NZ Fashion Designers Face Local Supply Crisis

Fashion and Lifestyle

NZ Fashion Designers Face Local Supply Crisis

Across the southern hemisphere, there is signs of a huge hole developing in the fashion realm with news of New Zealand's largest textiles supplier’s definite plans to shut down its fashion division. The local fashion designers predicted an irreparable dent in the fashion industry, while some attributed it to trends happening in Australia.

The proposed shutdown comes close on heels of an earlier shutdown this year when Cooper Watkinson Textiles closed shutters bidding au revoir to the industry.

Advocates of New Zealand fashion industry sounded the death knell for the local fashion designers stating, “The loss of textile factories across the country will result in downgrade of variety and choice for the final products delivered by local designers.”

The New Zealand designers had a good opportunity to create exciting prints as long as the textile suppliers were on the run. With the shutting down of the major units, things will witness a sea change, opined one of the fashion advocates.

Former designer from Pumpkin Patch, Carly Tolley pointed out in a statement, “However, the shutdown of local suppliers appears to be another symptom, rather than the cause, of the pressures on the fashion industry.”

"I think it's bigger than New Zealand because Charles Parsons has closed in Australia, their fashion division, so what I think has happened is that New Zealand was just a flow-on from Australia," she added.

"Australia was struggling and we are feeling those effects - the Australian market is probably suffering more than us. Local designers relied heavily on the New Zealand-made angle to sell their products as it gave them their own signature,” she opined.

To make matters worse, there were reports of several big local fashion brands shutting shop in recent times. These included, women's label Andrea Moore, menswear brand Meccano and shoe store Minnie Cooper.