From humble beginnings in Northeast Valley 17 years ago, Dunedin woman Cindy King has grown her recycled designer clothing business to four stores in Otago and Southland. She speaks to business reporter Sally Rae.
Cindy King quips that her favourite clothing hues are a bit like her personality - black and white.
Miss King is the founder of Inside Out Clothing, a recycled designer clothing business that recently opened its fourth store.
With two stores in Dunedin, one in Oamaru and the newest addition in Invercargill, it has developed into a sizeable business.
Yet it is one she runs simply with a pen and paper rather than a computer system. Usually, the genial businesswoman has notes scribbled on her hand.
Sitting in her George St store in Dunedin, where racks of black and white clothing make an impact alongside their colourful counterparts, surrounded by chandeliers, Armani heels and fashion magazines, Miss King joked it could sometimes be known as ‘‘hub chaos''.
Some people could not understand how she could run four businesses alongside family life. A lot of it, she acknowledged, was ‘‘middle-of-the-night thinking'' but it was something the mother of two enjoys.
‘‘I enjoy the challenge of always having to think ‘what do we do next to make it better or more accessible to people that want to be party to recycling,'' she said.
Brought up in Dunedin, Miss King spent the first two years of her working life on a dairy farm in North Otago.
Returning to Dunedin, she continued in the dairy industry, followed by a few years in the hospitality sector.
While living in Northeast Valley she decided there was a niche in the market for a boutique store selling recycled clothing.
That was in 1999 and, rather than a passion for fashion at that stage, the move was more driven by the idea of a business and setting up something that was also community oriented.
As the clientele grew, she decided to move into retail premises in the northern end of George St.
Two years ago, Miss King opened a store in Oamaru, which was well received, and, a few months later, she added a third shop in the Exchange in Princes St, Dunedin. That also worked well, servicing customers who lived and worked in that end of the city, she said.
She was often asked if she would establish stores in other areas, including Southland. In response, two weeks ago, she opened Inside Out in Invercargill. The reaction had been ‘‘fantastic''. On Saturday, 70 people visited the shop in just three hours.
People sent clothing to be sold on their behalf, with the client receiving part of the sale price. Miss King estimated she was selling on behalf of more than 1000 clients.
Having four stores also gave her the option of moving stock around.
‘‘I have garments from Armani, Louis Vuitton ... I have the highest labels you can buy. Just because they are recycled doesn't mean to say they're not high end,'' she said.
In today's economic climate, clothing was a ‘‘bit of a treat''.
‘‘It's nice to be able to come in and get something that's still fashionable and the thrill of the buy too,'' she said.
‘‘It's great to see someone walking out the door looking stunning in something someone has already worn,'' she said.
Dunedin's boutique fashion stores and designers were an asset to the city and Miss King will be joining the legion of enthusiastic fans at this month's iD Dunedin Fashion Week.
‘‘They [the fans] love it - they love the hype on the street, the fashion in-store, the opportunity to wear the garments they buy.''
The lead-up to the annual event was also an exciting time at Inside Out and she always tried to ensure there were some special garments in-store.
Dunedin women love black, she says - admitting she does, too - and labels Nom*D and Zambesi are among her own personal favourites.
‘‘Black is Dunedin. Dunedin's edgy. With the black clothing, people feel edgy, they feel a bit rebellious,'' she said.
Miss King says her personal clothing rack is ‘‘funnily enough actually quite small'' - but it is also very black, as that suits her and her personality.
She had been known to step out in a floral dress ‘‘but I would wear Doc [Marten] boots with it'', she said.
Another bonus for Dunedin's retail sector was concerts and conferences in the city. She loved the vibrancy on the streets, seeing cafes full of people, and people armed with carry bags of purchases.
‘‘If we could have Fleetwood Mac and Rod Stewart here every weekend, Dunedin would be great,'' she said, laughing.
It was a full-on life and one that involved plenty of hard work but Miss King was grateful for the support of her ‘‘fabulous'' staff, who shared her passion for the business.
‘‘Between my staff and my family, they are all hands-on and make it happen and make it work,'' she said.
She enjoyed learning about the fashion industry and local fashionista Barbara Brinsley shared her knowledge of fashion, fabric and designers, particularly international ones.
