I often consider the intent of the designer and the human touch of the creation when choosing a fashion item. In a culture of fast-production clothing produced in vast industrial quantities, I find that I’m more attached to an item of clothing when I know something of its back story and know that the designer is not a mega-sized company run by a team of business people. This is why I experience such delight shopping for clothes in New Zealand. More than other any other city I've experienced, there's  a healthy-sized group of independent designers, primarily women, producing and selling their own label. In a stroll down Ponsonby Road in Auckland, one finds the lovely boutiques of Miss Crabb, Ingrid Starnes, Wallace Rose, and Kate Sylvester, amongst others, all within a short walk. Garments are original, feminine yet edgy, made in limited quantities, and for the most part made in New Zealand. The designer is closer to her market, and her clients feel a relationship between what they wear and where it comes from. Designer items are not inexpensive, but this is hallmark of quality and distinction, something that is treasured for many years and better for the environment.