As New Zealand Fashion Week (NZFW) kicks off, ragtrader.com.au shines a spotlight on its emerging designers. Introducing, Kendall Watt.
The business
How many pieces are in your average collection and what are the average price points?
My collections are approximately fifteen pieces per season. My retail price points typically range from $99 to $500, with a preference to target the $200 - $300 bracket. I keep my price point as low as I can, which can be difficult considering we work with high quality fabrics, and use well paid contractors within New Zealand for all my manufacturing.
How many wholesale accounts and/or stores does your brand currently operate?
We have sold through our own store in Auckland for the previous 4 years. We closed this in early 2016 to focus on New Zealand Fashion Week and a shift towards building up our list of stockists. Meanwhile, we continue to selling online through our own store, and through shared space with multiple other designers in a boutique mall in Christchurch.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing New Zealand designers?
New Zealand designers can struggle to compete with the high volume production runs of large chain stores. High volume production means low prices, and cost savings throughout the entire supply chain. Any New Zealander can walk through a mall and purchase a dress from a chain store that is bought by the thousands and shipped by the container load into New Zealand. For a New Zealand designer to compete with this they need to target customers who value supporting locally made clothing, and customers who appreciate the difference between different types and qualities of fabrics. This is a small group of people at the moment, but growing rapidly.
What do you see as the biggest opportunity?
Each year, I have noticed New Zealanders becoming more interested in the story behind the brands they are purchasing. Customers of the Kendall Watt brand are consumers who look at the swing tag and check the fabric composition and check the manufacturing location. Building a brand that is known for avoiding cheap synthetic fabrics, and not exploiting foreign labour is what I see as the biggest opportunity in the fashion industry right now. In fact brands that share similar principles are excelling across many industries in New Zealand at the moment, whether it be natural locally grown foods, or big businesses that involve themselves in community initiatives.
I think the days where a polyester dress which is made in overseas, then sold for $300 after having a designer label sewn on, are coming to an end. In my mind, any New Zealander paying $300 for a dress should be receiving a quality garment that will last for years, and be worn knowing that the seamstress of that dress may well be the person sitting next to you at your favourite cafe on Saturday morning. I am positioning the Kendall Watt brand to be the label that provides such garments, and I believe this space is going to provide the biggest opportunity for young New Zealand fashion brands in the years to come.
The collection
What is the inspiration behind your collection at NZFW?
The collection was designed around the concept of creating luxurious interpretations of everyday staples. My focus was to design a collection that lets my customers look good and feel great, with minimum fuss. The collection provides my customers with quality pieces in comfortable fabrics that have the strength to stand alone, be styled with what they already possess in their wardrobe, or work with the latest trends. I've steered clear of excessive embellishments and relied on the garments construction to add detail to the collection, largely by using ties and bows, which is reflected in the collections name of All Tied Up.
What are some of the core fabrications used?
The collection features prints that were created by hand-painting fabrics, then scanning the design before organising it to be printed onto viscose crepe for use throughout the collection in multiple colourways. I’ve found the hand-on approach to designing prints adds something a little special that can’t be recreated using just software. The majority of fabrics used in this collection are predominately a natural fibre.
What about key embellishments and detailing?
I've made use various knots and ties in this collection, and kept the garments relatively free from embellishments. As my inspiration was to create luxurious interpretations of everyday staples, I focused on simplicity that allows the garment to be worn either as a standalone piece, or accessorised with other items that are often found in woman’s wardrobes.
Running alongside the theme of simplicity and tied fabrics is the concept of being able to wear a garment in multiple ways. The collection features reversible garments that can be worn with either a plunging necklines, or an exposed upper back.
Where will the range be manufactured?
All Kendall Watt clothing is made by independent contractors around Auckland. I work directly with the seamstresses and pattern makers who set their own hours and all work from home. By avoiding large manufacturing firms, and other middleman in the manufacturing process, I am able to keep manufacturing within New Zealand, and set wholesale and retail prices that are competitive with other designers who may resort to cheaper fabrics and offshore production. Manufacturing in such a hands-on manner ensures I can keep a closer eye on quality and can manufacture in lower quantity runs which closely meet my customers purchasing patterns.
The designer
What is a break through moment you are most proud of?
Being involved with New Zealand Fashion Week 2016 is definitely going to be the moment I am most proud of.
What is the biggest career challenge you've faced and how did you overcome it?
Getting the brand known is tough when up against large established brands with large marketing and PR budgets. I've had to approach marketing on a shoe-string budget and build my brand from the ground up by focusing on social media and word of mouth. By providing exceptional customer service, and dealing directly with customers and listening to what they are looking for in a piece of clothing, I've been able to build a loyal customer base across New Zealand who repeatedly purchase and recommend the Kendall Watt label to their friends and family.
Many brands are disconnected from their customers and attempt to tell the customers what they should be buying. I try to flip this on its head and interact with my customers daily to understand what they want and create collections that reflects this.
Finally, where would you like to see your brand in five years?
I'd like my brand to be available at retailers frequented by woman who desire quality clothing and are comfortable paying a minor premium to know their purchase has helped local manufactures. I'd love to be stocked at retailers throughout New Zealand, Australia, and further abroad who share my vision and values, and will join me on my brands journey as I build the brands following.