Global Eye

It might seem like Blak Basics designer Teresa Hodges is one of the fashion world's overnight success stories. After all, she has more than trebled her stockists after just two seasons of operation. But, as Nicole Curin-Birch discovers, none of this comes as a surprise to the 27-year-old designer.

Tauranga-based Kiwi designer Teresa Hodges says has always been one to set her sights high. "I'm the kind of person who if they do something has to do it in a big way so I've never intended Blak Basics to be a small boutique label. My aim is for it to be sold right the way around the world with me still remaining here in a gorgeous workroom overlooking the beach," says Hodges.

When she launched her label at Air New Zealand Fashion Week last year she was inundated with enquiries and orders from buyers, journalists and stylists alike and picked up several new Australian accounts. These included Dark Wood Soul on Chevron Island, Moko Boutique in Sydney, and three Subway DC stores in Western Australia.

What drew them in was the label's simplicity. It offers complementary pieces that can be worn with other, more elaborate designs. "The buyers all told me its something they have been looking for for a long time. A range of essential pieces that offers an add on sale when a customer buys something like a dress and wants a simple cardigan to go over the top or a slip to go underneath." 

Like many good ideas, Hodge's label was born out of necessity. After giving birth to her daughter Kyah 20 months ago she realised she had nothing in her wardrobe to go along with the lifestyle that new motherhood brings. She saw there was a gap in the market for a range of well designed, beautiful, yet easy to wear, pieces that could easily slot into an existing wardrobe.

"Having worked for Moochi I was always wearing high fashion clothing and didn't really want to give that kind of polished look up after having Kyah, but I needed things that would still look good yet be practical."

Indeed Hodges credits Moochi's Kellie Taylor with giving her the grounding she has needed to start her own business.
"Really, I've learnt everything I need to know from Kellie and my experience at Moochi. I've seen that business grow from the five people who were there when I started to the 20 people who were there when I left."

Taylor discovered Hodges while she was still studying for her design degree at the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic.
"Kellie met me, liked what I was doing and said if I continue to do well then she would offer me a design assistant's role at the end of my degree. It was a pretty good incentive."

In less than a year she went from design assistant to head designer and also oversaw all of the production and fabric ordering. But the desire to have her own business was always in the back of her mind so when she left to go on maternity leave everything just fell into place. "Once I had come up with the concept things happened quite quickly.  Having had that experience at Moochi, I knew exactly what I needed to do."

Naming the label was simple, she says. "Because it's all about key essentials Blak Basics seemed the only choice. All women love to wear black, whether it's a little black dress which is sexy and sophisticated or something that is dark and edgy.  Black is the cornerstone of every wardrobe and I wanted my brand to convey that my clothes would always be something you can rely on."

Many of the pieces in the tight, 25 garment, collection are knit and Hodges has concentrated on using natural fabrics she imports from Italy. In the future she is hoping to source more organic fabrications. "The focus for me is always on quality.  I want these pieces to be able to last and last."

This is why she has them all made locally in New Zealand. It's a practice she hopes to continue and says as long as she can keep her price point realistic - currently her garments retail from between $79 to $249 - she will.

With upwards of 25 stockists currently, Hodges aims to increase her wholesale business later this year by having a presence at both Australia and New Zealand fashion weeks. Also on the agenda is the launch of a second, more design focused, label.

"I am a designer after all so I do need to get those more flamboyant pieces out of my system. Blak Basics has taught me how to be more disciplined with my design but I need to have a play too. I'm hoping both will work really well together."

By Nicole Curin-Birch