Born and Auckland, but raised in Tauranga, Kelly Coe was obsessed with sports as a kid.
She confessed that she only went to school just to play sports, with her favourites being netball, basketball, and volleyball. The trend continued for her, working at Nike after university. Coe went on to work at High Society, where her passion for the fashion industry grew.
“I learnt so much, especially at High Society as they were all New Zealand made, so I saw the full process every day and I loved it.”
Nowadays, Coe is the designer and creative brain behind Augustine, a brand she started in 2007. Fifteen years later, Augustine is still going strong.
“When we started, the local fashion scene was very dark. More colour is happening now which is exciting. We have always been about colour, print and more is more. I love pairing prints and colours together, then adding an amazing shoe and playing around with an outfit. We also create pieces for everybody, I like to think that anyone of any size can come into our store and find something that makes them feel amazing,” said Coe.
Augustine caters for all bodies, starting at size six, and ranging to size 24, and all garments come in the signature bold and colourful patterns the brand is known for.
“We have special occasion pieces and daywear, office wear or activewear. I’d hate to think that someone would walk into our store and think nothing suits them, my goal is to have a store where something will suit everyone that walks in.”
The creative process for Coe starts with the fabrics, as she admits that she can’t do anything without getting the fabric in her hands first. Prints, colours, and textures are things that appeal to her, and she enjoys the process of creating the initial idea to actually making the finished garment.
“I am constantly thinking of who will wear this, where will they wear it, what can I do to make this the perfect dress for a lady to wear to a wedding, then when I’m done, I’ll still add pockets.”
Coe said that she isn’t setting any big goals for the future currently, but would like to continue to make women feel included in what they wear.
“I want to have events for our customers to attend that inspire them and enrich their lives, I want stores that are treasure troves to be shopped in and enjoyed. This year we have a strong focus on adding more natural fibres into all our ranges without losing our core of bright colour and fun. It's a big focus for us and something that we are working really hard on.”
