Fashion is often a signal of a change in the air, reflecting societal norms and values. On RNZ podcast My Heels Are Killing Me Sonia Sly meets designer Jason Lingard who says being gay and growing up in a small farming town informed his desire to create gender-neutral garments that embody the concept of inclusivity.

Minimalist to pin-up, beatnik to cosplay, retro to punk, emo to equestrian, grunge and geek chic to Kawaii...Fashion is a form of expression and clothing has long been a reflection of societal norms and attitudes.

Today, LGBT culture breaks down gender boundaries; human rights in the garment industry along with environmental concerns have impacted on the way we shop, and increasingly, how designers produce their garments. And the rise of the internet and advancements in technology enable the growth of global trends and creation of new and innovative textiles.

More so, now than ever, getting dressed is about making conscious decisions about what feels right for the individual and celebrating difference. On the modern runway a male model in a dress might prompt a second look, but it's nothing scandalous. Kiwi designer Jason Lingard, is emblematic of this trend.

This year, he presented his collection 'Chaos' as an improvised dance at New Zealand Fashion Week. It was a bold move for a designer who had never shown at the event before, but Lingard says he felt the need to 'shake things up a bit.'  Using dancers to perform in his drapey garments, rather than sending stick-thin models up and down the catwalk seemed like an obvious choice.

“I want to [feel] like I’m affecting people in some way [and] that’s what I live for and what I design for. I don’t want someone saying, ‘that dress is really pretty,” he says.

Lingard's work is beautiful, dark and moody and hints at Japanese minimalism.

“That collection was called ‘Chaos’ for a reason [as] I didn’t do any drawing or planning and just draped on the dress form,” he says.

Lingard is influenced by dystopian and utopian science fiction and a love of Japanese culture. He also spent time living in Korea, which adds another dimension to his work.

But it's his personal experience of being an outsider which is key to the Jason Lingard brand.  It's prompted him to take a stand in ensuring his garments are inclusive - not limited by age, size or gender.

Lingard grew up as a gay man in a farming village in the 90s. An experience he describes as " pretty rough."

"I was a goth as well and people would yell at  on the street, and I would get punched at parties."…

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Fur is controversial in the fashion industry and wearing it today is a statement of nothing more than excess. The controversy lies not only in the hands of the designers producing it, but also those who are buying garments made from fur. Dunedin-based Jane Avery is an unashamed advocate of fur. She understands the controversy but says doing it sustainably and ethically is what matters most.

Fox, Chinchilla, Fisher, Nutria, Sable, Lynx and Mink. Just some of the most common types of fur used in what is considered a highly controversial industry today. But while animal rights activists protest outside international fashion shows (as they did recently at Burberry's London Fashion Week), and consumers demand transparency it doesn't stop designers from putting fur on the runway.

"These aren't shrinking violet coats - they're for people who want to stand out and even questioned about why they're wearing fur." - Jane Avery  

In 2015, Fendi showcased a collection made entirely from fur signalling Karl Lagerfeld's 50th anniversary with the luxury label. And they've reached for their furry friends yet again ahead of Spring 2018, alongside Diane Von Furstenberg who also featured lush fur accents in her Spring 2018 collection.

Whether you love it or hate it, there's no denying that fur is part of social history. Some even argue that fur has been integral to the evolution of mankind.

Worn as a signal of wealth and social status, the fur trade began in the sixteenth century. Skins and pelts (including leopard and lion skins) were worn by Egyptian Kings and High Priests during symbolic ceremonies as early as 3000BC. Some even believed that furs and skins had magical powers that could be endowed upon the wearer. 

But today, fur in fashion is a statement of nothing more than excess. The controversy lies not only in the hands of the designers producing it, but also those who are buying garments made from fur.

Dunedin-based Jane Avery is an unashamed advocate of fur. She understands the controversy but says doing it sustainably and ethically is what matters most.

"I personally have a problem with faux fur, which is made from petrochemicals," she says. "There's enough plastics and fake synthetic stuff in this world."

A former Aucklander, Avery left a media career for a slower paced life in the South Island. She launched her label, Lapin, (French for "rabbit") a few years ago, and says it was the pitter-patter of tiny feet - furry ones - that triggered the idea for her clothing line…

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Designer Kathryn Wilson has thoroughly tread the boards of the Kiwi footwear industry. She talks to Sonia Sly about her naïve passion launching a label 15 years ago, how bumps in the road serve as milestones and... moon boots.

