SHOP OWNER CLAUDIA ZINZAN

Claudia Zinzan has spent most of her career working as an interior designer, but retail has never been far away. The New Zealander has run an interior design and clothing business as well as a luxury clothes brand. But after the birth of her first child, she wanted to change direction. And so Father Rabbit was born, a project that Claudia started with her husband, Nick Hutchison, who also works as a camera operator in the film industry. The business started out as an online store, and now as two physical shops in Auckland.

Which five words best describe you? A calm and consistent whirlwind.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? After completing an interior design degree I fell into colour consultancy. From there I had an interior and clothing design business and was the general manager of a luxury clothes brand before starting Father Rabbit after my first child was born. All the movements in my career have been about seizing opportunities without thinking about them too heavily. But I do have a strong “gut feeling” monitor that tells me if I feel uncomfortable travelling a certain path. I don't over think things. I use my contacts and travel toward a loose goal in my head about the bigger picture but I seize opportunities that my networking provides. I surround myself with people who have more experience and different skill sets than myself and work with them to enhance my business. 

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Pay attention to detail. I am still teaching myself this. It is such an important skill and money saver.

What’s your proudest career achievement? Launching Father Rabbit with Nick.

What’s been your best decision? I feel like I don't make very conscious decisions and instead rely on my gut. But as my business gets bigger I have to be more careful with my analysis of opportunities... mainly because more risk is involved. My best decision is that I started Father Rabbit and didn't go back to my old job.

Who inspires you? Other business creatives. I am always watching other people and their think-big attitudes. The guys at Supreme Coffee inspire me. The boys at Fidels Cafe/Havana Bar in Wellington. 

What are you passionate about? Being kind in my business to my staff, customers and suppliers. The world needs more gentle-handed approaches to business and negotiation. I am insanely passionate about shop displays, merchandising and retail interior design.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? I am a huge fan of Beyonce and Jay Z. I would almost give up everything to be their friends or at least a fly on the wall. I think they are hugely talented but also are a massive business inspiration.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? I want to live in a foreign city with Nick and the kids. Bangkok or Brazil are at the top of the list.

What are you reading? I am not reading anything currently except the news, Facebook and emails! I am a tired mother with a little baby.  

images courtesy of father rabbit

fashion designer karen walker

Within five years of graduating from fashion school New Zealand designer Karen Walker had opened two stores. Three years later and she was stocked in Barneys New York. The trajectory has continued, and now her designs are sold in more than 600 stores across the globe. She has branched off into eyewear, jewellery and paints. And her diffusion label, Hi There, is stocked in Myer in Australia and Anthropologie in the USA.

Which five words best describe you? Curious, practical, focussed, passionate, dedicated.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? When I was 18 and at fashion school I put $100 aside to make a shirt. I sold that shirt through a local boutique and they asked for more. It's grown from there.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Question everything.
What’s your proudest career achievement? Lots of them but our first collection shown at New York Fashion Week being on the front page of the New York Times was pretty good.
What’s been your best decision? To start my own business.
Who inspires you? My husband.
What are you passionate about? My family, my business, ideas.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Dr Seuss.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? A year off.
What are you reading? I've just started The hare with the amber eyes by Edmund de Waal.

images courtesy of karen walker

STYLIST + SHOP OWNER KATIE LOCKHART

Having a conversation with Katie Lockhart is like falling down a rabbit hole. Her story gets more fantastical at every turn. After graduating from design school in New Zealand she showed her final year project to fashion designer Karen Walker and became her first design assistant. Two and a half years later, Katie decided to go to Milan. While there she met Francesca Taroni and Silivia Robertazzi who were leaving Italian Vogue to set up Case da Abitare. Katie became a regular contributor and continues to style for them. The magazine ships furniture to her studio in New Zealand such fans are they of her work. Since returning to live in Auckland, Katie has continued to work with Karen Walker - styling shows and designing stores. Five years ago Katie also launched Everyday Needs, a shop that focuses on beautiful utilitarian objects. Most recently she has opened a capsule collection in a pop-up shop at Poepke, a fashion shop in Sydney.

Which five words best describe you? Hawk eyes, gardener, mama, working.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? When I graduated from the School of Architecture and Design I showed my final year project to Karen Walker and she hired me as her first design assistant. This was a defining moment for me and I only left to live abroad in Milan where I turned my attention back to interiors and started to style for Italian interior magazines. After a few years of living and working as both a stylist and interior designer in Milan and London I returned home to New Zealand to open my own practice. Five years ago we extended our offering to open Everyday Needs as well.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? To trust my intuition. Sometimes the scariest times are the most defining creatively.

What’s your proudest career achievement? Having my own practice.

What’s been your best decision? To return home to New Zealand.  

Who inspires you? Family and friends. Especially my husband.

What are you passionate about? Interiors that reflect their owners, gardening, handmade furniture, my husband and kids.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? I would have loved to have walked Derek Jarman’s garden with him.

  

What dream do you still want to fulfil? I really feel like I am living it.

What are you reading? In praise of shadows by Junichiro Tanizaki.

images courtesy of katie lockhart and, from top, mark smith, tash hopkins, sait akkirman, darryl ward and todd selby

designer rebeccca snelling

Rebecca Snelling is a New Zealand designer who has received worldwide acclaim for the furniture she creates with her father, Doug, in their business Workroom. While she has a background in art and design, he has worked in the building and woodworking industries. Together, they make pieces that are made from recycled New Zealand wood and other eco products. More recently, Rebecca has launched the store Douglas + Bec, with her partner Paul Dowie, which not only sells pieces from Workroom but also independent and international designers.

Which five words best describe you? Conscientious, thoughtful, observant, perceptive and resilient.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? My father and I started making lamps under the brand Workroom in 2008 and in 2010 my partner Paul and I opened Douglas + Bec.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Don't compare yourself to your immediate market, look wider, draw inspiration globally, and as always stick to your knitting.

What’s your proudest career achievement? I guess it is starting both the companies from shoestring budgets, now both Douglas + Bec and Workroom receive recognition globally.

What’s been your best decision? Opening Douglas + Bec - we really wanted to bring something distinct to the market - concentrating on presenting independent practitioners like our own (workroom) and housing them in a beautiful boutique. This is when both business flourished.

Who inspires you? My father Douglas - his work ethic is infectious and his craftsmanship just keeps evolving. I also heard somewhere - you're not just lucky, the harder you work the luckier you get.

What are you passionate about? I am passionate about my work - we as a family live it, breath it and are lost without it. I want to always produce objects/furniture with integrity and honesty.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Queen Elizabeth - she is so stoic, brave and selfless.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? I would like to follow my binary creative practice - I am a visual artist by training and this has taken a back seat in the past few years - so a studio dedicated to this part of me would be amazing - just maybe for 2 days a week.

What are you reading? Inbetween baby books - I am a new mother with not a lot of down time - I do like to read cookbooks. I have a new love affair with New Zealand hunter and gather chef Al Brown - so his book Stoked. He catches the pig, cooks it (incredibly) and enjoys a fine Pinot Gris to wash it down - multifaceted - my type of person!

images courtesy of douglas + bec and (portrait) nz house & garden