Reading Time: 5 Minutes
By Helene Ravlich
10 years ago this year, dynamic mother and daughter duo, Elle Pugh and Yolande Ellis had an idea – to create a luxurious cashmere offering that transcended seasons, available online and carefully straddling the line between on trend and completely timeless.
The astute businesswomen had recognised something was missing in the luxury fashion space, and inspired by the diverse climate and natural beauty of New Zealand, they sought to make the world’s most luxurious material accessible, versatile, and in styles designed to be loved forever. Elle & Riley was born, and now the successful brand has no less than six retail doors in New Zealand and a US flagship in the heart of Beverly Hills, proof of both a solid, very attractive concept and the preternaturally stylish pair’s commitment to creating a beautiful business they can be proud of.
With Elle now living permanently in Los Angeles and Yolande still based in Auckland, they relish moments spent together in one place, and when we sit down to chat Elle is back home with a full schedule of commitments. “We are definitely doing a lot over the next few weeks,” she says with a smile, clearly loving being back with family and relishing the chance to get stuck into the business end of Elle & Riley in person, rather than over Zoom. “We are doing photo shoots, and we’ve got a 2027 strategy day with our senior management team, which is a huge, huge ordeal as we’re planning for the next 12 months across three different markets - not just New Zealand, but Australia and the United States as well. There is a lot to do, but it’s all very exciting!”
Australia is their newest territory to conquer, after taking the gamble entering the US market in October of last year in truly spectacular fashion. In the heart of Beverly Hills, the destination boutique is similar to their Newmarket and Arrowtown addresses in that it was designed to reflect Elle & Riley’s signature warmth and intimacy, offering customers a space that feels like a welcoming home. Every detail - from the plush textures to the serene palette - honours the brand’s commitment to timeless design and personal connection. “California felt like the perfect place to begin our international journey,” said Elle at time of opening, “the lifestyle here mirrors much of what we value in New Zealand - an ease, an appreciation for quality, and a deep connection to nature.”
Six months later and the US flagship “is going really well, but we definitely took a pretty big risk,” says Elle. “It hasn’t been easy but I think having a real bricks and mortar space, especially where we are in Beverly Hills, has worked really, really well for us.” It goes without saying that the US is a huge market, and the pair acknowledge that the process was “like basically starting your business from scratch all over again, with so many new buying habits to learn”. They both agree that rather than trying to rush things, they have to remember what it was like when they were an unknown brand and opening their first boutique. “Of course you want things to start happening faster,” says Elle, “but it’s scaling really well and we have some exciting plans for the next twelve months.”
“It was actually a little easier for us to introduce our brand in the US as they had such an appreciation for cashmere already,” acknowledges Elle, “whereas in New Zealand when we started there was so much knowledge about merino wool that we really had to educate people about the difference between the two. The cost associated with buying cashmere in particular.”
American women also embrace colour more than the average New Zealand customer, and aren’t afraid to purchase the likes of a two-piece lapis-hued tracksuit where a local may just opt for a zip hoodie in the same shade. “We’re not crazy when we add a new colourway,” says the LA-based co-founder, “but our US customers are definitely a little more adventurous with colour.”
Celebrating the tenth anniversary of their brand this year, it has to be asked: does the ‘family working with family’ dynamic get any harder, or easier? The pair look at each other and laugh, before agreeing that in the beginning it was all a matter of trying to figure out where each other’s strengths lay, and how best to operate as a duo. “If you both try to do everything and be across everything you soon realise it’s a waste of two people’s time,” says Elle.
“It took around three years to define our roles and trust that when either of us makes a decision, it’s the right one at the time. And it’s okay to disagree!” Having a shared sense of style also definitely helps, both women impeccably groomed, walking ambassadors for the brand.
And no matter where the next Elle & Riley collection may pop up, their commitment to creating an in-store experience that sees customers leave with a gentle emotional connection to the product and the brand it still always top of mind.
“Elle & Riley isn’t just about luxury,” says Elle. “It’s about how you feel when you leave our stores or browse our website, and when you put our pieces on. The idea of comfort inspiring confidence, of clothing that completes your day, your wardrobe, even your sense of self is what drives everything we do.”
Elle & Riley Cashmere
32 Osborne Street
This article appears in the Autumn/Winter 26 issue of NEWMARKET. magazine, for more, click here.
Tags: Interviews
