DJ Sir-Vere's sneaker obsession has seen him amass an impressive 500 pairs of kicks, some worth tens of thousands of dollars.

Hip-hop music has a distinctive culture, style and identity.

You only have to walk down the street in any city around the world to find countless people wearing all kinds of sneaker brands. Nike, Reebok, Adidas, New Balance, Converse, DC and more.

There are also numerous websites dedicated to the latest sneakers, with sites like HypeBeast giving consumers an 'in' on the latest sneaker trends.

Hyping kicks also adds to the anticipation of releases which can see people queuing up to buy limited edition styles like last year's Nike Air Max 1/97 Sean Wotherspoons.

But it's not only those traditional sports labels that are hitting the big time on the casual shoe front. Luxury labels have also been putting their money (and names) where it counts, including Raf Simons' various collaborations with Adidas.

One of those collabs are these sneakers which could only rival the Balenciaga 'Triple S' - a hit off the runway in 2017, renowned for their inclusion in the 'ugly aesthetic' that has filtered into fashion vocabulary.

Or how about a pair of Valentino 'Heroes' which will set you back close to NZ$1200?

DJ Sir-Vere (aka Phil Bell) is an Auckland DJ who owns more than 500 pairs of sneakers.

Sir-Vere has been collecting sneakers for 25 years. The collection fills two storage units. He could switch pairs once a day and still not wear the same shoe for almost a year.

"Fashion is identity in hip-hop," he says from a studio at Mai FM in Auckland where he's just finished his on-air shift.

He's brought along half a dozen pairs to show me and drags the boxes in a big sack into the studio.

"You couldn't really look good dancing without cool sneakers on," he says as he recounts the history around hip-hop culture in New Zealand and what it meant to find your own style back when he launched his career in music two decades ago.

Hip-hop isn't the only aspect that informs Sir-Vere's collection, but a love of basketball.

"I choose to collect Jordan's  the biggest brand in the world apart from Nike."

Sneakerhead culture is a global phenomenon and collectors will hunt out exclusive, and newly released pairs, including some that may never even hit the pavement.

Regarded as a $55 billion industry, Sir-Vere says the convention Sneaker Con held in New York brings in at least 10,000 people through doors, and Time Magazine reports an estimate of between 10 and 20 thousand styles of kicks on offer…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Turkey tail mushrooms, subverting the male gaze, a story of migration and hidden circular forms inspire the work of emerging designers at iD Dunedin Fashion Week.

Today emerging designers are faced with some pretty big challenges. Not only are they vying for limited opportunities in a highly competitive industry where launching a new label requires substantial cash flow and time to build an audience. They're also faced with the issue of creativity versus the commercial reality of the fashion industry.

Designers want people to buy their clothes, but is it possible to do that without feeding the problem of excess consumption and consumer waste?

In this episode of RNZ podcast My Heels Are Killing Me Sonia Sly meets seven designers whose inspiration spans the turkey tail mushroom, hidden circular forms, the male gaze, and Taoist funerals - all as part of this year's iD Dunedin Fashion Week.

Ethical practice and sustainability is central to the work of many new designers, and for those selected to show at this year's iD International Emerging Designer Awards it didn't overshadow the creativity and powerful stories that were translated into highly innovative collections. This year, designers were selected from 19 countries exploring a breadth of ideas.

Australian designer Alissar Hammoud works solely with denim. Her collection includes a variety of techniques like stone washing and reworking existing handbags into 'wearable' garments. She also focuses on minimal waste and the importance of buying investment pieces that last the distance and can be worn in multiple ways.

The inspiration behind her collection traces her parents story of migration.

"There's a sense of protectiveness in each of my looks," says Hammoud.

Hammoud's parents arrived in Australia after experiencing war and terror in Lebanon and Hammoud says this fed into her process. She looked at movement and 'protection' and incorporated this idea into her collection using armour-like layers. She also applied lamination to waterproof selected pieces in her denim range.

"There was a lot of war and struggle that was happening back when my parents were in Lebanon -  they had to come on a boat to Australia and it was a huge journey for them. It always inspires me now, and it goes back to what my parents stand for."

"They literally started from nothing and created something out of themselves," she says.

Argentinian designers Camilla Fuchs and Micaela Clubourg presented at iD as a duo. Their label 'Cumbre' translates as 'being at the top of the mountain and the journey to get there'…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Jeans are a ubiquitous staple in many wardrobes. And today, jeans are big business with street wear denim brands competing against premium labels.

Jeans are a ubiquitous staple in many wardrobes. Known for their robust, go-anywhere style, denim jeans are an enduring item of clothing that go the distance.

But today, a pair of jeans isn't just a pair of jeans. Jeans are big business and an increasingly competitive space where streetwear denim brands compete against premium labels like 7 for all Mankind, Paige Premium, Rag & Bone, J Brand, Paper Denim, Frame, and more.

