Heads up; there’s a new label you need to get to know. Perfectly timed to make the most of the burgeoning trend for unisex clothing designed with not just one gender in mind, the street/fashion fusion of this newly launched brand appeals to individuals with confident and individual personal style. Meet Modern Manners.

Liam Sharma is the driving force behind the label that also employs a design creative and a production team to bring their cool modern basics to shoppers via select retailers and an online store www.modernmanners.co

The range includes pieces like the traditional long-sleeved printed tee popular in the nineties in skate and grunge sub-cultures, a flannel shirt, drill bomber, striped crew neck and a desirable oversized shearling-lined denim jacket.

Sharma says his aim is to offer a fresh, accessible take on streetwear, encouraging the wearer to interpret the direction of the label in their own way. With an initial range of 16 styles with more dropping monthly on the brand’s online store, the idea is to be a forward-thinking, reactive brand, moving quickly with the ever-changing desires of shoppers.

“The first collection was inspired by day to day aspects of living that can bore us, explains Sharma. “The idea was to create a street-wear collection that was really relatable to youth subculture and was wearable for everyday hustle. Quality and comfort is key in all our pieces and the psychic imagery of the first collection is just something we genuinely found cool and we wanted to wear. The imagery itself was designed in-house by Ewan, our head of design, who will continue to work on the graphic design for the brand.”

The unisex approach is true to the 16 initial styles in the range that can be bought larger or smaller depending on the wearer’s size and styling intentions.

“The unisex market fits our brands modern image, a lot of the styles are menswear pieces but we keep the door open for female interpretation. We believe in the freedom to create and to communicate.”

It’s not surprising Sharma has found his way into the fashion industry. Parents Christine and Vere Sharma are co-founders of De Vere Textiles, and Christine is now Managing Director of local label Ruby, while one sister, Anna-Lise, is Ruby’s brand manager and another, Emily, designs Ruby’s co-label Liam. NZ fashion train spotters will know the label Liam was originally named after the youngest son in the family – one Liam Sharma. Taking a different design direction is one way to retain a little bit of breathing room in the family industry, but Sharma insists he only found his background inspiring, rather than daunting.

“I have found it incredibly inspiring and very exciting. I have grown up completely surrounded by the fashion industry and I am incredibly lucky to be able to learn from my own family members and their experiences. Most of the seven members of my immediate family have some connection currently with the fashion industry and it’s amazing to be able to learn from them every day and draw knowledge from people who are polished in their fields of expertise.”

Modern Manners is available now at www.modernmanners.co.