Our resident fashion blogger Dru recently stumbled across something wonderful – GUS – a Kiwi menswear label that in his words has some “pretty sweet threads.”   Their winter 12 collection is an interesting mix of different fabrics including velvet and corduroy, and Dru pretty much added most of it to his wardrobe wish list.  I caught up with the guys behind the label to find out more about their collection, their opinion on New Zealand’s fashion industry and the story behind the name.  Here’s what they had to say:

How did the GUS come about?
GUS came about after Angus tried his hand at clothing design a couple of years ago. Hamish and I both thought his work had the goods, and with a nicely complementary set of skills between us, we decided to have a shot at making it work.

What was the inspiration behind the latest collection?
The collection is called “at home” so I guess the inspiration came from there to an extent. It’s tough because our inspiration comes from a lot of different places, normally we will have a pile of slightly eclectic ideas that we end up boiling down to create a cohesive collection. Well that’s how we’ve been working so far anyway — Angus wakes up in a cold sweat, writes down an idea and it goes to the forum, sometimes it makes it into the collection. We tend to keep our colour palate simple and we also like to use consistent textures throughout so we keep that in mind too.

If you have to pick your favourite look from the collection, what would it be?
We’re pretty excited about the corduroy. We’ve been told the jersey and pants are a bit much when worn at the same time, but we’re into the idea of rocking the super comfy cord suit, despite what people say.  Our Velvet Back Jacket has also been hit with everyone who has laid eyes on the collection.

Kiwi men aren’t necessary fashion forward, will this collection make them step out of their comfort zones?
That’s not really what we’re aiming for to be honest. Our collections traditionally (if I can use that word after two collections) consist of fairly simple garments — so I guess we’re aware of the phenomena you mention. Our main focus is on getting the cut perfect and adding small details that add to the clothes without making them too flamboyant. I don’t think it will make people push boundaries, but at the same time it offers a nice point of difference for people who appreciate a simple, understated aesthetic in their clothing.

What are your thoughts on the way the New Zealand Fashion scene is shaping up – it seems to be gathering a lot of momentum with the addition of more fashion weeks and festivals?
New Zealand has always been a creative little hub and I think the fashion industry is a great illustration of that. There are a lot of people out there designing and making clothes who have a lot of skill, a lot that don’t even do it commercially. I guess we’re learning you have to be on your toes at all times and design for yourself not other people to earn respect. It’s inspiring and exciting to be involved in that’s for sure.

What kind of look are you personally sporting currently?
We are all pretty similar in that we don’t have massive wardrobes. We are pretty much all wearing clothing from our Summer 11/12 range for the moment — which can be seen on our website. The tan Cooper jeans from Summer are a staple for sure, so much so we sometimes have to make sure we aren’t in uniform. We’re pretty amped for a new load of clothes come the winter drop that’s for sure!

Is there a story behind the name GUS?
Well Angus does the clothing design and we figured a simple short name was the best idea after a lot of discussion. He is affectionately known as Gus and everyone gave us good feedback on the name so we went with that. It has given Gus a lot of veto power, being his name and all, but we trust him enough to let it slide for now.

Any last words for our readers?

Read more books, always say yes and listen to Neil Young and The Velvet Underground.

Find out more on their website (+ stockists info) | Follow the GUS journey on Tumblr