Even in the Dark

www.eveninthedark.com
facebook.com/eveninthedarkstudio
twitter.com/eveninthedark
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Physical Address:  We're based in Ponsonby, Auckland.  We moved back to New Zealand from London almost a year ago and we love being home.
Operating since:  We launched our brand and online store in October 2012.  We are brand new.

Cara Hutchinson

What are you all about?
What kind of clothes do you make?
We design beautiful, uncommon clothes for women. Even in the Dark is a new label, and we're building it piece by piece, with new products dropping into store all the time.  Expect limited edition dresses, graphic t-shirts, sweatshirts and beautifully cut jackets.
We believe that quality and design integrity are fundamental to our customers' happiness and satisfaction - so we source the very best materials that we can and manage all of our design and production in-house.

We also want to do some good for others, so a portion of all our sales will always be donated to a charitable cause.  Right now we're supporting Room to Read, a charity that assists children in Africa and Asia to learn to read and to receive an education.  We are particularly excited about the Girls Education Programmes that Room to Read supports - through these programmes 13,000 girls this year will receive assistance to attend schools in locations where poverty, family situations and cultural traditions mean that these girls might not otherwise be in education.  We think this is such a fantastic cause.

Who makes your clothes?
All of our garments are made in-house - we design, cut, sew, press and finish all our garments in our studio in Auckland.  It's incredibly important to us to have a really high quality product and to ensure that we are producing our clothes in an ethical and environmentally conscious way. Producing our garments in our own studio helps us to achieve this.

Who sells your clothes?  Can we buy them online?
Even in the Dark is available exclusively through our online store.  We're really excited about all the endless possibilities of building a brand and our store online.  It gives us an amazing platform to attract new customers from New Zealand and around the world - so far we've sent our dresses as far afield as London and Norway (and as locally as a couple of doors down the road).  We're really enjoying getting into the social media sphere too and we're excited by the fashion tech start ups that are popping up everywhere.  It's such an interesting time to start a company.

What price range are your clothes in?
Our items will be priced between $50 - $400.  The upper end of the price range includes items like our limited edition, menswear inspired Shirt Dresses in silks and amazing cottons in our store now for $350.  The lower end of our price range will include garments like our graphic t-shirts, which are coming soon to our online shop.

Why do you think NZ clothing labels outsource their manufacturing overseas?
We imagine NZ clothing labels take their production offshore primarily for economic reasons and possibly because it can be difficult to find bulk production facilities here.  We're really happy that we are able to offer NZ-made products.  If in the future our production needs outgrow our studio capability, we hope to be able to use NZ-based outworkers and CMTs for our production.

Anything to add?
Thanks for featuring Even in the Dark.  This blog is such a great resource for discovering New Zealand design.  We're excited by all the great labels we've read about in the Home Made/Keeping it in NZ archives.

Seventhwave

www.seventhwave.co.nz
facebook.com/seventhwavewetsuits
twitter.com/seventhwave_nz
youtube.com/user/SeventhwaveWetsuits
Physical Address:  243 Dyers Rd, Bromley, Christchurch 8062
Operating Since:  1987—we have been making and repairing wetsuits for over 25 years. We have made over 50,000 wetsuits and repaired thousands more wetsuits of all different brands and for many different problems.

Kelly, Paul Jared and Tom

What are you all about?
What kind of clothes do you make?
Seventhwave Wetsuits is a New Zealand owned and operated company dedicated to providing high performance, warm, flexible, lightweight, and hard wearing wetsuits for all water-sport enthusiasts.  We design, manufacture and test all of our products here in Christchurch — the cold waters of the South Island are our testing ground.  We pride ourself on products that are made to fit, made to perform, made to last and made in NZ.

What is unique about our wetsuits (as well as being New Zealand made), is what our wetsuits are made of, and how they are made.

Firstly, we use Japanese Yamamoto neoprene for all of our products — a limestone based neoprene of very high quality.  Compared to traditional petro-chemical neoprene used by most other manufacturers, limestone neoprene has a closed-cell content of over 94%.  What this means, in simple terms, is that limestone neoprene has a lot more air bubbles inside the rubber than other brands (over 30% to be exact), and is less dense than oil-based neoprene.  These thermal and water repellent properties make our wetsuits exceptionally warm and very quick drying.

