Rnz: My Heels Are Killing Me

Fashion is often a signal of a change in the air, reflecting societal norms and values. On RNZ podcast My Heels Are Killing Me Sonia Sly meets designer Jason Lingard who says being gay and growing up in a small farming town informed his desire to create gender-neutral garments that embody the concept of inclusivity.

Fur is controversial in the fashion industry and wearing it today is a statement of nothing more than excess. The controversy lies not only in the hands of the designers producing it, but also those who are buying garments made from fur. Dunedin-based Jane Avery is an unashamed advocate of fur. She understands the controversy but says doing it sustainably and ethically is what matters most.

Designer Kathryn Wilson has thoroughly tread the boards of the Kiwi footwear industry. She talks to Sonia Sly about her naïve passion launching a label 15 years ago, how bumps in the road serve as milestones and... moon boots.

A rising interest in menswear is a global trend and New Zealand label Working Style have experienced the ebbs and flows of what it means to be in the suit game. Sonia Sly heads to Auckland to meet founder Chris Dobbs and Creative Director Karl Clausen.

NOM*d founder Margi Robertson talks about her iconic 30-year-old brand, the one thing she would save in a fire and why summer is a season that never feels quite right.

Trish Peng is a designer who creates show-stopping wedding gowns. At last year's NZ Fashion Week her 25-metre long train broke a world record and this year she created a dress that had to be kept in the chiller.

What are the game-changers for fashion buyers and influencers? And why is Instagram booming in Asia? Sonia Sly chats to David Jones buying manager Teneille Ferguson and influencers Mary Seng and David Wong.

Murray Bevan, founder of fashion PR agency Showroom 22, on what happens when the claws come out at New Zealand Fashion Week, working with Karen Walker and facing a female-dominated industry 15 years ago.

Being in the fashion industry is like trying to stay in control of a car that's about to veer off the road, according to Marc Moore the founder of Kiwi label Stolen Girlfriend's Club. Marc speaks candidly about the brand's rock n' roll edge and experiencing failure and success in a high pressure industry.

What does it take to run a global brand and continue to grow a business in a cluttered market? Karen Walker talks about the changing tides of fashion, the global marketplace and sleepless nights in an industry that has no off-switch.

Caitlan Mitchell is the editor for one of the longest running industry magazines in the country. She speaks to Sonia Sly about ambition, modelling, fashion photography and the relevance of print in the digital age.

New York-based Kiwi Rachel Stickley knows all about styling props. When she's on the job her art tools are at the ready and she could be doing anything from sourcing furniture to melting lipsticks and being covered in paint.

If you want to know what the future of fashion looks like it pays to keep an eye on emerging designers who create without boundaries. Sonia Sly meets emerging designers from around the world to find out what their vision for the future of fashion looks like and what concerns them most.

What does it take to make the modern gentleman? With a love of art and design New Zealand menswear label, French 83, provides a twist on classic suiting for the young professional. Add a dash of our good old Kiwi lifestyle and they've got a great brand story that works for their international clientele. Sonia Sly meets the team to find out why they took an unconventional approach to their business model by launching in Beijing, before breaking into the New Zealand marketplace.

When Jonathan Thai moved from New Zealand to New York to get his dance career moving, he never would have imagined that be styling editorial shoots for Vogue and working with the cream of the international fashion industry, producing shows for designers at New York Fashion. Sonia Sly finds out what it was like to work with Winona Ryder and working on a show that sent a stream of models topple over on the runway.

Headhunted to work for Tom Ford's eponymous label just as it was getting off the ground was like watching history in the making, according to designer Quentin Hart who worked with Ford for 3 years until he decided to break away from the fashion bubble he was living in. Today, he couldn't be happier as the designer for iconic Kiwi brand Swanndri, transitioning from the high fashion runway to designing for the great outdoors.

Jessie Wong, 23, is taking the fashion industry by storm with her luxury leather accessories brand, Yu Mei. She explains why a good bag should weather its journey with you.

Anabela Rea talks trends, landing a job in fashion and the importance of promoting cultural diversity and clothing that works for all types of women.

Kelly Thompson is the ultimate multi-tasker. The former Wellington makeup artist and photographer is based in Melbourne and is best known for her beautiful fashion illustrations and personal style.

Wynn Hamlyn Crawshaw is a young designer who moved from a career in construction to developing his own womenswear label.