Anna Shone’s company, Thing Thing, is a streetwear clothing brand that creates both womenswear and menswear based in Nelson.
Shone's journey into fashion started as a teenager when she got into mum's sewing cabinet and turned an old candlewick bedspread into a pair of pants. From there, she made a variety of garments until she left school and thought of pursuing it further.
After completing a certificate in visual arts, and having explored arts in all forms, it affirmed that fashion was the place for her. She then studied at the former Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology, majoring in fashion design.
Her previous label, Charislee, was born in her spare room back in 2005, it was later rebranded into the womenswear label Homelee. After nine years at the Nelson market and starting to wholesale to boutiques nationwide, it was time to take production offshore, as Shone couldn't keep up with demand.
Over the past eight years, she has introduced three new fashion labels, Rose Road Activewear, The Goodnight Society Sleepwear and Thing Thing.
Shone loves to allow her creative juices to flow when designing.
“I love seeing how creative and brave people can be with their outfit choices. I am most inspired by the women who choose our clothing by how confident and comfortable it makes them feel.”
Her aim is to create quality garments that last across all her labels, and often uses natural fibres for longevity. Thing Thing is a streetwear brand for people who enjoy fashion with a twist, while Rose Road is her athleisure active brand for women who want quality, comfort and style.
Shone finds inspiration from a range of different places, but especially from nature.
Living in Nelson, she says that simple design staples, such as florals in spring and the hopeful feeling that leads into summer, are just an example of nature being a big influence.
She also takes inspiration from international brands that design captivating prints, use bold and bright colours, and take risks.
Shone finds it inspiring to watch the trends and fashion forecast globally, and how to adapt them and give a New Zealand touch to popular trends.
She collaborates with a small team of designers across the brands, and has done so for a number of years. For Shone, being prepared to back yourself is ideal for the industry, and that learning the craft, studying, and being prepared for hard work are just as important.
Being part of the organic movement is something she is very proud of, reinvesting every dollar back into the business. Having always backed herself, even on the days when sales were few and far between, she still had a vision and kept working hard towards it.
Building a destination space for her labels and expanding globally are Shone’s biggest goals for the foreseeable future.
