My Heels Are Killing Me

• Rise of the Y-Front

  Jockey launched the Y-Front in the U.S. in 1935 and five years later the product landed on our shores, and it's been a favourite for Kiwi men ever since. In this final episode of RNZ podcast My Heels Are Killing Me, Sonia Sly finds out about our 'brief' history and the story behind the iconic Y-Front.Long johns, undies, boxers, briefs, gruds, budgie smugglers, drawers, shorts, underpants, jocks...Men's underwear has seen a transformation over the years and one iconic brand that Kiwi men have loved through the generations, is Jockey. The brand launched in the U.S. in 1935, and five years later, it landed on our shores.In this final episode of RNZ podcast My Heels Are Killing Me, Sonia Sly finds out why Kiwi men can't get enough of Jockey underwear and the story behind the famous Y-Front."New Zealand was one of the first places in the world that was allowed the Jockey license," says Te Papa Curator, Stephanie Gibson.Lane Walker Rudkin in Christchurch - the manufacturer of sportswear brand Canterbury was one of the first four manufacturers outside the U.S to receive a license to make the famous Jockey Y-fronts, which proved revolutionary."Jockey helped outfit New Zealand soldiers for their overseas service during the war," she says.Offering maximum comfort and support the product quickly gained popularity as an inexpensive item, and men could own multiple pairs.Before the comfy cotton underpants were introduced, Kiwi men wore cumbersome long johns, with awkward buttons, slits at the knees and leather waist bands - covering the body with layers helped to protect clothing from human sweat.In the 19th and early 20th century, people washed their underwear more frequently than their outerwear. These undergarments were commonly made from knitted wool or knitted cotton and natural fibres were said to be good for airflow and cleanliness."People wanted to be clean and they really believed in the hygienic properties of underwear," Gibson says.Another reason behind the enduring popularity of the Y-front was a change in lifestyle and increasing participation in sport. Cycling and boxing were popular, so a shorter style of underwear was more functional and convenient. In fact, the design of the Y-front was based on the men's jock strap worn for cycling."It's about how that binding is done around the sensitive area so that everything is held in place, but it's comfortable," says Gibson.And that tried and true design has not changed today, according to Melbourne-based William Radford who looks after the marketing for the Jockey brand. …Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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  17:41
• The Business of Underwear: Flesh is More

  "On the red carpet Kim Kardashian wore a slip that I designed and it was designed to be worn in the bedroom," says Kiwi lingerie designer Chloe Julian who has worked for international labels Agent Provocateur, Stella McCartney and Rihanna's new label, Savage X Fenty.At a music festival on a hot summer's day, a group of women laugh and chat among themselves.They're in full festival mode with their breasts and arms covered in gold glitter body paint and not much else. Some wear nothing but denim cut-off shorts and lacy bras. Nobody blinks an eye.In this episode of My Heels are Killing Me Sonia Sly finds out about the business of underwear and why there are no longer any rules.Today, the rules of decency have shifted dramatically, giving women greater freedom. And in an age where body positive messages prevail, women's bodies and their underwear no longer have to remain hidden."In history there have always been moments where women's underwear starts to peek out over outerwear," says Te Papa's Contemporary Life & Culture curator, Stephanie Gibson."I think women sometimes have a hard task with their wardrobes because in the 19th century everything was hidden under their outer garments, so you wore the most hilarious amount of layers," she says. Those layers might have included six petticoats, a crinoline, a bustle and a corset - all hidden beneath a dress that would cover much of the body, which sits in stark contrast to women's wardrobes today.Celebrity culture, lifestyle and sports have all played a major role in shaping how women see themselves and how they dress.This has changed the role and function of underwear, which is now more about helping women show off their bodies than hide them."We're all quite relaxed now about being in shared changing spaces and we're showing a lot more of ourselves," says Gibson who feels women want to participate in fashion without feeling their bodies have to match it. NZ lingerie designer Chloe Julian says she often makes lingerie so it can be worn as either underwear or outerwear.“[On the red carpet] Kim Kardashian wore a slip that I designed and it was designed to be worn in the bedroom,” she says.Julian's designs have graced the covers of international fashion magazines and have been worn by celebrities.The Kiwi studied fashion at Massey University, and is now back in the country after living in London and working for the likes of Agent Provocateur and Stella McCartney.Last year, she designed the launch collection for singer Rihanna's new lingerie label, Savage X Fenty - a brand that was a year in the making…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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  19:39
• Ahead of her time

