Danielle Burkhart said support after her feature in Vogue UK has been wonderful. PHOTO/ALEYNA MARTINEZ
ALEYNA MARTINEZ
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Danielle Burkhart, the owner of Hebe Boutique and clothing label My Boyfriend’s Back is celebrating after she was featured in the magazine Vogue UK, the glossy magazine which has been an institution for more than 100 years.
The magazine wrote: “Dedicated to ethical fashion, their soft feminine aesthetic ebbs over to [their] in-house label”.
Burkhart said the magazine contacted her during lockdown and although she already ships to Australia, America, and London, the feature has brought in new business from all over the world.
“The timing of it was just really interesting, to come out of covid-19 with a business that was still surviving,” she said.
“They said look, we’re constantly on the lookout for things that are a little bit different and align with what we’re trying to do.
“New Zealand is an interesting creative place, we’re a tiny corner of the world compared to them and there are some incredible artisans here, it’s quite exotic.”
During lockdown, the designer and working mum said she chose not to register as an essential business for ethical reasons. Although it was an option, she could not justify declaring her boutique items as essential.
Having owned the Kuripuni boutique for more than six years, Burkhart specialises in stocking brands that are made in New Zealand.
She said lockdown was a great time for everyone to stop and spend their money with local businesses and it felt “quite emotional” to pack up all the pre-ordered parcels in Alert Level 3 because it showed how many customers supported the boutique.
While her doors were closed, she used social media to connect with customers and keep the business running, which she said was how Vogue UK came across her.
