Last April the shockwaves rippled through the fashion industry when iconic New Zealand designer Kate Sylvester and her partner Wayne Conway announced that they would be closing the business after 31 years. But, earlier this month we received exciting news: Kate Sylvester’s diffusion line, Sylvester, will continue on under the leadership of the designer’s three sons, Ike, Tom and Cosmo Conway.
Launched in 2004, Sylvester offered an accessible entry point into the Kate Sylvester universe with its timeless every day essentials. The brand earned a loyal following in its own right for its soft tailoring, playful knitwear, and subtle nods to utility.
Ike, who was travelling through South America when his parents decided to wrap up the business, said the announcement was bittersweet.
“The KS brand was like our cool older sister growing up,” says Ike Conway. “When the closure was announced, we all felt like we were losing family. But, at the same time, we were so thrilled that mum was able to wrap up the business on such a high.”
Continuing the family business was initially never in the plans for the brothers.
“Growing up, people always asked the same question: “Are you going to take over the family business?” says Ike. “Our answers were always the same: “We want to do our own thing.” But, as we wound down the business, we started to realise that this is our own thing.”
The brothers — each holding a design degree from Massey University — have all spent time immersed in the world of Kate Sylvester, contributing in distinct but complementary ways. Tom, whose passion for clothing and design mirrors that of his mother, has worked across design, production, and dispatch since the age of 14. Ike came on board in 2023 to work in the brand’s marketing and digital team, while the youngest, Cosmo, pitched in during university breaks — most notably designing a bag that featured in Kate Sylvester’s penultimate collection.
It was through the process of winding down the business and collaborating with their mum on the KS Forever capsule collection, that the brothers realised they weren’t ready to say goodbye to Sylvester just yet.
“We saw incredible potential in Sylvester,” Conway says. “It’s existed in the KS world for so many years but never really had its time to shine.”
They also knew that if Sylvester was to truly thrive, they needed to honour the elements that made it resonate in the first place — beginning with long-time designer Christine Leung. “When we took our proposal to mum, she was thrilled,” Ike recalls. “But she said there was one non-negotiable — you have to bring back Christine. We agreed instantly. She understands the Sylvester brand to a tee, she gets the designs, the language, and the attitude perfectly.”
Now, to the clothes.
The brothers hope to continue the Sylvester legacy with a debut collection featuring updated favourites from past collections, including wide-leg denim trousers, utility suiting and a pansy print dress; as well as pieces that speak to the brand’s new direction: notably a slouchy stripe hoodie and matching skirt.
“The very first thing Tom said when we sat down to plan this debut collection was: we have to have a stripey hoodie,” Ike says. “Stripes are a Sylvester staple that we’ll never part from, but this is us doing stripes in a way that’s very true to our design vision for the future.”
While Sylvester remains a womenswear brand, the collection has been designed so that many pieces can be worn by the brothers themselves.
“From the very start we were drawn to the ability to sell to all ages, to work as menswear, workwear, sportswear, and to include accessories,” Ike explains. “In offering up to a size 16 we’re opening up the chance for more people to wear the clothes than ever before.”
You’ll also see staples from Sylvester’s past, including the brand’s signature knitwear, this time with three fluffy cygnets huddled together in a cheeky nod to the KS Swan.
“We were so gutted to say goodbye to the swan,” Ike says. “We adore it. Cosmo even has it tattooed on him. So, when Tom found an adorable image of the three cygnets we knew we had to do something with it.”
With this new era also comes a new logo.
“‘The Huddle,’ is a circular rope with three loops illustrating three brothers, heads together with arms over shoulders,” Ike explains. “It shows us united as a family.”
Despite a difficult start to the year for the family, with Tom suffering a serious spinal injury that has left him in a wheelchair, this new project has kept them energised.
“Tom is so positive,” Ike says. “It’s been gutting that he hasn’t been able to be with us for some of our recent launch milestones, his enthusiasm and drive have given us all the push we need to make sure this next step is a huge success.”
While Kate does pop by the workroom occasionally to lend a hand when needed, she’s made it very clear that this isn’t her domain anymore.
“She’s so proud of what we’re doing, but she’s very happy to let us do our thing while she takes some time to enjoy her garden,” Ike says.
The new era of Sylvester will officially debut on Saturday April 26th with the opening of four stores in Newmarket, Commercial Bay, Christchurch and Wellington.
“The Sylvester retail experience is one thing that will never change,” Ike says. “The girls are so good at what they do, so we want that in-store experience to feel the same, where the customer comes in and they instantly feel welcomed and ready to play dress ups.”
”Our vision of Sylvester is not completely new, it’s an evolution. We’re honoured to have the opportunity to follow in our parents footsteps and make what we hope will be a meaningful contribution to Aotearoa’s fashion industry.”
The swan may have left the building, but the cygnets are well and truly ready to take flight.