Kathryn Wilson has thoroughly tread the boards of the Kiwi footwear industry.

The designer talks to Sonia Sly about her naïve passion launching a label 15 years ago, how bumps in the road serve as milestones and... moon boots.

From stilettos to trainers, mules to flatforms, oxfords to brogues and everything in between...

Shoes are architectural works of art, objects of beauty and desire, cultural signifiers that have been shown to reveal aspects of our personality while having the power to transform and empower the wearer.

According to Global Industry Analysts inc, the footwear industry is projected to reach US $430 billion by 2024, proving the allure of a new pair of shoes is potent.

For those in the business of shoes, it's hard to put a foot wrong.

One Kiwi who knows what it means to be part of the footwear industry is designer Kathryn Wilson, who launched her eponymous label almost 15 years ago.

Straight out of university, as a 22-year-old working in shoe retail, Wilson already knew she wanted to be "the next big name in New Zealand shoes".

"I was super naïve in that beautiful way of being passionate and gung-ho and thinking, what's the worst thing that can happen?"

Wilson emerged in the fashion industry alongside Juliette Hogan, Twenty Seven Names and Adrian Hailwood - all recognisable labels, today.

It was a turning point that reshaped the future of New Zealand fashion.

"There was this little family of us  who were going to Australian Fashion Week together and we'd all be staying on the same floor of the hotel and the buyers would come to see us."

Today, Kathryn Wilson has firmly cemented her foothold in the industry with three retail stores in Auckland and a strong Kiwi following with stockists across the country.

For the 37-year-old, having a New Zealand-based focus has been integral.

"I'm always thinking about the New Zealand consumer and what she wants, especially being one myself," says Wilson.  

Raised in Papakura as the youngest of three girls, Wilson's foray into shoes began when she was a kid.

"We would go to Para Rubber and  Commando M's and canvas kung fu shoes and decorate them with fluff up pens and puff paint. But I would go one step further and cut the sides out, turn them into sling-backs and cut out an open toe. Mum would be like, 'Kathryn they're brand new shoes!"…

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A rising interest in menswear is a global trend and New Zealand label Working Style have experienced the ebbs and flows of what it means to be in the suit game. Sonia Sly heads to Auckland to meet founder Chris Dobbs and Creative Director Karl Clausen.

A rising interest in menswear is a global trend and New Zealand label Working Style have experienced the ebbs and flows of what it means to be in the suit game. Sonia Sly heads to Auckland to meet founder Chris Dobbs and Creative Director Karl Clausen.

Today's man has a different cut to his jib, Working Style's creative director Karl Clausen says.

Sonia Sly uncovers the the highs and lows of running a successful menswear business with Working Style in the latest episode of My Heels Are Killing Me.

"There's certainly a less corporate handwriting," Clausen says.

"Everything is more understated  now with the deformalisation of a man's wardrobe everything has a softer tone to it.

"A suit isn't only worn with a shirt and tie these days - men are looking for something to put a spring in their step and they're more focused on clothing than ever before."

That's partly because of shifting lifestyle demands, but also the rise in young men not wanting to look like their dad.

"Womenswear for us was like Michael Hill jeweller doing shoes - we were very unsuccessful." - Chris Dobbs

In part, it's a 'perfect storm' of garment technology and new fabrications and cloths' but also, men are finally embracing everything that fashion has to offer.

"Eighteen to 25-year-olds are loving wearing formal clothing," Working Style founder Chris Dobbs says.

"They're being raised by men who haven't been wearing suits,  they're not dressing like their dad - they're dressing because they like that look," he says.

Today, with global influences filtering through, there's a freedom to how men want to express themselves with clothing. Dobbs says there's less pressure for men to conform to how they think they 'should' dress.

"Older men are working with young guys who are looking incredibly sharp, so it's lifted the standard and the good thing for us is they're buying more clothes," says Dobbs.  

Klausen and Dobbs have seen a dramatic shift in the way men are shopping. That aligns with Mintel's report last year showing the global menswear market is expected to grow by 22.5 percent by 2020…

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NOM*d founder Margi Robertson talks about her iconic 30-year-old brand, the one thing she would save in a fire and why summer is a season that never feels quite right.

