In Conversation with Heatwave
The philosophy behind a Wānaka-based concept store redefining outdoor retail
Welcome to the next interview !
I’m excited about this one as it moves me slightly beyond my usual fashion orbit. Over the past year I’ve spent more time outdoors than ever, surfing, hiking and everything in between, which has meant investing in some new gear. New Zealand does independent outdoor stores well, and Heatwave in Wānaka stands out.
Run by Alice and Fionn, Heatwave is an independent outdoor lifestyle store and community project based in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. They focus on hiking, biking and running, but what they’ve built goes beyond product, with grassroots events, morning run clubs and an open, genuinely welcoming atmosphere.
And everything they stock looks so good while remaining fully functional. Brands include Norda, Hikerkind and QUOC, among others.
Thank you, Alice, for taking the time to reply. I’m currently on my way back to Wānaka and very excited to get back there.
What’s the concept behind Heatwave, and how did your respective backgrounds shape it?
I think Heatwave slowly built itself up in our subconscious for a while. We definitely felt like we were missing access to the kit we knew and loved having been in London for so long and when we started thinking about bringing it in we knew we didn’t want to own a ‘shop’ we wanted it to be a place where everyone felt welcome to pop in and have a chat, to plan missions and to be able to meet like minded people. I’m so grateful we’ve been able to do it because not a day goes by where we’re not stoked about the interactions we’ve had with new people.
Fionn grew up in London and from a young age was immersed in skate and graffiti culture, he also grew up in the hardcore punk scene which has a big sub culture for endurance sports. The shop name actually comes from a hardcore punk album (not a weather system). A lot of what Fionn does and I think you can see it in Heatwave, is influenced by this up bringing. I grew up in NZ so was always in the outdoors, like most kiwis. I went on to work in footwear design in London, seeing the good an the bad of the industry, I like to focus on materials, and manufacturing. I think the combination of our upbringings in vastly different scenes, our love of the outdoors and our professional backgrounds really did compliment each other when we were building this and continue to do so. We’ve also learnt a lot from each other in the process so it feels like Heatwave has come into it’s own now and we’re watching it grow!
Looking back, what was the hardest part of getting the business off the ground?
There has definitely been a lot of tough moments and we’ve done a lot of learning the hard way. I do think one of the hardest parts was finding a home for Heatwave. We had been working hard to start it for a long time but being in tiny Wānaka, it’s quite hard to find a space. We decided to still commit and started as an online retailer for 6 months, after that we moved into a co-working space in town on weekends (General Service). Every Friday night we would bring in all our stock, put up temporary walls, hang clothing rails from the rafters and transform the space in to our own little shop, all to pack it up again on Sunday nights. We did this for a whole year before we finally found our full time space. As much as it was super hard work it was such a cool opportunity to allow us to spend time in the community rather than behind out screens and it got us to where we are today.
How do you choose the brands you stock? What makes something feel right for Heatwave?
We don’t necessarily have a set criteria and we certainly have some pieces that you won’t expect to see in an outdoors focussed store (like a chef brand from London). But we’re absolute suckers for good people, innovation and brands that are constantly evolving and trying new things. We have a few hard no’s at Heatwave, such as we won’t stock waterproof products that use PFA’s. We only bring in kit that we’re confident to back and stands up to our ethos of buy well and buy less. If we wouldn’t use it ourselves, it won’t find it’s way into the shop.
How much do performance and personal style influence both what you stock and what you wear, and would that balance, or your personal style, change if you were based somewhere more urban, like London?
They influence it massively and we’ve been super lucky to find brands that combine the two seamlessly. I can honestly say I don’t think our personal style or what we stock would change massively if we were back in London. We love the functionality of what we stock and the way it can all transition so smoothly into an urban environment. I think we’ve found our sweet spot!
You’ve now got your own Heatwave pieces (which I love). How did that come about, and what’s the ethos behind them?
We always wanted to have a couple of our own bits in the store and we’re always looking to add more eventually. They’re a nice way or expressing Heatwave’s personality more literally which is super fun. Some of our pieces have been my Mum’s artwork which I am obsessed with! Another has been done by a Graffiti artist in Bogotá who works with a lot of hardcore punk bands which is right up Fionn’s alley. And others have been bits we’ve made by hand ourselves. I’ve always really enjoyed making things so it’s been so fun to be able to do that as a part of work. I suppose the ethos behind it then, is just to allow us a small space to experiment and have a bit of fun with the brand. I’m so glad you love them!