Newer brands like Gold Sign have also carved out a niche under an ever-expanding denim category. The denim craze also hasn't escaped luxury brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Yves Saint Laurent whose denim ranges can cost upwards of US$1200 a piece.

Rest assured, you get a few extra bells and whistles on your jeans at that price.

But what does it mean to be part of the denim industry for an older brand like Levi's? 

First designed as workwear for miners, cowboys and farmers, Levi's were the original denim brand that put jeans on the map, and since the 70s and 80s they have cemented their place in the fashion landscape.

"If you did a word association with jeans, Levi's would probably come up first," says Nicky Rowsell, marketing manager for Levi Strauss Australia and New Zealand.

Levi's have been around for 165 years and the brand works hard to filter through into culture, music and the youth scene, enabling the brand to reach a wide audience and one that Rowsell describes as 'democratic and 'inclusive'.

But while Levi's have cornered a big chunk of the market, Rowsell says the brand isn't immune to competition, which reaches far beyond other denim brands.

"I think everyone is competition - you're all competing for the same consumer dollar," she says.

Rowsell counts the athletic and leisure industries as competitors - both are big business today.

"Young people are spending their money these days on experiences like music festivals or travel, so they're spending their hard earned dollars on having fun," she says.

Where Levi's sets itself apart from other denim brands is their history and ability to reconnect with old fans, while also capturing the imagination of new fans who have never heard of the brand until now. Levi's also keep their hand in collabs with brands like Nike, and covetable high-end labels such as Vetements and Off-White, which opens them up to a different audience.

The return of the nineties fashion trend has also benefited Levi's, and styles like the 501 have made a welcome return…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Benny Castles from WORLD addresses the changes in the New Zealand fashion industry and the challenges of local production and more in this episode of My Heels Are Killing Me recorded live at iD Dunedin Fashion Week.

It's a tough time for the fashion industry right now with a multitude of layers and questions about the way businesses are operating, ethical practice and the reality of garment producers becoming sustainable, on top of the mounting reality of staying afloat in a competitive industry.

And some of these questions have been front and centre this week with debate around WORLD, who used the label 'Made in New Zealand' for garments that have been produced in Bangladesh, with co-founder Dame Denise L'Estrange-Corbet stridently defending her company, saying 99 percent of their goods are made here.

But just a few days before the controversy broke, Sonia Sly was at iD Dunedin Fashion Week where she conducted a public Q&A session with Benny Castles, the Creative Director and designer for WORLD.

"I don't think young women in New Zealand want to buy a dress, vomit on it and then throw it away." - Benny Castles, Creative Director WORLD

Benny Castles isn't afraid to speak his mind, which has been an asset in working alongside Dame Denise L'Estrange Corbet and Francis Hooper, who launched WORLD almost 30 years ago.

Castles joined WORLD eighteen years ago, while in his later teens and never saw an obvious path in the fashion industry. But early exposure to luxury international fashion retail and observing his father's penchant for fine tailoring gave the designer an eye into the craft and an understanding of the importance of quality customer service.

And retail is exactly where Castles launched his career in the industry. Starting out on WORLD's shop floor, today it's not uncommon to see him interacting with customers in one of the label's Auckland stores.

"A retail experience is about a journey  being in  as an 18-year-old  to a wonderful group of people and that was  formative," he says.

Castles says one of the realities of being involved in fashion is the exchange between the retailer and the customer.

"There's that ego of a fashion designer that will get in the way of being honest about what we are," says Castles. "We are retailers  without customers our art doesn't exist," he says.

With an outspoken attitude and an ability to identify a need to grow the brand, Castles quickly transitioned to designing.

"I would be quite opinionated about what we were doing  about the fact that we needed  because people wanted to buy WORLD," he says…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Fashion photographer David James talks about the challenges of cutting through the noise in the online space, why he learnt about the commerce of fashion during an experience in New York, and why grit and extracting emotion in his images is why he keeps coming back for more.

A warm breeze shakes the branches of a long tree-lined driveway, with dried leaves and fallen twigs crunching beneath my feet. I'm making my way to see fashion photographer David James at Truby King House in Melrose. He is shooting two young actresses - Erana James and Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie for Wellington Woman Mag.

When I finally arrive, the team has set up a beautiful hydrangea wall as part of a secret garden themed editorial. David calls out directions from behind his camera - "Nice, nice, beautiful... perfect..."

This is David James in the 'flow of life,' - that's how he describes the process when he's capturing a moment behind the lens.

On set it almost feels like he's the star of the show. Not because he wants to be the centre of attention, but because his personality comes to life in an explosion of energy. Surprisingly, he seems almost nervous and self conscious when we sit down to chat for an episode of My Heels Are Killing Me. The difference... now the focus is all on him.