Margi Robertson (founder of iconic NZ label NOM*d) talks about her love of fashion, the one thing she would save in a fire and why summer is a season that never feels quite right.

"There's always a sense of humour to what we do"

It was the mid-'80s when Margi (Margarita) Robertson travelled to Japan, an experience that turned her ideas about fashion on their head.

At the time, Robertson was running Hang Up's Boutique - her first retail store - with husband Chris.

The Japan trip opened the designer's eyes in a way that she never forgot and underpinned the dark, edgy aesthetic that NOM*d is renowned for.

“Prior to [my trip] there was a lot of Dynasty dressing [with] shoulder pads and waists. [Traveling to Japan] changed my life. There was the presence of black and unashamedly wearing black was very acceptable” says Robertson from her spacious Dunedin workroom.

There was plenty to be gleaned from what was happening in Japanese fashion. Robertson took away the one-size-fits-all concept, as well as the minimalist presentation of Japanese stores.

"We went from being a very trendy boutique to being a very clean, tidy store. Everybody has stores like that now," she says. "But back in the eighties, it was a huge transition for me."

During that trip, Robertson bought garments by Maison Margiela and Comme Des Garcon. Some of those up to 30-year-old garments featured in an exhibition of her favourite outfits, presented last year at iD Dunedin Fashion Week.

While Robertson wears NOM*d she has always been drawn to other designers. 

"Back in the seventies and eighties we were definitely wearing New Zealand-made clothes, but I've always been a fan of different designers work  I admire and would wear," she says.

NOM*d has been running for thirty years now, and Robertson is well aware young designers entering the industry today face very different challenges to those she experienced. One thing she says is unique for emerging designers is the technical creation of fabrics.

“[Today] there are a lot of restraints, for instance with cottons and the way things are dyed and the damage it’s doing to the world. Also, our sheep don’t produce as strong wool - the thread isn’t as long and fabrics are becoming man-made or treated,” she says.

All of these elements make design more considered. Designers are encouraged to develop their own textiles through their course of study, she says…

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Trish Peng is a designer who creates show-stopping wedding gowns. At last year's NZ Fashion Week her 25-metre long train broke a world record and this year she created a dress that had to be kept in the chiller.

There is no room for even one tacky sparkle on a Trish Peng wedding gown.

"I'll do a classy sparkle instead," smiles the Kiwi designer at her PR agent's Auckland showroom.

Bridalwear is a market that continues to grow and these days it's an industry that is no longer restricted by seasons, Peng says.

And unlike ready-to-wear, it's also not impacted by the economy.

"It's been incredible . People are always getting married and they'll spend whatever they want on their wedding dress," says Peng, who is based part-time in LA.

These days, brides compete with each other - they want to top their friends' dresses and sometimes try to out-do their friend's entire wedding.

Her parents would have preferred for her to go down a more conventional route like accounting or medicine, but fortunately for stylish brides-to-be, they supported her creative pursuit.

With a customer base in both Los Angeles and New, Zealand it's been a learning curve for Peng to adapt to two different markets.

In the US, the split is about 60 percent bridal and 40 percent eveningwear, compared to 90 percent bridalwear in New Zealand. 

New Zealand brides prefer a more simple, classic look, the 26-year-old designer says.

For US brides 'bigger is better' especially when it comes to a pavlova 'A-line poof.'

But Peng adheres to her own aesthetic and American clients are drawn to her elegant, timeless designs, she says.

Peng has been in the industry for six years, but officially set up her bespoke bridal and eveningwear business three-and-a-half years ago.

Last year, she even made it to the headlines of the Daily Mail for a show-stopping red gown.

With its record breaking 25-metre-long train it was designed especially for the finale at New Zealand Fashion Week.

It took a lot of rehearsal for the model to complete the entire walk around a horseshoe-shaped runway and the spectacle added plenty of theatre to the wedding show.

That dress also captured the attention of the Asian market - red is an auspicious colour worn by many Chinese brides on their wedding day to represent good luck and prosperity.

Peng has also become a sought-after name with a growing celebrity client base.

"We created [actress] Brittany Daniel's wedding dress  had a feature in People Magazine," she says.

