Fashion In Focus

In 1997, Steve Dunstan and his then business-partner Dan Buckley started what was to become one of New Zealand’s most loved and most recognisable fashion brands.  Rooted in street, skate and snow culture, Huffer grew and grew through careful nurturing of social groups, tapping into music and fashion in an organic, natural way.

Huffer is truly a household name now in New Zealand and will go down as a seminal brand in our country's sartorial history books.

The brand's 2020 campaign was shot in the shell of what has become huffer’s latest big project - Huffer House - and it’s this community-minded, creative hub that founder Steve Dunstan joins Murray to discuss in this latest episode.

The fashion stylist is, without a doubt, one of the most powerful job titles in fashion right now, and in New Zealand Sammy Salsa is at the top of the game.  In this raw and very real episode, Sammy and Murray talk about Sammy's personal journey from his school beginnings, coming from a family of high-performing, sporty siblings to how he fell in love with fashion through a magazine in his high school library.  Sammy's honest and emotional account of his struggles to be accepted by the fashion fraternity - and even to recognise a familiar face in the industry - is a lesson for all of us in ensuring we build a more open and diverse industry.  

A trip to India to study with, and learn from garment workers, led New Zealand-based women's wear designer Natalie Procter to start her own label in Auckland, and focus its narrative firmly on the people who help it come to life.

In 2020, the global pandemic has pulled this narrative sharply into focus, with many other businesses starting to promote this positive, emotional side to their world, too.  Likewise consumers have acted to shelter friends and businesses from the effects of an economic downturn, and have begun extolling those same selfless virtues that became so prevalent when Covid hit.

For Natalie, that deeply emotional, honest and authentic interest in people and their talents and stories didn’t start in March 2020 but rather started in her childhood in South Africa where she saw people enjoying life to the full while existing on simple means.  It was the passion and community that inspired her, and these are pillars she has brought into her business today.

Natalie sat down with Murray to share her story and why it's the people, not the product, that shape her world.

In the fast-paced world of PR and marketing, for outsiders wanting to get into the industry it's sometimes hard to see where you can get an opening.  Especially if your studies have pointed you in one direction, yet you feel the desire to chase down a new career in communications, where do you even begin?  Rebecca Mahoney has made a successful career from taking opportunities as they presented themselves, working her way into a senior role at David Jones from a starting position as social media manager for a Takapuna retail store.  In this episode, Murray speaks candidly with Rebecca (also one of his past employees) about her personal journey and learnings as she's navigated this industry as an aspiring PR maven still in her early 20s.

As modelling careers go, Kiwi sensation Juliette Perkins has achieved what most other young girls could only dream of.  Growing up in Nelson, New Zealand, Juliette's life changed when she was signed to international mega-agency IMG at the age of 15, and later moved to Paris at just 16, catapulting her into fierce competition alongside the world's biggest names.  But unlike so many before her who may have chased fame over steady income, Juliette has assessed the industry and knows her strengths, meaning her pathway to success has been unique and, ultimately, extremely rewarding. So what's next for this uber-talented 21 year old?  She spoke to Murray about her early career, her dream jobs, and the post-Covid world she's envisioning.

Launched in 2015, The Twenties Club came to life to share, dissect and ruminate on life topics facing people going through their 20s. Now with a modest but powerful social media following, editor Madeleine Walker is carving her own path with a loyal fan base and equally loyal commercial brand partners who see this lively platform of ideas and conversation as a private yet inclusive online home. Murray spoke to Madeleine about how and why she started The Twenties Club, the rise of blogs and influencers, the collapse of the advertising market, and how to diversify your risk as a young business person. 

Kiri Nathan is one of New Zealand's most renowned Maori fashion designers, and has positioned herself as the guiding light for many young indigenous designers looking to find their way in the fashion world.  Along with her husband Jason, himself a skilled self-taught carver of Pounamu, Kiri has led designers to push their own boundaries both locally and around the world, including taking a group of 15 Maori creatives to China on a hikoi to understand first-hand how the biggest world markets operate.  Murray caught up with Kiri off the back of her 2020 MNZM honour to discuss how indigenous designers can uphold their traditions and culture in today's marketplace without compromise.

Sydney-based editor, creative director and stylist Megha Kapoor chats to Rosie Herdman about her independent print magazine and online platform Inprint, plus her unconventional start in the fashion industry via an internship at Vogue India. 

A fortuitous role as Gucci's in-house fit model was how New Zealand model Ella Drake burst onto the global fashion scene.  The Auckland-based AUT student had never intended to follow a career into modelling, but a quick trip to Tokyo and then Milan changed all that. Now at the helm of her own jewellery brand, Monarc, Ella spoke with Murray about her whirlwind modelling career and why she's now pursuing a business that champions sustainable, man-made diamonds.