inspiring women series - claudia zinzan
It's our true pleasure to introduce you to Claudia Zinzan, Owner and Founder of our truly special stockist, Father Rabbit, where a thoughtful and impeccably curated array of products await at their four beautiful New Zealand stores, as well as online. Formerly an interior designer, Claudia's keen eye, design aesthetic and thoughtful choices permeate throughout the Father Rabbit experience. Here, we are lucky enough to have her share an insight into her world...
Claudia wears the Asymmetric Skirt in Black Organic Cotton
Star Sign?
Aries
Your happy place?
Rakino Island, off the coast of Auckland in the Hauraki Gulf. We’ve been holidaying at our cabins there with friends and family for 5 years. Remote and untouched - Rakino is our place to relax, immerse with nature, and switch off from the world.
Women who inspire you?
I am always inspired by other women in business, naturally I seek out mentors and people doing the same thing to learn and share information with them. I’m regularly in touch with Juliette Hogan and Alex from AC Homestore. You’ll find me at any gathering asking a million questions of anyone in business.
A place you are dreaming of visiting?
I can’t wait to go back to Brazil one day. When I was 16 years old, I lived there for a year on AFS, and at the end spoke fluent Portuguese (can’t now!) It is such an incredible country and I want to go back and experience it with adult eyes and try to reclaim some of the language I have since lost.
How are you embracing a slower pace / approach in your life now?
The silver lining of the challenges we’ve faced with Covid-19 is that we’ve all managed to slow down and remember what it feels like. I am surrounded by an incredibly gifted and supportive team who have allowed me to step back and hand over responsibilities I didn’t need to be taking care of. I prioritise keeping a balance between work and home life now and stick to Monday-Friday, 9-5pm (most of the time).
What does responsible /sustainable fashion mean to you?
Our most recent bricks & mortar store Father Rabbit Select was built upon the values of responsible fashion, which means a lot to me personally. Our curated collections encourage buying once and right, offering pieces that hold lasting relevance in both quality and aesthetic. If clothes are made well (and responsibly) they last. We aren’t driven by trends and instead, cater to those pieces you reach for every day.
Share some sustainable choices that you make in your life and why you feel this is important?
Both personally and at Father Rabbit, we make choices that leave a lighter footprint. As a retailer, it’s our responsibility to ensure we put systems in place to offset our business decisions. From packaging and waste disposal, down to transport and the products themselves, we carefully consider every part of our business. At home, we implement simple daily practices that go a long way such as composting, rubbish sorting and minimising packaging when we purchase and our purchasing decisions are always made with the environment in mind.
Your closet - favourite local / independent labels we would find?
The pieces you’d find in my wardrobe are the pieces you’d find at Father Rabbit. Most of the mindful brands we launched with are ones I have owned pieces from, and can personally attest to their longstanding relevance. Jac & Jack cashmere and basics, Autark shirts, Worn Store Blazer, Jeanerica denim and Veja sneakers are high rotation pieces.
Lastly, your favourite autark piece? What makes autark unique as a label?
The Asymmetrical skirt I’m wearing. It’s incredibly flattering on lots of different body shapes and the organic cotton allows breathability through the summer months.
Autark stands out for their strong commitment to ethical principles and considered production. Designer and director, Sophia's substantial efforts to minimise the impact of fashion production using deadstock fabrics and limiting production makes me feel a sense of pride when buying from their collections.