Inspired by life in the outdoors from the ocean to the mountains, including the odd concrete jungle in between. The brand strategy, design/ development, sourcing, sales & marketing of apparel & accessories has been an ongoing journey that sees the lines between work and play blur.

With necessity being the mother of invention, the apparel and accessories I have been involved in developing over the past 20 years has been designed to further enhance the user experience through a blending of high quality, functional materials/trims and mindful product design. 

Having played a lead role for both international branded goods co's and multi-national corporations developing apparel and accessories to be worn/ used  in some of the world's harshest environments, the finished product/s, along with positive customer feedback  both solid endorsements as to the quality/function proposition that forms the core of my design mantra. 
 
While based in Indonesia I left a senior marketing role to begin work in the apparel industry performing a sourcing/ production/ quality control/ distribution role for an international surfwear company late 1999, and since that time my love of the industry, combined with a passion for art and design has seen me expand my skillset to include strategic brand management, sales & marketing, graphic design, content creation and more ...With these core competencies applicable and readily transferable to a wide variety of roles spanning a number of industries. 

The most recent chapter of my work in the apparel industry was focused on conceptualisation, end to end design and development of an eco-savvy branded apparel company. A project that distilled my past experiences in sourcing, product design/development, the creation of brand collateral and strategic brand management into a clothing label with the brand DNA based on the premise of  realising a more holistic and sustainable future in this area through mindful strategy & design.

  ... and then along came Covid-19 : ( 

The impacts that Covid-19 has had on businesses can perhaps be likened to that of being in the path of a tornado. You can be in the tornado's path and smashed by its impact, or be situated right next to the tornado's path, viewing the damage left in the tornado's wake though left largely unaffected? The wide scale disruption of global trade caused by the Covid-19 pandemic not a part of my SWOT analysis pre-covid, so all in all a compelling case to return to live in
New Zealand, apply the lessons learnt to Manage the Damage moving forward  and set about making the most of this new direction ; )
 
Taking some time out with doing some  major renovations on the house, as well as putting my varied skill set to use designing websites, shooting video/ photos, designing new product, consulting on marketing strategy, strategic brand management ....  In  addition to this work I am currently studying for a Diploma in Architectural Technology to further expand on my functional design skills, whilst at the same time keeping an eye out for a meaningful role that puts my wider skill set to good use.  
 
It's not all work though, and largely as an outcome of  the rollercoaster ride that the Covid-19 pandemic presented me, a super positive has been returning to live in NZ  where I've been lucky enough to balance my work load  with time spent in the outdoors, enjoying the summer heat, the colours of autumn and a few  crisp Southern winters, plus time spent reconnecting with my extended whanau ... 

So with the impact resultant of the Covid-19 pandemic largely in the rear view mirror, I've been kept busy and on the look out for new and exciting work opportunities. 

The transferrable skills I have developed over my working life, including but not limited to ;