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The recent sale of Orewa Menswear to business partners, Evan McNeill and Tom Halloran, will give the Hibiscus Coast one of NZ’s only exclusive Berlin clothing stores.
Like the store’s former owner, Tim Green, who took over from his father Cliff, Evan and Tom are no strangers to the menswear trade.
They both have about 40 years experience in men’s clothing – Evan in sales and marketing, and Tom in design and pattern making – although this is their first foray into retailing.
As wholesalers, they have spent the last 10 years developing the Berlin range of jeans, shorts and shirts, and distribute throughout NZ and Australia. The clothes are designed in NZ and manufactured in China from Egyptian cotton and good quality fabric from Japan and more recently France.
“We use stretch fabric for all our jeans and shorts, which is extremely comfortable,” Tom says. “Most men who try them on for the first time, buy them. We put a lot of effort into the detail of the clothes and the fabric quality, and the workmanship is equal to any top brand in the world, but without the same price tag.”
Evan says the clothes are designed to suit a wide range of age groups, from men in their 20s to “older guys who still want to look good”. The Astin Smith High Street range of shirts and pants have been designed with the corporate market in mind.
Evan and Tom say they were a little hesitant about opening their own shop, but they were often asked if there was anywhere where people could see their whole collection.
“This shop provides that opportunity.”
The new owners will also have the considerable experience of long-time manager Janice Sapsworth, who has worked at the store for the past 15 years.