What’s on rotation for you at Heatwave right now? What are you actually wearing?
Oh dear, that’s a slippery slope, I could go on for days! Shoe rotation for both of us is Norda and Bedrock for sure, got to be comfortable when we’re standing all day. You’ll almost always find me in a Gramicci Talecut skirt or a Hikerkind Skort, they are my absolute go to and such a good wardrobe staple you can dress them up with a big blouse or down with a baggy tee. Fionn will usually be in Gramicci shorts and a big tee. If Arsenal is doing well the football jersey will come out. But overall we keep it pretty casual in store.
The store feels like more than a shop, part gear space and part community space. How important is community to what you’re building?
I love this because that’s exactly what we’re going for! We knew we wanted to create a hub for people to hang out in, chat about their next adventure and meet like minded people. Having a mixture of gear from run to bike, hike, climb and more means that we get a really fun crew of people through the door.
Community is at the absolute core of what we do and we wouldn’t want it any other way. We love hosting events, run clubs, rides and what ever else we can find the time to do. As long as we are creating a welcoming space and helping people spend more time outside, we’ll call it a job well done!
What’s been the most rewarding community moment so far?
There have been so many it’s hard to pick! I think overall the pure joy we get to see when someone comes in to share their outdoor experiences like a new PB, a bucket list hike or anything along those lines is just so exciting.
If I had to pick a specific moment though; we spent 6 months training about 40 people to run their first half or full marathon and the moment we were all standing together again after everyone had crossed the finish line at Queenstown Marathon was beyond rewarding. Just seeing people achieve their goals and make so many friends along the way was epic!
The in-store vibe also feels very intentional. How did you approach the look and feel of the space?
I’m not sure how to explain this one. I think I just had an idea in my head of colours and textures I knew I wanted to use and convinced Fionn to roll with it! We definitely wanted a very open space and one that was relatively modular so we could keep having fun with merchandising and move things around to host events. There was certainly a lot of masking taping fake fit outs on the walls when we first got the keys!
When you’re not working, how do you each like to spend time outdoors?
Fionn is a super keen runner so a majority of his free time is spent running, both road and trail. When we’re closed on a Tuesday he’ll easily spend hours out in the hills. I love slower activities like hiking and climbing (although I’m really enjoying my riding at the moment). What ever I do I’m always drawn to doing it with friends.
What are your personal non-negotiables when it comes to outdoor gear?
For both of us it would be performance and durability. We don’t want to use anything that hinders our outdoor experiences or that we have to be replacing all the time. Things that are thoughtfully designed and built for purpose are key for us.
Do you each have a wellness ritual or practice that helps keep you grounded?
Fionn really does find this in his running. It’s time we he gets to completely zone out which is well deserved! I love to be in my little studio making shoes. It’s not a zone out activity but I just love the making process and all the problem solving that comes along with it. We also both love to do a bit of gardening, we’ve just planted dour first feijoas so wish us luck!
What’s on the cards for Heatwave in the coming year?
Ooh, that’s a tough one. We’re admittedly terrible planners! We’d love to get back into hosting races now that we’re a bit more settled into the new space and using the space for community events too. We hosted a really great talk with Quoc (founder of Quoc shoes) last week and have a movie premiere coming up which we’re super excited about. Anything that gets people buzzing on being outside.
We’d love to add some more bits to the Heatwave collection, maybe pop over to visit some of our brands. There is so much to do!
To close, do you have a few favourite or slightly under-the-radar Wānaka spots you’d be happy to share?
I would love to share! For a great local breakfast spot check out The Good Spot, great coffee, delicious food and amazing staff. For lunch or dinner Mowgli is amazing. It’s maybe not under the radar but it’s quite new to town and is seriously good!
I feel like Wānaka is pretty well discovered but if you’re here and feeling overwhelmed by crowds, I find taking a book and finding a quiet spot along the river is the perfect escape. xx
My picks:
Thanks Alice and Fionn !!
xx