Designer puts kids first, business second

Auckland-based womenswear designer Mala Brajkovic has suspended her business operations following the birth of her first child. Winter 2008 will be the last collection for a while for Brajkovic who said she'll let daughter Mickey Miette, born last October, determine how long her maternity break will be.

"The pregnancy was a very exciting surprise, but I'd always thought when I did have children I'd be able to work it in with my career. In the end, it didn't work out like that. Mickey was a very colicky baby with reflux (and) the first four months were tricky ones. I didn't want to leave her with anyone during this time. Giving up work was a hard decision to make but she needed me as much as the business so something had to give," Brajkovic said.

Having established her label in 2005, following a stint as a designer assistant with Karen Walker, Brajkovic swiftly built a following of loyal customers and retailers who were attracted by her feminine, but edgy, designs.

As well as selling her eponymous label through her own boutique in Auckland's fashionable Vulcan Lane, Brajkovic has held accounts in both hemispheres. In Australia, she is stocked by 13 different retailers including Alice Euphemia in Melbourne, Pretty Dog in Sydney, L.A.X in Adelaide, Wasteland in Perth and Blonde Venus in Brisbane. The label was also sold through Japan, the US and the UK.

Brajkovic said her retailers had been supportive of her decision, telling her they'll pick up the label again when she starts back at work. However, she is aware that depends on how good her first collection is.

"The clothes have to speak for themselves. I'm confident that our customers will happily shop with us again."
Despite many other designers - including Collette Dinnigan and Fiona Scanlan - who have children going on to produce junior ranges Brajkovic is clear there won't be a mini Mala label springing up any time soon.

"That's not something I'm interested in at all. Funnily enough, a New Zealand newspaper wrote a comment about how I was planning to do just that.  The writer had asked me if I was going to do a [childrenswear] range I said no. Then what do you know, it's in the Sunday papers. I've had lots of people asking me about it since."

In the meantime, Brajkovic said she will be busy looking after Mickey and may undertake some freelance design work before resurrecting her label.

By Nicole Curin-Birch