We sat down with the designers of Mandatory Menswear to ask them 20 Questions about their 20 Years in Business. Part 1: The Beginning
Spring 2017 Collection
Shoes from Ultra Shoes
Model: Alex Carr
Photographed in Mojo Spark Central Willis Street
Designer and Co-Founder of Mandatory Clare Bowden gave at talk at Creative Mornings Wellington on their June 2017 theme ‘Survival’
(via Clare Bowden | Surviving in the New Zealand menswear industry for 20 years | CreativeMornings/WLG)
Conscious Consumer Profile: Mandatory, a global leader in local fashion
We sat down with Tracey from Conscious Consumers to chat about being creative with resources, why we’ve steered away from wholesale, prefer to custom make and the obstacles we face in working towards a more sustainable fashion future.
When we think about conscious consumerism, ethical consumption or whatever you want to call it, the fashion industry seems to be the last industry to address the issues we face – globally. Tell us a bit about Mandatory’s beginnings and how you got into ethical fashion.
Mandatory was founded in 1997 by designers Clare Bowden and Fiona Edwards who switched from their respective established women’s wholesale labels in response to noticeable demand for choice (and fit) in good menswear in Wellington.
Mandatory operates as an independent men’s outfitter on Cuba Street with a manufacturing studio space a block away. Garments are produced in small runs, in season, in Wellington, and customers are offered custom made garments for the same price as off the rack using end customisation and in-time production methods.
Mandatory has steered away from wholesale, preferring to keep the physical and financial costs of production to a level that delivers directly to the market. This approach allows for meaningful, highly appreciated work for employees (all creative) and a quality product that customers continually return for.
The ability to supply actual demand is the way waste is reduced and costs are managed - this has seen us last the distance. Garments designed, fitted, made well and sold for purpose are worn often and last longer while looking better than their mass-produced, cheap counterparts.
Read the full interview over on their blog: https://consciousconsumers.nz/blog/2017/5/3/profile-mandatory-a-global-leader-in-local-fashion
We loved being a part of this gorgeous shoot for Old Saint Paul’s in Wellington alongside other talented local wedding vendors. We kitted out the boys in classic formal suits: Contemporary fit Classic Tuxedo with Silk Trim for the groom, and dark and dapper charcoal navy windowpane suit for the groomsman.
Venue: Old Saint Paul’s
Flowers by Yvette Edwards
Cufflinks and Jewellery by Lazulé
Hair and Makeup by Penny Rose
Wedding dress by Paperswan Bride
Bridesmaid dress by Coco Wellington
We are so proud that the Mandatory label is 100% designed and manufactured in Wellington by our small hard-working crew. Here’s to greater transparency, sustainability and ethics in the fashion industry.
Last but certainly not least for our Who Made My Clothes series: Jane
Jane has been with Mandatory since the brands inception twenty years ago. She’s one of two of our amazing machinists and puts together stock garments and custom made orders from her home studio in Berhampore. Jane also spends time cutting in the workroom on a Monday to mix with the crew. As our principal sample sewer Jane is integral in development of every design produced by Mandatory. Jane appreciates the high quality thread and materials we use.
This week we have been welcoming transparency and profiled the small team behind Mandatory with the aim to answer the campaign question:#whomademyclothes
Who Made My Clothes?
Clare is co-founder and designer of Mandatory and the Director of the whole operation. She started out managing the manufacturing workroom and moved to shop floor during the GFC, often coordinating manufacturing at night. These days she buys cloth and co-designs the range, coordinates the manufacturing schedule and works alongside the managers of both sites. She is responsible for some of the longest selling designs in the store. She handles the trickiest of suiting, casual fittings, and draft patterns. Clare also consults on wardrobes for busy men. She keeps regular weekly shifts on the shop floor and works hard to be the great boss she is constantly praised as being.
This week is Fashion Revolution week and we are welcoming transparency by profiling the small team of makers behind Mandatory with the aim to answer the campaign question: #whomademyclothes
Who Made My Clothes? Fiona is the co-founder of Mandatory and the brain behind some of Mandatory’s most loved pieces. She works in the studio once a week to design knit pieces, consult on the range direction and keeps the company true to its original vision in an ever-changing industry.
Fashion Revolution is a global movement calling for greater transparency, sustainability and ethics in the fashion industry. All this week we’ll be profiling the small team behind Mandatory with the aim to answer the campaign question: #whomademyclothes
Who Made My Clothes?
Leah worked as a manager of the Mandatory store years ago and returned to work part time in the shop as an inventory and accounts wizz. Leah coordinates buying meetings, manages stock levels and is responsible for merchandising as well as assisting with shoots. She also manages our corporate accounts and keeps the back end of the business running smoothly.
Fashion Revolution is a global movement calling for greater transparency, sustainability and ethics in the fashion industry. All this week we’re profiling the small team behind Mandatory with the aim to answer the campaign question: #whomademyclothes