Secondly, we have a specialised custom-fit service where we can tailor our wetsuits to anyone's specific measurements, needs and requirements.  We've found approximately a third of people don't fit a standard sized wetsuit, so to get the best fit, maximum warmth and top performance, custom-fit can be applied to any of our wetsuit models.  Best of all, our perfected online process means the customer can order a custom-fit wetsuit from anywhere in the world, hassle free.

We provide a lifetime warranty on all our stitching and workmanship, as well as having a superior and efficient repair service to fix all brands of wetsuits for all kinds of problems. 

Who makes your wetsuits?
All of our products are designed and manufactured at our factory in Christchurch.  Our custom-fit team, machinists, screen printers, cutters, pattern designers and customer service team are all together in the one place.  When you order a wetsuit, make an enquiry or make any kind of contact with us you are speaking directly with one of us.  This makes it easier for us to get all of our designs and wetsuits exactly right.  We like dealing directly with our customers to make sure that we are getting every wetsuit perfect, every time.

Who sells your wetsuits?  Can we buy them online?
All of our products are available online, delivery is free and within 10 days anywhere worldwide.  We also have our shop in Christchurch which is like a hardware shop for everything wetsuit and wetsuit related.  We mainly sell direct to customers to make sure we are meeting each person's unique needs.

What price range are your wetsuits in?
Our wetsuits range from $79 to $1099.  Price is dependent on what exactly you need from a wetsuit (whether it's superstretch or more hardy/durable, extremely warm or a summer session suit) or where and how you are using the wetsuit (surfing, diving, canyoning, in tropical waters or very cold deep south winter waters).

Our wetsuits are on the upper scale of price because of the higher quality neoprene we use, but they last longer, stay warmer and don't perish the way other big-name mass produced wetsuits do.  A Seventhwave wetsuit is an investment and our customer feedback endorses this opinion.

Why do you think NZ clothing labels outsource their manufacturing overseas?
Financial reasons are the main reason NZ companies are choosing to manufacture overseas.  For us though we like to have full control over what happens with our products, which you lose when you take the manufacturing halfway around the world. Because we focus on the fit of the wetsuit, to have them manufactured overseas is just not feasible when we tend to be making each suit individually.  It would simply take too long to get the product to the customer when instead we can turn around a customised wetsuit in ten days or less.  Besides, we are proud to be a NZ made company.

At the beginning of Seventhwave (back in the 80's) we spent a considerable amount of time exporting, manufacturing bigger runs, and running stock in other countries and it simply did not work for us.  We like being able to watch a suit being made—from the first email or discussion with a customer right through to their first surf or use.  It makes it easier to make sure that every suit that leaves our factory is exactly how it should be, and that every customer is going to be very happy.

What could the Government do to help clothing labels keep it in NZ?
It's a hard one to answer without saying financial incentives or hand-outs.  And no one likes anyone getting a hand out.  The difficulty is it all boils down to more costs and that's why NZ-made is often more expensive; especially if it involves a lot of labour.

Anything to add?
We really pride ourselves on sharing our extensive knowledge of all things wetsuits with the world, regardless of whether they are a Seventhwave customer or not.  From historical guides to e-books, we've been making available some really cool and informative content, so if you want to know more about our craft, have a peek at our Wetsuits101 section on our website.

Gemma Ltd

www.gemmaltd.co.nz
facebook.com/gemma
facebook.com/GemMaternity
Physical Address:  63 Magdala St, Tainui, Dunedin 9013
Operating Since:  2006

What are you all about?  
What kind of clothes do you make?
Gemma Ltd has two labels: our women's wear label, Gemma and our maternity label, Gem Maternity.  Our aim is to provide women with gorgeous NZ-made clothing that makes them feel confident and look amazing.  We started our maternity label in wake of myself & a lot of our regular customers having babies, and wanting gorgeous preggy clothes to wear!

Who makes your clothes?
We do everything in our workroom from designing, patter making, cutting, sewing to finishing.  And that's exactly how we love it!

Who sells your clothes?  Can we buy them online?
We have our own online store on our website!  We also have a couple of stockists on our website.

What price range are your clothes in?
$35 - $219.

Why do you think NZ clothing labels outsource their manufacturing overseas?
It's a hard balance to get.  You want to support NZ-made but you also don't want your customers to have to pay the earth for your garments... the cost is the main factor, I believe.

