For every pair of pool slides, studded sandals or hand-plaited heels you spot out in the wild this summer, there’s a very high chance they’ve come courtesy of La Tribe. 

When she founded the brand seven years ago, Auckland-based entrepreneur and footwear fanatic Emma Winter had no idea she was creating a uniform for Aotearoa’s best dressed. And yet, it was right there in the name – ‘La Tribe’ referring to our natural human instinct to gravitate towards people like us. Emma loved the thought of a gang of girlfriends meeting up for brunch, each in a different colourway of her original, best-selling crossover slides. And so La Tribe was born, and thanks to Emma’s eye for quality, style, and the right expansion opportunities, it’s now one of the most successful footwear labels in Australasia. 

Typically humble, she’s taken aback by the claim. “The journey has been wild with the brand having grown really organically over the years, which I would put down to the talented individuals I collaborate with and work alongside everyday, both here and in Australia,” she says, admitting that she’s “not very good at patting [herself] on the back.”

Luckily there’s no shortage of loyal customers, excited stockists and industry friends ready to do that for her – and never more so than when a new season of La Tribe is launched, as was the case this week with the arrival of Resort 22 in stores and online.

Titled ‘Dawn’, the name holds much significance for Emma. “Our new family home is in Te Atatū which translates to ‘the dawn’ in Māori, and it certainly felt like the beginning of a new chapter moving here. Being somewhere new also invariably opens up more space to be creative, and it’s where I came up with some of my new designs. It was a fresh start both personally and creatively.”

Featuring many tried and true signatures revamped for summer 2022, Dawn, as the name suggests, also brings with it some brand new styles that Emma hopes will be well received. 

“It’s important for me to keep classic styles in the collection simply because they make people happy. But I’m really excited about some of the more tactile styles we’re introducing right now. I think, intrinsically, we love wearing pieces that have a handmade feel. There’s something special about knowing the sandal you’re wearing has been assembled by hand, right down to the delicate fishtail braid strap which takes serious skill and careful craftsmanship to create.”

And as we enter into party season with more freedom of movement than we’ve enjoyed in the past three years, heels are back on the menu. Only this time, they’re padded.

“I think the idea of wearing heels after many months of slippers is pretty daunting for us all, so I wanted to come up with a design that was comfortable to wear. The pillow cushioning of the new inner sole promises exactly that. We’re also big on versatility, so have included two interchangeable straps with our Padded Heel, allowing the wearer to style theirs to suit their outfit. I think customers appreciate small details like this, that allow them to personalise their look.”

True to La Tribe’s famously monochrome offering, the Padded Heel comes in the expected neutral hues. But in a fun callback to the brand’s original Penny Heel – which cult followers will remember for its bright pink and midnight blue iterations – a subtle citrus and not-so-subtle electric blue version are also on the cards.

“We like to keep things interesting!” says Emma. 

With three tamariki under five, ‘interesting’ comes with the territory in the Winter household.

“I have an incredible support network of people around me, and that’s my secret weapon,” says Emma. “Relationships are very important to me, and our business and family relationships are all intertwined. My mum is my nanny, my husband is my business partner, our GM’s kids have playdates with mine, and a few of our senior team members have been with us since we were in our 20s. Someone once told me you are only as strong as the team around you, and I know this to be true.”

Discover La Tribe Resort 22 ‘Dawn’ at  www.latribe.co.nz