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When one chapter ends, another begins - and that’s exactly the story behind Sylvester. Born from the legacy of their Mother’s business, Sylvester is the next-generation vision brought to life by three brothers; Tom, Ike and Cosmo. With a shared passion for timeless style, fashion and continuing the family spirit, the brothers are carving out a new path while honouring the past. We sat down with Ike Conway to hear how the brand came to be, what it’s been like honouring their mum's legacy and where they’re headed next.
Newmarket: The closing of Kate Sylvester was huge news for the New Zealand fashion industry, can you take us back to the moment you found out and when the idea to reimagine the iconic brand first came up?
Ike: We were absolutely gutted when Mum and Dad broke the news to us that they wanted to wrap up Kate Sylvester. The Kate Sylvester brand was like our cool older sister growing up, so the news really felt like we were losing a family member. After a few months of grieving the business, Tom, Cosmo and I came together and realised it was now or never. We saw huge potential in Sylvester and how we could evolve it with our different perspectives. When we proposed the idea to Mum and Dad they were very excited.
N: This is a huge venture to take on. Did you all gravitate towards the fashion industry, or was this an unexpected path?
I: We have always been involved with Mum and Dad's business, whether that be bartending the KS Christmas parties or setting up runways at fashion week. Our parents are our biggest heroes so it felt natural after finishing university to step right into the family trade.
N: As three different individuals, how does Sylvester reflect each of your personalities?
I: Firstly, it balances the masculine and feminine in a cool way – a reflection of all of our personal styles. Secondly, it is versatile – a reflection of our skillsets. And lastly, Sylvester has attitude and personality – something we all have in spades.
N: How have you split responsibilities between the three of you?
I: Tom was working alongside designers Christine and Ayano before his accident, and will be returning to that role soon. I do all the in-house photography and graphic design/marketing and Cosmo is on the design team alongside Tom, Christine and Ayano.
N: What did you learn from watching your parents run a business, and how has that shaped your approach today?
I: It has been easy to work crazy long hours while getting Sylvester set up, but ultimately it means other parts of your life start to lag behind. During KS, Mum and Dad were really good at working like maniacs during the day; however, as soon as they arrived home, they would leave all of their work at the door. Having this balance is something we all aspire to have.
N: Can you run us through the design process behind your first collection and a couple of your favourite pieces?
I: The design process for this first collection has been very much a combination of what worked best in the past but also how can we launch this thing with key points of difference. Some favourite pieces of ours are the Stripey hoodie, a piece Tom championed from the very beginning. We also all love the Denim pleat trousers with their wide leg fit and dapper two front pleats.
N: Designing a collection must come with a lot of trial and error. Were there any pieces that didn’t make the final cut?
I: Honestly, the only pieces that didn’t make the cut for launch were two different t-shirt designs and this was only due to running out of time to get them done!
N: How have you balanced honouring your mum’s legacy with the need to create your own identity?
I: We are honouring Mum’s legacy by keeping Sylvester a brand that is designed by women, for women, but now it is even more with three boys evolving it as well.
N: If you could jump ahead 5 years, what do you hope people are saying about Sylvester?
I: ‘Sylvester has something for everyone’.
N: What can we expect next from Sylvester?
I: Our biggest goals are to grow our social media presence and eventually open a retail store or two in Australia. And just continue to make more cool stuff.
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Tags: fashion
