. In order to be taken seriously as a photographer, she decided she couldn't do both…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

What does it take to run a global brand and continue to grow a business in a cluttered market? Karen Walker talks about the changing tides of fashion, the global marketplace and sleepless nights in an industry that has no off-switch."Everybody in business has sleepless nights and tearful nights and moments of complete despair and bafflement, and that never stops." - Karen Walker, Designer.Kiwi designer Karen Walker has created a global brand and you'll find her label stocked as far afield as Croatia, Brazil and Japan where the brand has just launched its sixth standalone store at Ginza Six retail complex in the heart of Tokyo's Ginza District - an area known as a luxury shopping destination where cutting edge innovation meets Japanese tradition.The new store caters to a strong Tokyo fan base offering ready-to-wear, eyewear, jewellery, handbag collections and special collaborations. While it adds to the Karen Walker empire, it's a big deal and a smart business move - the shopping complex is set to greet 20 million visitors annually.But it's no mean feat for a designer who had no grand plan when the label began almost thirty years ago."When I came into this business I was very much the outsider, and in many ways I still am. Choosing to work in Grey Lynn in Auckland and having a go at selling around the world... I mean that's kind of nutty!""Being based in NZ that we're on the outside, but I've never been one to go with the flow," says Walker from the boardroom of her Auckland headquarters.This Kiwi designer has come a long way since she first sat down at her grandmother's sewing machine making circle skirts for her Barbie doll at the age of five. She admits to being a rebel, but thinking outside of the box has helped to drive the brand in new directions.Walker has a knack of getting involved in unexpected creative collaborations that strike a chord with the label's audience - an example is a recent project with Auckland's Jordan Rondell aka The Caker with a limited edition Mother's Day cookie dough mix. Who knew that baking would ever meet fashion?For Walker business is all about these kinds of collaborations which enable her to reinvigorate the brand and keep the flow of ideas moving."You're constantly having to think about how you thrive or create the kind of work that you want to create, or stay in business," she says.Not letting the brand fall into the category of 'that was my mum's favourite brand' is integral to both staying alive in the industry, but also generating more business and growing. It's a tricky space to navigate, according to Walker…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Being in the fashion industry is like trying to stay in control of a car that's about to veer off the road, according to Marc Moore the founder of Kiwi label Stolen Girlfriend's Club. Marc speaks candidly about the brand's rock n' roll edge and experiencing failure and success in a high pressure industry."I could not sew to save my life. I've never sewn a garment and thank God for everyone , because otherwise it would be terrible." - Marc Moore, founder of Stolen Girlfriends Club.Staying on top your game in the fashion industry is an ongoing battle. For Marc Moore who founded Kiwi label Stolen Girlfriends Club - along with friends Dan Gosling and Luke Harwood - being attuned to what's happening on social media is an important part of the job, which helps the brand to remain relevant. But in the past, it has also led them astray."We'd done this androgynous thing for years," says Moore. "I started to get influenced by new trends that were emerging, so we had a go at doing more feminine ranges for a while and they didn't sell very well in retail," he says.That was around 2013/2014 and he admits that the brand had lost its way creatively as he started to feel pressure for the brand to be noticed in an over-flooded market. "When new trends come out, new brands come out and hot for two to three years and everyone talks about them. Then all of a sudden they don't talk about you anymore and you're going: 'Why don't we try what they're doing?'"It's really dangerous. When I look back I'm like, why did we do that?"Moore says that making mistakes has made him a better business owner and that the experience taught him a valuable lesson about remaining true to the company's DNA.But staying on track can be easier said than done."I feel like we're driving an out of control car sometimes and you're just trying your hardest to keep it on the road. That's what it's like being in the fashion industry."Find out more in the latest episode of My Heels Are Killing Me when Marc Moore chats candidly to Sonia Sly during a live interview at iD Dunedin Fashion Week about transitioning from semi-pro surfing to the world of fashion, sending models stage-diving off the runway at New Zealand Fashion Week and exploring what lies beneath Stolen Girlfriends Club's rebellious rock n' roll facade.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details