Anything to add?
For small companies, CMT companies can work out very expensive.  I would love to see more outworkers start their own business at home!  I would choose an outworker to do my sewing over a CMT company any day!  Nothing like supporting people trying to make a living from their own home!

Salisbury Boutique

www.salisburyboutique.co.nz
facebook.com/salisburyboutique
twitter.com/salisburyboutique
Physical Address:  Salisbury House, 104 Bond Street, Dunedin 9016
Operating Since:  April 2011

Sheryl & Hayden

What are you all about?
Salisbury Boutique was born out of a love for Dunedin, heritage, design, fashion and quality New Zealand-made products.  Established in 2011, Salisbury Boutique's flagship boutique is located in the heart of the chic historic precinct at Salisbury House & is the ultimate in destination shopping.  We source NZ's latest new designers and provide an outlet for New Zealand's most fashion-conscious to purchase tomorrow's next big label today.  Products are fashioned in limited numbers & can be hard to find elsewhere.  You may have already seen several of the labels gracing the catwalks if iD Fashion Week, Wellington Fashion Week and NZ Fashion Week, taking this industry by storm.  We are also re-inventing how to shop; emphasising and encouraging people to see fashion as an investment and an experience to enjoy.  Open Thursday and Friday evenings and all day Saturday until late, the shop is also open by appointment for private shopping and 24hr online.  We often hold events for our clients and those in the fashion industry.  We have relationships with the Otago Polytechnic, Design Fashion Incubator, the Audacious program, Dunedin City Council and Economic Development Unit, among many others.

This unique boutique is also part of a bigger concept promoting business in Dunedin and New Zealand.  Salisbury House is already home to a strong business collective that has encouraged young entrepeneurs to stay in New Zealand to start up their business.  We are personally and professionally in encouraging the refurbishment of character buildings in Dunedin's historic Warehouse District. Central to our business plan is the marketing of Dunedin as a leading centre of business innovation and design, in addition to its already established reputation as a centre of creative fashion design.

What NZ-made labels do you sell?
Too many to mention!  Check them out online.

What price range are your clothes in?
$30 for a singlet through to $600 for a winter coat.

Why do you think NZ clothing labels outsource their manufacturing overseas?
Cost and scale.  Producing overseas is definitely cheaper than doing it in NZ.  Here we have limited people in NZ who still have the ability or expertise and machinery to produce clothing or shoes in New Zealand.  In addition to this, many production companies have minimum numbers you have to produce & for exclusive/unique boutique NZ designer businesses, who do not want to mass produce a range, this makes it very expensive to get things done.  When it costs more to make a product, the margins for everyone are much smaller.  The designer and retailer both have smaller cuts than products made overseas.  This = more money for everyone if it's made overseas.

What could the Government do to help clothing labels keep it in NZ?
I would say, through business support.  Starting a business is hard work in itself; financial support, business mentoring and benefits provided to stay producing in NZ can go a long way.  Most people would rather produce NZ-made but have limited capital or business knowledge to start.

Pia Boutique

www.piaboutique.com
facebook.com/piaboutique
twitter.com/piaboutique
Physical Address:  Howick, Auckland 
Operating Since:  1st May 2012

Pia Naera

What are you all about?
What kind of clothes do you make?
Pia Boutique is all about prints, femininity, fun and colour!  I design all of my own digital prints which gives my label and garments an individual and unique touch.

Who makes your clothes?
At this stage, I personally cut out all of my garments and I have a lovely seamstress who does all of my sewing.


Who sells your clothes?  Can we buy them online?
At this stage, I am only selling my pieces online but I do have a show room where people are welcome to come try things on.  I will be at the NZFW designer garage sale this year selling my pieces.

What price range are your clothes in?
My price range is from $110 to $245.

Why do you think NZ clothing labels outsource their manufacturing overseas?
Getting things made in NZ is obviously a lot more costly, and can take time.  I feel that the main reason to why they do that is to save money.

Anything to add?
Although getting things made in New Zealand can be the more expensive approach, there are a lot of people that do notice the extra mile that us designers go to keep it in NZ.  I love having great relationships with my suppliers and seamstress, and making sure that they are being treated fairly and paid the right amount!