David has been working as a professional photographer for the better part of 18 years, and began shooting fashion ten years ago.

Back when he first picked up a camera he'd been playing in indie bands and naturally gravitated to shooting musicians. Even today, there's an undeniable rock n' roll edge in David's images. He has a natural flair for capturing a feeling akin to the sound of gritty guitar riffs accompanying the roll of a driving drum beat. All of that raw emotion that transfixes an audience when a band plays live on stage, is there in his photography. 

"I like looking at that grit," he says about his aesthetic.

For David, light and colour tells a story and he brings something unique to the fashion industry.

One of his early influences was the work of acclaimed German photographer, Juergen Teller, who also started his career photographing musicians before transitioning into fashion.

It's easy to see why David gravitated towards Teller's work - it's provocative and tells a story that's  removed from the highly airbrushed images long associated with the fashion industry.

Discovering Teller's work was 'life changing' for David.

"It took me to another place  I got a sense of freedom from seeing his images that I never really felt before," he says…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Season four of My Heels Are Killing Me starts 6 May with a new look show that explores sub-cultures and the social contexts that inform the fashion industry and the cycle of trends.

We're counting down to Season Four of 'My Heels Are Killing Me' with a new look show that explores sub-cultures and social contexts that inform fashion and the cycle of trends.

In this season: a look at a heritage brand that continues to transcend cultures and generations, to a sustainable Kiwi label that has gone global; B-Boying and the influence of hip-hop music on fashion, sneaker head culture; iconic garments... and the creatives in the industry who know how to play the game but strive for authenticity in a consumer-driven market... and much, much more!

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Former World Cup soccer player Tim Brown on finding the right amount of nothing in an overcrowded market and why launching his sustainable footwear label, Allbirds wouldn't have been made possible in New Zealand.

Touted as the most comfortable shoe in the world by Time Magazine, the Allbirds Runner continues to stand it's ground in the footwear space since it launched early last year. While it looks like a running shoe it probably won't withstand too much heavy-duty lifting at the gym, but as timing would have it the shoe fits perfectly in the realm of 'athleisure' - the newly defined middle-ground where sportswear meets fashion.

Allbirds has a focus on sustainable materials and ethical production, but its approach to business is multifaceted.

“There is a fashion component to what we do [because] whenever you wear something [it] says something about you and [to] me that is the definition of fashion,” says founder, Tim Brown.

The U.S-based Kiwi wanted to create something more meaningful in the 'casual' footwear category that steered clear of synthetic materials and capitalised on one of New Zealand's natural resources - fine merino wool. The label also pride themselves on operating on the concept of 'executing with less' - an ethos that has been pivotal for the brand in an overcrowded market.

But Brown is adamant he's not selling a piece of tacky Kiwiana.

“It’s not about New Zealand maps and photos of sheep, so much [of the brand] is about a tone that Kiwis have that I’m really proud of...having a sense of humour and [it’s] about being a little weird,” he says.

The realm of footwear is a far removed from his former life as a world cup soccer player, but Brown knows a thing or two about the importance of comfort. During his sporting career he was sponsored by Nike and if you take a close look at the Wool Runner you may notice a resemblance.

Allbirds had been percolating for Brown over a number of years, and once he retired from soccer, Allbirds began to take shape. He says the properties of wool in a shoe have been overlooked by the footwear industry.

“[This wool] is normally used to make fine suits and it’s just a remarkable fibre that wicks away moisture, regulates temperature and does all of these amazing things that we’ve tried to leverage in the product,” he says.

Brown worked with renewables expert Joey Zwillinger to bring the product to life. Together they operate as a team that now has 75 members, including head designer, Jamie McLellan…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

New Zealand's design landscape is starting to reflect our multiculturalism. Four designers discuss how their cultural heritage inspires and challenges them and why being 'different' is an asset.

Clothing has long been a way for human beings to express themselves; it's a signifier of social status and a powerful means to make a statement about who we are, where we fit in society and how we interpret the world around us.

Globally, the fashion landscape is changing and there has been a definitive shift towards the fluidity of identity, where 'difference' is embraced whether in gender, sexually or ethnicity.

This has filtered into the designer space and a new 'eclecticism' in fashion.

For designers, being part of an eclectic mix is fine as long as long as the key ingredient - 'originality' - is present.

But how challenging is it to find a unique voice in an overcrowded market? And what does it take for designers to establish a sense of authenticity in a landscape like New Zealand - a country without a long-standing fashion tradition or history - and a growing multicultural identity?

Zimbabwe-born designer Chido Dimairo came to New Zealand 15 years ago and says people have a limited perception of her culture and what it looks like.

It's something she found challenging when exploring her identity in her design process and she found herself playing with the cultural cliches of colourful head wraps and bright African prints.