The publication also produced a video series about the creation of the gown from start to finish…

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What are the game-changers for fashion buyers and influencers? And why is Instagram booming in Asia? Sonia Sly chats to David Jones buying manager Teneille Ferguson and influencers Mary Seng and David Wong.

Men's socks and underwear are a far cry from scouting talent in the front row of runway shows in New York, London and Paris, but that's where Teneille Ferguson started her career.

Today, she is the buying manager of womenswear for Australian department store, David Jones.

In the latest episode of My Heels Are Killing Me, Teneille Ferguson discusses buying power and brand identity; plus international style influencers Mary Seng (Happily Grey) and David Wong talk about the boom of Instagram in brand-conscious Hong Kong and why its behind the eight-ball on slow fashion.

When I meet her to record an episode for RNZ's fashion podcast, My Heels Are Killing Me, it's the final evening of New Zealand Fashion Week and the Kate Sylvester show is running late.

So is Ferguson - she's just raced in from a buying appointment to meet me.

During the week she's been sitting front row, looking for the kind of talent that will fit neatly among the designer range at the David Jones store in Wellington.

Based in Australia, she says the market there is big on dresses and racing season is important. Conversely, the New Zealand woman has a completely different approach to getting dressed.

"[The NZ woman] likes more relaxed silhouettes, darker colours [and] because of the New Zealand weather knitwear, outerwear and separates are more popular," Ferguson says.

But not all of the designers will work well on the David Jones floor. Ferguson's role is all about making those crucial decisions and it can be too early to bank on designers who have just graduated, regardless of their talent.

"It's about making sure that the customer has heard of the brand, or if it's on that up-and-coming list and it's about to break through."

The price for designer ranges in the department store is high, and customers want to know who the designers are. Ferguson says their customers want to invest in garments they can wear loud and proud, and know what they're purchasing will be a recognised brand.

While Ferguson is on the hunt for the New Zealand market she's still keeping her eye on designers who will work in a broader context. Wynn Hamlyn is one of them, she says.

Wynn Hamlyn designer Wynn Crawshaw creates with a sophisticated woman in mind and his label is synonymous with beautifully constructed knitwear, wool suiting and easy, ready-to-wear timeless pieces - with a twist…

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Murray Bevan, founder of fashion PR agency Showroom 22, on what happens when the claws come out at New Zealand Fashion Week, working with Karen Walker and facing a female-dominated industry 15 years ago.

From models that glide, stomp or slink along the catwalk to the photographers sitting elbow-to-elbow waiting to capture the first looks off the runway, to stylists, media, buyers and fashion editors, Murray Bevan knows them all.

"I started this business as a 22-year-old guy pitching to this industry that was established with older woman" - Murray Bevan

For the founder of fashion and lifestyle PR agency Showroom 22, the busiest week of the calendar is New Zealand Fashion Week. It's his job to make sure that there aren't any uninvited guests: he's the smiling host ready to rip a ticket in two if the ticket holder doesn't match the guest list.

It might sound brutal, but Murray says it's about paying respect to the designers.

"My first job is to the designer who has paid all that money to be there," he says. "Every seat has a value, so you've got room that costs $20,000 and 400 seats  I have to fill those seats based on what value that person is going to give to that brand."

There is a hierarchy when it comes to the guest list. Fashion Week is primarily for media and buyers who need to know what's in store for the upcoming seasons. The seating is a game of priority: fashion editors and sponsors get front-row seats, while the prime position for beauty editors is backstage where the beauty looks for each collection are being created.

This person turned on a dime and screamed, 'I'll never forget this Murray Bevan!' and then walked out of the venue. - Murray Bevan

But the bigger the show, the bigger the drama. And when seats are filled to capacity, every man, woman and their handbag dog want to get front-row.

"Everyone turns into a monster at Fashion Week  the nicest people you'll ever meet will turn into the most vicious, unkind people and it's mostly about invitation to shows," Murray says. 

Straight out of architecture school, Murray landed a job working for internationally beloved New Zealand designer Karen Walker, which taught him a lot about managing events.

"Karen is very specific about who she wants at her shows and she is probably the person that has taught me the most - when I have an invite list, that is the invite list."

No one misses a Karen Walker show, and people will try anything to get through the door, especially if they're holding a ticket that belongs to someone else…

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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.

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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…

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