P. Johnson Lands in New Zealand

In the made to measure tailoring side of P Johnson, weddings are a very significant aspect of our offering and our expertise. They have been for over 15 years.

We love hosting wedding fittings because we feel we can unravel the complexities that clients often feel when it comes to choosing something for their wedding, particularly when trying to discern what might be appropriate for the occasion. We can also provide very stylish guidance in an area that can attract quite stereotyped or pastiched looks. We want people to feel like themselves in their wedding outfits and most importantly it should be a fun part of the whole experience of getting married, not something that is stressful or complicated. We have a lot of experience in this area and we train our teams very specifically in wedding consultations. For women, while we don’t specifically do bridal we do have pieces that can be used for bridal wear and our ready-to-wear is often chosen by invitees — we do a lot of evening, dressier and transitional pieces.

Consider first what you want everyone to be wearing. What is the dress code on your invitation? (Our advice is to be very clear and prescriptive to your guests because it makes it easier for them to understand what is appropriate.) Next, consider what feels most like ‘you’, most natural, baring in mind that it is your wedding and you ought to step it up for the occasion. In other words, don’t get too relaxed or nonchalant about it. Enjoy the idea that you need to be the centre of attention for just one day and put in the effort! Your bride almost certainly will be! It's about balancing feeling like yourself, but doing so in a way that makes you the best and most polished version. Consider groomsmen as a support squad and have them dress accordingly. Aside from that, trust the guidance from our experts, you will know if something feels coherent and you have been understood by your tailor.

While we don’t do traditional bridal pieces per se, occasional core collection and seasonal pieces come through the range that are appropriate for a contemporary-elegant bridal look or at least an outfit change. (Our silk organza Devon series was a great example of this.) We put a lot of attention on creating beautiful, chic formal dresses, gowns and sets that will be perfect for attending weddings and even bridesmaids looks. We use a lot of silk in organzas, crepes and voiles and fresher yet complex and dusty pastels shades and off whites. Silk is very much in our wheelhouse and we love the quality it brings to a garment.

“We always have Auckland on our minds... and New Zealand-based clients travel to Australia for wedding fittings all year round... maybe a store here eventually would be great.”

We have been servicing a group of New Zealand-based clients in Australia for some time now with many travelling to Australia for wedding fittings over the years. As a result we have always had Auckland on our minds as a place to make our mark as a brand. (We even have a handful of New Zealanders in the business, so it only makes sense to us.) We love trunk shows as a way of bringing our brand hosting to a newer market where we have know there is a burgeoning demand.

At our trunk show at ECC, people booking into each styling sessions should expect friendly faces and beautiful clothes! We love hosting, love a chat and guiding people to the most stylish outcomes.

By trunk-showing we can build on our group of dedicated clientele and then if the moment arises and the right person in our team is willing, we can slowly build up to opening a store here. For example, we came across the right people in Jakarta and in December we will open a store there after many years of servicing Jakarta clients. This is also how we established our Brisbane stores. Slowly, carefully, we build our presence, we are not in a rush, we would prefer to be around in 100 years doing the same thing.

The reaction has been just great. The client has understood us and of course Kiwis are a delightful and naturally optimistic bunch who want to be involved. The goal is to do the best job we can and if that means a store eventually then that would be great.