As the Managing Director of RUBY and a champion of ethical fashion, Emily Miller-Sharma has long been at the forefront of New Zealand’s style scene.
But with the country facing a national recession and the fashion industry navigating rising costs, shifting consumer habits, and the ever-present challenge of fast fashion, how is RUBY staying resilient?
We caught up with Emily to talk about the future of local fashion manufacturing, the balance between affordability and sustainability, and the power of collaboration in tough times. Plus, she shares her thoughts on industry-wide change, personal style confessions, and her favourite piece from RUBY’s latest ‘Dough’ collection.
Hey Emily! How’s Business?
Hello! Business is as it always has been: complex and simple, sparkling and scratchy.
With New Zealand facing a national recession, how has RUBY adapted its business strategies to stay resilient, and what advice would you give to other local brands trying to weather this economic climate?
When De and I started at RUBY, we had four brick-and-mortar stores, very little stock, and almost no production in the pipeline. We had figure out how to make pieces that the Rubettes walking into our stores wanted, and quickly. There was no other choice than to be nimble, and continuing to build on that strength is what has helped us to remain resilient.
I don’t mean to come across as flippant, or pretend it hasn’t been tough. We have had to work bloody hard. There are times when I feel like my brain is sore from trying to bend it to understand how best to react to a given market condition. But it comes back to a simple recipe.
Ingredients:
- What gets you jazzed in the morning
- Who are you making this for
Method:
- Whip
- Serve
In an environment where costs are rising and fast fashion remains dominant, how do you see the future of New Zealand’s fashion manufacturing industry?
This is dependent on the ownership we (consumers, producers, the media and Government) take in how we support the local manufacturing industry. A big realisation for me in the process of starting Mindful Fashion is that (weirdly) I am one of the adults in the room. Noone is going to swoop in and sort it out for me. This is where we are with the local manufacturing industry – we are all the adults in the room, and we need to work together to ensure that it thrives.
With many consumers tightening their budgets, how does RUBY balance affordability with sustainability, ensuring that ethical fashion remains accessible?
I feel weird talking about RUBY being “affordable” – there are a large number of people in our community for whom new clothing full stop is out of reach. But, I do understand the intention of your question.
We have worked hard to keep our RRP as low as we can. A metric I come back to is to ensure we offer pieces that Rubettes could buy with the disposable part of their weekly pay – whether it is money earned from babysitting, or working at a law firm.
The addition of RUBY Says Recycle – our internal buy back and resell service – has grown our ability to do this. It works for some Rubettes because they can access our pieces second hand and at a lower price point than if they were new. For others, they can bring back the pieces they no longer wear and get a credit on their customer account to offset, or pay for, new purchases.
In your opinion, how do you think New Zealand’s fashion industry work together to thrive, and are there any collaborations you’re particularly excited about?
The Threads of Tomorrow report that Mindful Fashion released in collaboration with EY has been a fundamental shift in us as an industry being taken seriously, not just the sparkly little sister.
I knew in my bones that we made an important contribution to Aotearoa – culturally and economically – but having rigorously collated data has been helpful in proving our value. Newsflash! We employ more people than the building construction industry!
So, I am obviously excited for the partnerships that MFNZ continue to build with the support of this foundational document. But also, it is easy to underestimate the sense of belonging that a community organisation like MFNZ brings. Being able to yarn with others who think and work the same way I do has been that beautiful mix of calming and exciting.
The way people shop has shifted dramatically over the past few years. What are some of the biggest changes/trends you’ve noticed in consumer behaviour, and how is RUBY responding?
What drives dramatic changes in our customers’ behaviour is often felt by all of us working at RUBY. And just as it’s sometimes hard to figure out what we as individuals really want or need during a time of uncertainty, we have to listen hard and get our sparkle on to figure out how we can best serve our Rubettes.
As one of the co-founders of Mindful Fashion NZ, what are the most urgent changes the industry needs to make, and what role does policy play in shaping a more sustainable future?
Most of the new clothing we consume in New Zealand is imported. And even when a piece is made in New Zealand, the materials have almost certainly come from offshore.
As a country, we are bringing in more and more and more. But we haven’t increased our capacity to deal with what happens when those imports reach the end of their first life.
This is a major infrastructural investment that requires vision and smarts. I am looking forward to working the any politician who has the ability to tackle this issue.
If you had to pick, what would be your favourite piece from RUBY’s latest ‘Dough’ collection?
- I love our Annie Trench – deep pockets and wonderful drape. Perfect for swooping in on any given situation
- Our Cowgirl T-Shirt – sick illustration by Shelley Botticelli, and all profits donated to MFNZ
How does RUBY handle mistakes and failures, and what lessons can other businesses learn from your approach?
I love it how at my son’s kindy there is a sign that says “FAIL is a First Attempt In Learning”. Sure sure, it’s not my first rodeo or whatever, but still, shit happens. You make decisions that weren’t the right ones, you miss obvious warning signs of a problem etc etc. The approach is:
- Where are we at right now
- What more do we need to know to properly understand the situation
- What are we immediately going to do to remedy it
- In the process of answering Q1-3, what do we now know that we need to address so we reduce the likelihood of this situation happening again
- For us to do this, what needs to change or what help do we need
Is there a fashion trend you secretly love but haven’t fully embraced yet? Or one you think should never make a comeback?
Mate, it all ebbs and flows, so I’m going to use this question to give thanks so some idols that are currently occupying my mind:
Rizzo from Grease, Dorothy Vallens from Blue Velvet, Cece Babcock from The Nanny, Kim Hill from, well, Kim Hill.
As we enter a new financial year, what are your biggest hopes and challenges for RUBY and the wider New Zealand fashion industry?
For RUBY, my hope is to keep on making cool shit. And to absorb, contribute to, and challenge what is going on around us.
For the wider community – it is for us all to enjoy and thrive x