New Zealand label Benjamin Alexander is reinventing classic silhouettes
PHOTOGRAPHY BY VERONICA CROCKFORD-POUND FOR BENJAMIN ALEXANDER
WORDS BY SERAPHINA NICHOLLS
“I find it hard to speak to what the thinking is behind my clothing because it is so simply who I am.”
Starting an independent, locally-made label came naturally to New Zealand designer Benjamin Alexander. While Benjamin has the feeling his knack for clothes-making came from a genetic predisposition (his sister works on the label with him), it wasn’t until winning the first season of New Zealand’s version of the popular reality TV show, Project Runway, that he decided to focus on the label full-time.
The designer plays around with the tailoring of classic silhouettes by adding details that feel a little unexpected – see its silky maxi skirt in baby blue complete with oversized cargo pockets and a split at the back, or its scoop neck dress that subtly hugs the torso through a hidden corset-style bodice.
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Lying at the heart of such considerate designs is an even more considerate ethos, centred around doing “what feels right for the time”. Like a growing crop of up-and-coming independent Australian and New Zealand labels, it’s important to Benjamin to create and produce the label’s garments locally and transparently. Below, he shares his reflections on the label’s journey and looks to the future.
Tell us about you. What’s your creative background?
My creative background is very much who I am to put it plainly. There isn’t a special concoction for creativity or being a creative person, it’s very much something one is born with. From a young age, I was playing with barbies and raiding Mum’s wardrobe which definitely explains a lot!
How did the label get started? Talk us through the process and the challenges.
What gave me the chance to start Benjamin Alexander was the opportunity to compete and win the first season of Project Runway New Zealand. Starting a business was always on the cards, but winning allowed me to push go on everything I had wanted to do. We launched with a show held at a heritage-listed building that overlooked Auckland’s harbour.
I always had the idea that our first show would be massive and tech-heavy, but for whatever reason, I stripped everything back and let the building and natural light flooded room take centre stage. It was extremely intimate and warm, which I think looking back set the tone of what Benjamin Alexander is today.
What were you trying to achieve from the project at the time? How has this evolved and what are you trying to communicate through the brand now?
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My intention with the business has always been to create clothing that, for whatever reason, was what I felt [was] right for the time. I find it hard to speak to what the thinking is behind the clothing because it is so simply who I am. If what I do makes the wearer look and feel their best, then that in itself is the achievement.
How would you describe Benjamin Alexander to someone who’s never seen it before?
It’s both exaggerated and minimal at the same time – a crossover between what is classic and what is maybe a little more explored in its scale and detail. Fabric that holds integrity or a particular textural interest to it is very much a grounding point of the clothing and often sets the mood of a collection.
What are you most proud of in your work on your label?
I’m proud of my sister, [who is] the other half of Benjamin Alexander. We’re building something that we both love and it’s exciting to share that with her.
What do you wish you knew when you started?
I wish I knew everything. There are, of course, many things one can learn before starting a business, but what has been rewarding is learning everything on the way and figuring things out for ourselves.
Dream local collaborators?
I would love to work with an auction house here in Auckland. I’m not sure at this stage what a collaboration might look like, but it’s something I would very much like to explore.
Who is in your wardrobe right now?
I definitely go through stages with how I want to dress. I find joy in so many different design elements and accessories that my wardrobe becomes [a] mix of a whole lot of things. I purchase mainly vintage or second-hand clothing for myself because it’s the hunt I enjoy. I’d say my wardrobe is very classic – oh, I’ll always be in diamonds.
To browse the label’s current and past collections, head
