Family photos

“Florence & Fortitude is steeped in family history with our label’s namesake being our great-grandmother Florence, a designer and seamstress in the late 1800s, and the ‘fortitude’ aspect of the name being a nod to the women of her lineage.

Family photos of these women are precious reminders of the people who have shaped myself personally and our label with their strength, tenacity and joyful outlook being sewn into the seams of our label’s pieces.

From a portrait of Florence’s mother, an image of three generations of women portraying their differing personalities, to my mother’s crowning as Miss New Zealand and captured moments of love between my grandparents and parents at age 16 in their high school show of ‘The King and I’ – all of these are special in their own right and adorn my walls at home and work.”

Miss World Pendant

“My mother was Miss New Zealand 1971 and during this time she was part of Miss Universe and Miss World.

A commemorative pendant was given to her at Miss World with this being a treasured family heirloom. A good luck fixture worn by my sister and I at every University exam, my mother later commissioned pendant replicas for us both, which we wear every day and serves as a connection between the three of us.

The pendant is not only a symbol of her achievements but the manner in which she conducted her reign where she extended on the normal parameters of a beauty queen at the time and focused largely on community service, empowering young people and being an active ambassadress overseas for the country.”

Sophia Webster heels

“Fashion has always been a way to express myself as well as a source of empowerment.

From an early age, I was particularly fascinated by my mother’s shoe collection and their ability to accentuate the tone of an outfit.

Entering my legal career my choice of shoes was a conscious daily decision based on not only style but on my work schedule with them serving almost as armour, assisting me in confidently tackling the day’s challenges.

Favourites among my collection are those from family and dear friends for milestone birthdays and significant work moments, with these shoes all holding numerous special memories of wear.

The design juxtaposition and ornate detailing of these Sophia Webster heels has lent them to be a much loved and often worn pair.”

Ruth Bader Ginsburg sketch

“During [my study at] law school I became aware of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her pioneering legal work advocating gender equality and women’s rights.

Not only have I always admired her brilliant legal acumen and career but also her strong moral compass and determination to stand up for what she believes is right in the face of great opposition – qualities that I wanted to carry with me in my own personal legal career

My sister had this sketch commissioned by one of my favourite artists and is a unique depiction of a remarkable woman blending traditional legal portraits with contemporary style

The hint of her jabot in the sketch is particularly significant as it is something that she uses to express her personality and the subtle meanings she attaches to the piece.”

Vintage bag

“This bag was an item kept from my mother’s mini department store which was open during the 80s and 90s [La Rouge in Rotorua].

The pieces purchased for the store strongly represented my mother’s personal style and her ability to effortlessly push style boundaries of the day whilst still maintaining a classic touch – an ethos that has influenced the designs of our label.

I love the competing elements of this bag in which soft velvet and feminine pearls are combined into a structured and bold form with it being ahead of its time in the 90s but still a unique and relevant piece today.

It has been a bag used frequently over the years and is very much treasured.”