Verve sits down with Murray Crane of Crane Brothers ahead of the opening of the tailors’ new Ponsonby store.
What would your younger self think of what you’ve achieved – and what advice would you give him?
If I could chat to my younger self I’d say: “You’ll work it out.” Being told everything will be okay doesn’t help anyone, you need to feel that fear and trepidation as that’s the excitement of starting something new. The best advice I ever got was from my grandfather who told me that the only place success comes before work is in the dictionary. That’s always resonated with me.
Has the pandemic challenged the way you think about men’s fashion and business?
Covid gave me time to stop and take stock of the business. After 23 years we’d built a successful brand, so it felt like a good time to dissect that and analyse every piece. I wanted to see what was working and what was no longer relevant. I used every day of lockdown to do that, to make sure that we’d be ready to go when things began to return to normal. It just took a bit longer than I hoped for normality to return.
How has the rise in working from home influenced the style of clothes you design?
I always like to think that we listen to clients’ needs and wants, then develop our collections around this. The casualisation of the workforce has been happening for some time now, we are seeing more of a focus on comfort. Knitwear is a big part of that; we’ve recently introduced our custom-made knitwear programme which has been a great success.
What excites you most about your upcoming move to Ponsonby?
I love Ponsonby and have spent many hours there over the years. I remember Ivans and the Open Late Cafe, Ponsonby Pies, and the Busy Bee Dairy. It’s a wonderful cross section of Auckland’s culture and a must visit for domestic and international tourists alike. I’m really pleased to be here.
Crane Brothers was established in 1999, how has social media influenced business?
It has become integral to our communication, but it has its place. Good brands are built on mahi (work) and it’s a slow journey – we don’t want to be ‘all talk and no trousers’. I respect its power; it can be your best friend or your worst enemy. As I say to my team all the time, no one ever found an original idea on the internet.
Where do you see yourself and the Crane Brothers business in 10 years?
Still working, still happy, and hopefully less grumpy – it’s a work in progress.
What’s your favourite piece of clothing you’ve designed to date?
There have been many, but I always remember when we had our Little Brother store on Richmond Road. I was married at the time, and we were living in a two-bedroom flat, above the store, with three children and a dog. I was working at Crane Brothers during the day and on Little Brother in the evenings. Money was tight and we were struggling to gain any traction. One night we were putting the bins out and my then-wife sighted the ‘Keep New Zealand Beautiful’ logo on the side of a recycle bin and said: “That would make a great t-shirt.” Two weeks later, we had stock in the store, and I think we sold nearly 1,200. It was definitely a ‘we can do this’ moment and gave me belief. The design is in the permanent collection at Te Papa now.
What is one men’s fashion trend you hope makes a return and one you hope never does?
I would dearly love to see a return to elegant dressing, however that is interpreted. A well-dressed man is a thing to behold. I think all trends have their place, good and bad. Sometimes things need to get bad before they get good.
What is your personal wardrobe staple piece that you’ll never part ways with?
If I had to choose one, it would be a white button-down shirt – preferably Crane Brothers.
