New Zealand-based fashion brand Maggie Marilyn is here to make real lasting change in the industry and our planet as a whole. Founded by Maggie Hewitt, the sustainable label centers itself around being values-driven and establishing circularity with its product and processes. Hewitt introduced the sublabel Somewhere in 2019 as a way to develop seasonless, essential womenswear through eco-design. The brand’s next step is the launch of its inaugural menswear collection with Somewhere Man.
The new extension to the Earth-friendlier line aims to provide sustainable solutions for everyday wardrobe pieces that are all parts stylish, comfortable, and practical. These essential items include classic T-shirts, track pants and shorts, hoodies and crewneck sweatshirts, a linen shirt, ribbed single, and the everyday blazer all available in a monochromatic white, black, bone, and grey palette for easy mix-and-match styling options.
The inspiration of the new line is drawn from the circle of men in the designer’s life. “The ‘Somewhere Man’ is a person who walks the talk, and actively supports initiatives and brands that place people and the planet first,” said Hewitt in a press release.
Maggie Marilyn’s first foray into menswear continues the fundamental circular, traceable, and affordable efforts already set in place from its initial Somewhere Womens line. Much of the pieces in Somewhere Man are made from 100% organic cotton grown from either Aegean Region, Turkey (hoodie, crew neck sweatshirt, track pants and shorts) or Gujarat, India (short and long sleeved t-shirts, ribbed singlets). The linen shirt’s organic material is sourced from Saint-Pierre-Le-Viger, France and is European Flax Certified. The everyday blazer utilizes a blend of fully organic cotton also from Gujarat, India and merino from various New Zealand farms. All garments are manufactured in New Zealand and designed to be composted or recycled when wearers ultimately decide the item’s end-of-life-cycle, allowing for materials to be kept in a closed-loop system in order to be used again.
“We are at a truly pivotal moment in history. This isn’t just about fashion. Here and now is where we decide what the world will look like for future generations,” said Hewitt. “We must adapt to a changing world. We must choose to be better than those before us. We must know our purpose and we must do everything in our power to be the change we wish to see in the world.”
The designer mission is to go beyond simply having the “sustainable” label tacked onto her brand, which, as we know, can be easily convoluted and even based on shallow commitments as seen by other brands. As Maggie Marilyn and the Somewhere line continues to grow, Hewitt has invested more into regenerative farming and the complex relationships between farmers, climate, ecology, and the community – the many steps and people involved for creating a product consumers often don’t see.
The new Somewhere Man line by Maggie Marilyn, which ranges from $55 to $550 USD, is available now online at maggiemarilyn.com or in store in Britomart and Newmarket, Auckland New Zealand.
In other fashion news, eco-friendly apparel brand PANGAIA launched its first denim line using a Himalayan nettle blend.