Streetwear with a Kiwi feel catches on

By GEORGINA BOND

It's shaping up to be a hot summer for surf and streetwear label Pure Local.

Nearly three years after Aaron Fernandez took the plunge and started his own clothing range, the distinctly New Zealand brand is making its mark on the 25-40 age group and is stocked in about 30 stores across the country.

The popular T-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, shirts and skirts have been under the gaze of international buyers at Fashion Week, where the range is on display in the exhibitors' hall.

Fernandez describes the clothing as everyday street fashion with a strong New Zealand feel.

As well as being 100 per cent New Zealand-made, a strong native flavour is pushed through stylised motifs incorporating the koru and the silver fern in the design work.

"It's simple and subtle, but people can tell they are New Zealand designs without us having to state it," he said.

The brand also has synergy with the wild shores of Auckland's west coast - where the business is based at Fernandez' Piha home.

He said the desire to live in a beautiful place surrounded by surf, hills and bush was part of the reason he wanted to start a home business.

It was three years ago when he was working as a sales representative for an eyewear company that he decided it was time to follow a long-held desire to do his own thing.

Under the name Aardvark Enterprises, he started importing British surfwear brand Animal. Although he enjoyed it, he was hungry for a bigger challenge and bought the trading name Pure Local with a feeling the time was right for a New Zealand clothing range.

Although his father, a clothing cutter, had been in the industry for years, Fernandez had no experience in apparel production but felt qualified by his love of streetwear.

This passion has possibly been one of the early keys to the brand's success, as it has kept driving him to promote the range amid a brand-rich streetwear market.

He has largely relied on a lot of cold-calling - picking the shops he'd like to have as stockists and approaching them with samples.

Next week, Fernandez is heading off on one of his regular road trips to call on clients throughout the country. He still does this himself, believing his enthusiasm makes him the best sales person for the product.

He said orders for the summer range six times larger than last year showed how interest was growing.

One of his goals is to increase business by 50 per cent this year.

Fernandez said the Piha home had become a bit dysfunctional because of the room the business now required. "We're now at the stage where we need to move [the business]."

One full-time staff member helps him with general administration.

The company has just launched a range of jewellery with the same design themes as the clothing.

The focus for Fernandez after Fashion Week is to keep building up the number of local accounts and then to set his sights on exporting.

Pure Local was one of five finalists in this year's Telecom Home Business Competition, judged this week.

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