A Northland surfboard shaper and one of the oldest fashion companies in New Zealand have joined forces to create a new summer clothing range.
Barkers Menswear released their Barkers X Surfline Roger Hall range in stores across the country yesterday.
Based on the life's work of Ruakaka surfboard-maker Roger Hall, the range features six types of T-shirt designs, three dress shirts, five boardshorts, and three walkshorts.
"It was all about offering a really authentic surf look, and getting Roger's brand out there," Barkers merchandise spokesman Paul Biddle said. "We are really stoked with how it's turned out."
The relationship came about after Barkers approached Hall in August 2013 to create surfboards for their surf-themed Takapuna store.
Hall said he thought it was quite an honour to be recognised by another New Zealand brand and gave them permission to theme the store around his life's work.
"We got that happening and then, nine months ago, they approached me to do a summer clothing range showing my history of surfboard-making through the garments."
Hall shaped his first board in 1971 when he was 13. "I just never stopped - it kind of quickly grew into a hobby, which grew into a business, which grew into a business with employees that's been going ever since."
Barkers Menswear was established by Ray Barker in 1972 - a year after Hall started shaping - which was a good fit with Surfline, he said.
Barkers designers visited Hall's Ruakaka factory and talked to him about how he got into shaping, his surfing and his influences, before going away to come up with initial concepts.
He told them about a beloved, durable pair of orange boardshorts that he had in the 1970s, something they worked into the range.
"They chose heavy strong fabrics for the shorts, and orange is splattered throughout the range," Hall said.
Some of the T-shirts also feature images of Hall's boards, some of the custom-made boards will be recognisable to other surfers.
It's a range Hall sees appealing to all, but also to Northland surfers, and those who surf longboards and alternative boards.
"We've had a long-standing association with Northland beaches and surfers - and the clothing reflects that."
In Northland, the Barkers X Surfline Roger Hall range is available from Hall's Ruakaka factory.