The Future of Fashion in Aotearoa: A Live Panel with Lou Heller, Hamish Acland, Christina Perriam, and Nat Newlands

Recorded live for New Zealand Fashion Week, Clare Irons sits down with four people shaping the future of the industry in Aotearoa: stylist Lou Heller, Mons Royale co-founder Hamish Acland, Perriam founder Christina Perriam, and Nat Newlands, designer behind NEWLANDS and Legacy Land. All four grew up on farms, and all four have built businesses at the intersection of creativity, sustainability, and identity.The conversation moves from origin stories to the hard realities of making fashion in New Zealand. Christina makes the case that longevity is sustainability, and why a $400 piece worn for ten years beats fast fashion on cost per wear. Hamish explains how New Zealand's narrow supply chain which once a disadvantage, is now becoming a competitive edge as EU transparency laws raise the bar. Nat argues the first responsibility for sustainability sits with designers, not consumers, and Lou unpacks why knowing your personal style is the antidote to the dopamine hit of the hunt.A live conversation that's a little funny, very real, and full of insight into the future of New Zealand fashion.