Duncan & Prudence Our Blog

These are South Island lavender soaps in denim pouches, in case you didn’t notice how nice and flowery our shop was smelling lately. Sold at the counter for $10 each. Did April really go by already? Where does the time fly? I should have posted this at least a week ago because this seminar series organised by the 42collective is really worth going to. The first night was last Wednesday at Southern Cross, with speakers from an array of local businesses in fashion, discussing the environmental impacts of clothing production and consumption, and providing information on how people can make more informed decisions when buying clothes.
I’ll be presenting at the second evening’s seminar, held at the Southern Cross Bar again on Wednesday the 13th May. The night commences at 6pm and I hope to raise a lively discussion on the political economy of fashion industry, namely, how marketing in fashion really under-estimates the intelligence of clothing shoppers, particularly in light of the “green wave” (but generally also). Readers, you all know my arguments: if you want to shop green and smart you search for locally made, classic or essential pieces that form basics for any and every look, that are constructed well out of durable fabrics. This is the aesthetic of Duncan’s design in a nutshell, and if you’re reading my blog, you’ve probably seen or might be wearing the proven results.
If you’re wearing our organic cotton jeans, then you’re probably feeling especially proud of yourself for some smart shopping. Well, I have to be frank with you. Latest breaking news on the conditions of work in India (where the organic denim was produced) leave a nasty stain on this product. Even with the assurances we push Arvind to keep giving us that their workers are treated fairly, without a trip we can’t afford (and which blows our carbon track record) we here in New Zealand have no right to say with conviction there isn’t unfair treatment being worn out from our store. Wearers will also have been told at purchase time that organic cotton won’t be as colour fast, thanks to the lack of some nasty chemicals that set the dye in non-organic fabrics. We still stand behind the quality of this beautiful organic denim, but out of principle feel obliged to tell you the whole story, and not just the market hype version.
I guess my children’s Easter holidays are the reason why April slipped by so fast. In the second week I took them swimming, twice to Te Papa, gave them free range on their wheels at Waitangi Park, and in the first week we spent three whole days cleaning up our garden before the Winter sets in. I spent a day with James sorting through all his bedroom drawers and came up with two rubbish bags of wrappers, peels and hidden rotten things he never ate in his school lunches over the first term. I spent the next day obliged to carry out the process again with Grace, in case I found more of the same (just one rubbish bag, and we rearranged her furniture). Then we did it altogether on the art space. They whined and I had to yell, but after it was all accomplished we felt great with still a week of holidays to go. Phew! Duncan was left to fend for himself in the store and ended up rocking it with another great month of sales. Recession? What recession? Go Duncan. Speaking of kids, we sell so many tshirts and hoodies for kids now we’ve arranged a little section of the store specifically for them. Tessa and Amanda produced a bunch of longsleeves and tights for the kids, too, and Duncan made a sample pair of trackpants for James and Grace to test. They’re fantastic and won him big hugs from our kids, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you saw them in stock in the upcoming weeks. Who knew the designer would make an excellent customer service representative, and still get loads of work done on new products at the same time.
Speaking of new products, we have gorgeous plaid fabrics we’re making one-off men’s shirts in. You’ll see them in the window as you’re driving by, and if there’s one you like screech to a halt and grab it quick. Amanda’s been putting them up as she sews them and Duncan’s been taking them down one by one by the end of that day. Same with the men’s and women’s Denim Jackets. All three sewers worked on producing a lined wool version of the denim longline jacket. It’s truly scrumptious for winter and we’re told by happy customers we’re underpricing it at $498. We know, we know, but that’s the honest price you get for stuff that’s made right there in the back.
For customers who’ve been asking for us to bring back a red merino, good news. We’ve finally found the perfect red and we’ll sew to order your merino dress, merino hoody, merino tank dress, just ask if it’s not hanging on the rack already. Stock up on your layers of wool before the chill sets in.

The Newtown Festival has always appeared to be one last incredible Summer day before Wellington turns a corner to face its Winter. I always struggle with a niggly throat immediately after the day from sheer exhaustion. 75,000 people! Did you hear? What a rip-roaring success. Newtown, you really know how to pull off a she-bang. A couple of times out on the stall I talked to our Constable who seemed keen to stop and chat with everybody. He told me the Key Success Indicators for the day were No Arrests, All Lost Kids Found, and Smiles left on Faces throughout the day. My word, I thought, that’s what I call a Community Constable.
Duncan & Prudence sponsored the Green St Stage and the neighbours’ review has been nothing but thumbs up, so we’re feeling pretty flash, albeit still too tired to really register. Poor old Tessa had to leave for Nelson for her Nana’s funeral, so we were one down in staff numbers. Tessa, as you know, is now our Chief Screen-printer, so our traditional same day rush service for festival goers turned into my gotta-be-in-two-places-at-once logistics nightmare. To tell you the truth, I didn’t see much more than a 50 metre radius around my corner all day.
Luckily my Mum and Dad were around. They came up initially to supervise our children while we worked hard, but James and Grace got into the Festival spirit and took turns busking at the stall, leaving Nennie and Pampa able to work the table out front when I went in for screen-print sessions. Nennie was our top model for the day sporting her aqua t-shirt dress with hibiscus on the hip. I reckon she single-handedly nabbed us a whole new demographic. Just because you’re retired don’t mean you can’t rock this late Summer must-have, grandma, or for that matter visit my blogsite. People, do me a favour and email this link to a parent near you. Grandmas need to know.
As it turns out, Wellington’s had day after day through March of more glisteningly beautiful Summer days. So if you still feel like wearing shorts and tanks, we’ve got some last late stock still available and our last tshirt dresses are for sale. Our stripey tank dress has been fun to sell in all the bright trims – there’s one in pink, one with slate and one with white trim left for sale also.
But for those of you getting ahead on what to wear change of season, we’re already stocking the merino tank dress. Mmmm, merino. As usual, we put what we sew out as soon as we can, and by the end of that week it’s all gone again, so if you don’t see any, please leave your number so we can give you a call and put it straight in a bag for you to come pick up next time.
Duncan made me a gorgeous steel grey merino V-tank tunic for my brother’s wedding. This dress is so classy and so simple to make I wouldn’t be surprised if he graded it and sold them in the store. Keep checking the winter windows or come in and put pressure on the man himself.
Hey, check me out with my new hairdo! That’s right, I had a true Britney Spears moment in the bathroom and chopped all my blonde off. Duncan calls me Tabby Cat (I missed 1mm here and there of peroxide, and it blends nicely with my emerging grey) but secretly I think he hates it. Typical: he found it deeply satisfying having a wife with long blonde hair. But I love it. I’m rocking the Victoria Beckham au naturel (and enlarged). I was worried, I must admit, when I stood halfway done in front of my mirror and suddenly felt like singing “oops, I did it again…” No, I haven’t suddenly lost the plot: I’ve simply just gone back to my roots, and it feels great.