Chrissy O – the hunter and collector

Chrissy O hunters and collectors

Chrissy O is not only one of Wellington’s most recognized women, she is also the owner of one of our most iconic stores, . Hunters and Collectors has been called a “vintage nirvana” and may have been more suited to the streets of New York, however we have been blessed with this quirky institution right here on Cuba st. for over a few decades now.
In this interview Chrissy shares some of the stories from the wild-side of retail and how she keeps coming up with not only the best treasures, but the best the most inspiring windows in town.

 

Clare Bowden – Mandatory meets Miramar

Claire Mandatory - blue IMG_7630 This is the illustrious and industrious Clare Bowden, designer for one of Welly’s most iconic businesses, Mandatory Menswear. She along with business partner Fiona Edwards has been dressing men from around the country and beyond from their Cuba street store for 18 years now. In this interview Clare talks about what it is like being in the rag trade for men and how she got the zips into the armpits of Fat Freddy’s Drop horn player, Joe Lindsay’s suits, and why Mandatory are popping up in Miramar next week.

Thanks to Pat Shepherd for the photo.

http://www.mandatory.co.nz/

Mandatory Menswear Pop Up Shop at Sadhana Yoga Studio, 9 Park Road, Miramar Tuesday 30TH June – Sunday 5TH July 2015

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Jennifer Whitty – the space between

Space Between Image

 

The first time I heard that Massey lecturers Jenn Whitty and Holly McQuillan were creating a fashion range made of up-cycled  corporate uniform waste, I thought they had they had a huge job in front of them, but it seems they are up to so much more than that.
In this interview lecturer and designer Jenn Whitty talks about the label and concept for . ” We don’t have a waste problem, we have a design problem.”

Although Space Between are not showing, NZ Eco Fashion Week is kicking off it’s third year this week, so demand is certainly rising for less harmful but just as stylish fashion options.

http://spacebetween.ac.nz/

For more fashion that considers it’s environmental impact  http://www.ecofashionweek.nz/

Mag E Read – welcome back Margaret

Mag E

Mag E Read was an artist and a school teacher until 7 years ago when an unexpected incident changed her life. In this interview Mag E tells her amazing story on how she persisted in re-knowing herself, re-finding her inner artist and the challenge she set herself to do her first exhibition at Roar Gallery called Wall to Wall Fashion.

http://roargallery.org.nz/

Pinaman Owusu – African Fashion Queen

Pinaman Owusu 2

If you are interested in beautiful clothes or following big dreams then this is an introduction to a striking young Ghanaian Wellingtonian woman .
She is on a mission to connect New Zealand and Africa through fashion and the first ever .
Before I had this interview I wasn’t sure why I would want to wear African fashion but after hearing about why she wants to do this, I do now.

To Donate to the Spark My Potentail by Monday 6th of April http://sparkmypotential.co.nz/project/africafashionfestival

More about the African Fashion Festival here http://www.africafashionfestival.com/

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/charity-shop-cast-offs-are-killing-culture-in-ghana-says-top-historian.24734972

Pinaman’s fav track by Kiwi band Weird Together, filmed in Accra Ghana.

Juli Hunter, Fi Clements and Teresa Scott – designers talk eco fashion

photo (2) , of and Teresa Scott general manger of  Christchurch are all Fashion labels showing at , New Zealand’s Eco Fashion week, which kicks off in Lower Hutt today. In this live interview they discuss why as designers they are so committed to the Eco Fashion Movement, how their labels are working to overcome some of the big issues of the fashion industry.

A few references from the interview:

Frocks on Bikes – wheel stylish

Frock_Bikes

What happens when you dress beautiful ‘real girls’ in gorgeous local frocks and put them on fun urban bikes from at the on a beautiful night in Wellington?

The Wheel Stylish fashion show of course. You can almost feel like you were there in this interview with the designers, models and members of .