"That's not African fashion," she laughs but says venturing into that territory was necessary to find the subtle nuances that are now present in her work. Dimairo says embracing her cultural roots has given her more freedom.

A recent spotlight on African fashion on the international stage has also inspired the designer who says it breaks down cultural barriers and misconceptions by showcasing luxury pieces made by African designers.   

"I really enjoy is being part of the changing face of African fashion, especially in New Zealand because it's an incubator for ideas and creative people," she says. 

Christchurch-born Yoshino Maruyama works for sustainable label Kowtow. She's a designer in her own right and this year showed a collection at New Zealand Fashion Week.

Maruyama says establishing her voice in the industry has come with questions about her Japanese heritage and the way she wants to work with her point of difference.

"I don't want to 'other' myself and  I'm this Japanese designer, but I think that it's part of who I am," she says.

Fashion designers from Jean Paul Gaultier to Alexander McQueen have looked to Japan for inspiration…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The international fashion week circuit has become more like a circus than ever before. In this episode of My heels are killing me Sonia Sly chats to a Kiwi street-style photographer who shares the ins and outs of what it takes to shoot for the best in the business.

A camera clicks, followed by another and another until there's a cacophony of camera shutters as hundreds of photographers clamber to capture guests stepping out of a runway show at Paris Fashion Week. It's chaotic and frenzied but it's a world that Kiwi photographer Dan Roberts (founder of Threadslike) is well accustomed to.

Roberts has been photographing stylish people during international fashion week events for the past four years and says the fashion landscape has changed over that time.

"Now it's like a circus and it's worse than it's ever been. There are a lot of people turning up to shows to be photographed and not necessarily going to shows...it's become monetized in a large way."  

The Melbourne-based photographer travels to the world's fashion capitals every year - Paris, Milan, New York and London - and says not getting caught up in the chaos and what others are doing is key to getting great shots.

Roberts grew up in Auckland's Devonport with a love of skateboarding and surfing. Back then he wasn't very interested in fashion and a role in the industry never crossed his mind. That changed the day Roberts picked up a camera and today he's a photographer who works alongside the best in the fashion industry.

Outside of the international fashion week schedule you'll find him shooting editorials for fashion publications and his work has been featured in Paris and US Vogue and US Elle. He was recently flown to New York to shoot The Met Gala for American Vogue, which he says was a big achievement.

"It was amazing that they considered me in the first place and I work for them quite often ... as soon as you're shooting for one of those publications, everyone is looking at your work and you've got huge exposure," he says. 

Roberts' aesthetic is full of texture and movement. It's beautifully candid with a depth of expression, so it's no surprise that it quickly caught the attention of industry insiders. But his lens isn't always focused on the likes of editors, stylists and influencers.

"I'm trying to interpret what's happening in the industry at any given time  on and off the runway and I try and capture that with what people are wearing on the street."…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Today there are a multitude of pressures placed on designers in the fashion industry as consumers increasingly demand transparency in the manufacturing process. But there are many ways to approach ethical and sustainable production as Sonia Sly finds out when she speaks to designer, Rachel Mills and Miss Crabb founder Kristine Crabb.

Sitting on a queen sized bed tucked in the back of her Auckland workroom, Miss Crabb founder Kristine Crabb says she often thinks about the future of making clothes and what it means to be involved in an ethical part of the industry.

Crabb opened her first retail business, Rip Shit and Bust, almost 16 years ago. As time moved on her work morphed into Miss Crabb, a label synonymous today with easy-to-wear silk pieces that provide alternative options for the wearer. Her dresses can be worn backwards or tied in a multitude of ways to create different silhouettes, giving them timeless, yet individual appeal. A mother of three, she came up with the idea to create versatile one-size fits all garments when  she became pregnant.

"I still wanted to wear the clothes I was making, but I had to accommodate my changing body," she says. 

That shift in thinking was key for the Miss Crabb label, but also led to an ethos of sustainability.

Crabb grew up on a farm. The idea of 'making do' was part of her upbringing and has directly informed Crabb's design process. She crafts her patterns from geometric shapes that use the entire piece of fabric without leaving any surplus behind - a problem for many garment manufacturers whose excess cut-away textiles contribute to mounting environmental waste that doesn't break down.

"We keep producing for the demand, but we get to a point where we say to ourselves 'there's enough of that in the world."

While cheap clothing and mass consumption keeps the wheels of the garment industry in motion, the fashion industry has created a ticking time bomb.

Hazardous chemicals and dyes used in production not only impact the environment but also those who work with those chemicals. In many cases, chemicals end up in waterways and infiltrate farmland. And of course there's the aforementioned excess of textile waste ending up in landfill.

Globally, a move towards sustainable and ethical fashion has gone beyond a cool catch-phrase or trend. There is now a genuine shift against bad practice in the garment industry…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details