  From a pair of hand-knitted baby booties to a fully-blown business two-decades on selling not one, but two lifestyle brands, seems a far cry from Peri Drysdale's days as a nurse. In this episode of RNZ podcast My Heels are Killing Me Sonia Sly heads to Christchurch behind the scenes of Untouched World.From a pair of hand-knitted baby booties to a fully-blown business two-decades on selling not one, but two lifestyle brands, seems a far cry from Peri Drysdale's days as a nurse. But Drysdale has always had an entrepreneurial head on her shoulders.Last year, Dysdale was inducted into the Company of Women's Hall of Fame for her work founding sustainable brands Untouched World, Snowy Peak and Merino Mink, as well as the Untouched World Charitable Trust.Not that she's a stranger to receiving awards and recognition for her work. She has a wall of achievements inside her Christchurch headquarters, which is home to a spacious Untouched World retail store with an adjoining cafe. Out the back through a series of doorways and corridors are meeting rooms, offices, a showroom, and the factory floor where all the action takes place."When we first moved in here in 1992 we only had four machines and 100 staff here. That just shows you how far the technology has come in increasing productivity," says Drysdale of the Japanese knitting machines that now do a bulk of the work and run right throughout the night."In 1995 we bought the very first machine off the production line of a new generation of a computerized knitting machines,"she says.That machine ran on binary code, yellow computer tape. It was in the early stages of development and this one wasn't fully functioning. In fact, the situation was proving to be be more than a headache.Drysdale borrowed money to buy the machine and secured their family home against a large six figure sum. Fortunately, her husband was able to step in and get it running."Once we got it going it was amazing because we could do things that no one else could do for quite a long time," she says.Today on the factory floor in warehouse-sized space there are surprisingly few staff.On one side of the room garments are being checked, packed and shipped off. In another area, garments are being carefully stitched by hand. Across the other side of the room, merino jumpers are ready to be washed and dried to produce a super soft, luxurious hand-feel.Looking back, Drysdale says she couldn't imagine she would be where she is today, although there were a number of factors that led her on this career path.Drysdale grew up in a farming area which she describes as pristine, surrounded by crystal clear water…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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  11:16
• A share of wardrobe

  In this episode of My Heels are Killing Me, Belinda Watt Head of Fashion at Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design, shoe designer Kathryn Wilson and Murray Bevan - the founder of fashion PR agency Showroom 22 discuss the different ways to produce sustainable; diversifying, and the importance of collaborating and remaining agile.What does it mean to be agile in today's marketplace and what challenges do international giants like H&M and Zara present for New Zealand fashion brands?New Zealand is part of a global society. That comes with better access to goods and services, but it also means local brands and businesses face greater competition.International brands are more accessible than ever before. Exposure to the latest offerings through instagram and social media creates a frenzy for newness at the high and low end of the market.Murray Bevan, founder of New Zealand's foremost fashion PR agency Showroom 22 says our consumer patterns have become more diverse in recent years."People like to shop local, as well as aspire to buy global," he says. And even at the luxury end the demand is high.“[The General Manager of Louis Vuitton] on Auckland’s Queen Street has customers that come in every week demanding something new. [But] for other designers [here] that’s very difficult to do unless [they] drip feed product in,” he says.The PR agency founder says when Topshop arrived on our shores, some in the industry were sent into panic mode, worried that it would threaten our local industry. Others saw it as an opportunity to take more risks and do something completely different.Bevan believes there will always be room for a range of price-points, and he says the arrival of fast- fashion chains in New Zealand hasn't damped our appetite for locally made and owned brands. "It's just appetite, and it's money - we call it a share of wardrobe. Wardrobe is becoming bigger in people's share of what they dedicate their time and money to in their life," he says. Today, Showroom 22 works with international labels, but the PR agency has built the core of its business by helping local brands to grow, and anyone involved in business will know that it isn't possible to become successful all on your own.Bevan has been working with shoe designer Kathryn Wilson for 14 years. Their collaboration began when they were both in the early stages of their businesses. The importance of relationships and collaboration"You're not in this industry if you're out to make a quick buck," says Wilson, who had a long term game plan for her business right from the outset…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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  16:30
• Championing change in a volatile marketplace

  It might be hard to imagine life without the internet and the ease that technology has brought to our lives. In this episode of My Heels are Killing Me, Sonia Sly talks to three fashion designers about a changing world where business have to be agile in a volatile market.It might be hard to imagine life without the internet and the ease that technology has brought to our lives. But being connected has its pros and cons and New Zealand businesses are not immune to the pressures of being part of a global market - especially in the fashion industry where digital technology and social media now plays a major role in success or failure.In this episode of My Heels are Killing Me, Sonia Sly talks to three fashion designers about a changing world where businesses need to be agile in a volatile marketplace.Before the Rise of Digital “It was really easy [when] I started in the 90s and it was the heyday of Made in New Zealand. There were very little international imports unless it was something that was coming in from a European designer, and you didn’t have fast fashion. There was a wealth of incredible machinists that were still around with the women that had done tailoring apprenticeships...rent was cheap. And there were very strong wholesale accounts where people paid on time."[Today] we are completely exposed to [the volatility of the global market]. We live in the bottom of the world. We’ve experienced huge changes in terms of bricks and mortars and our tariffs coming off with Made in China clothing coming into this country, which obliterated our shoe manufacturing and most of our clothing manufacturing. So there were massive adjustments that had to be made with the change in wholesale versus buying online.""The key for us is to keep it very lean and to to be more specialised...to offer more of a service to our customers. [In the past] we stocked David Jones with, thirteen stores, 33 wholesale accounts, but ten years ago we downsized the business and now it’s just me."Branding through Social MediaKelly Coe is the founder of womenswear brand Augustine, which operates four stores in New Zealand and runs seven labels under its umbrella. Kelly came from a marketing background and since launching in 2007 she has successfully used social media to sell and promote her brand."Social media for us has been huge... we grew our brand on Facebook and our customers grew with us."…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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  21:35

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