Now 10 years on from that tumultuous time, Joblin, alongside husband and business partner Ben Dundas, has reflected on the brand\u2019s legacy.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s such a special moment to stop and celebrate everything we\u2019ve built, but for us it\u2019s also about looking ahead. Federation has always evolved and this anniversary is really about the next chapter,\u201d Joblin said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re so open to opportunities, and we\u2019re excited. It\u2019s a nice feeling being this age because you have so much of an archive of things you\u2019ve learned along the way. It\u2019s not, \u2018Okay, we\u2019re coming to the end of this, let\u2019s start wrapping things up\u2019. It\u2019s like, \u2018No, what can we do now? Where can we change?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Federation’s husband and wife team, Jenny Joblin and Ben Dundas, formed a special connection through the brand after its liquidation 10 years ago.<\/p>\n
Designed, sourced and distributed by the business, Federation\u2019s clothing operation is small but mighty, with new arrivals for the brand\u2019s next collection rolling in when the Herald visited its flagship Takapuna store.<\/p>\n
Federation\u2019s clothing is sold via wholesale in 75 retailers around New Zealand, with hundreds of different pieces on offer.<\/p>\n
Joblin has been designing clothing since a young age, sharing how she once freehand cut one of her ball dresses, while another time she turned her family\u2019s tablecloth into a dress.<\/p>\n
But her career path could have been different, with Joblin initially deciding between fashion and studying law.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll of my subjects were in sync, but then my mum\u2019s breast cancer came back; she had been in remission, and it came back that year. My grades were good enough to get me into fashion, and I thought, almost in tribute to what she\u2019d inspired, that I had to do a fashion label.\u201d<\/p>\n
When Federation evolved from an idea to a fully fledged brand, Joblin was sewing samples from home. She still has the same industrial sewing machine she used at the time.<\/p>\n
From there, the business grew rapidly, with Joblin working from premises in Kingsland while attempting to get the brand greater visibility.<\/p>\n
\u201cStreetwear wasn\u2019t quite a thing then; it was more like surf or skate or high fashion. At the time they weren\u2019t used to that; they weren\u2019t really used to the concept of a New Zealand brand even.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the business grew, so too did its production requirements, with Joblin turning to offshore production of her garments, largely with factories in China.<\/p>\n
But after years of the relationship working, the seizure of $500,000 worth of product by New Zealand Customs became a wake-up call.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of our factories was doing this duty fraud, completely unbeknown to us. We were told at the time that it was supposed to be their cost, but really I was about four people removed from accounts. I was disconnected from what was going on.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince taking it back over, I\u2019ve been completely margin focused, watching and costing everything. Some of the exporting we were doing, it\u2019s only when we took it over again we were like, we haven\u2019t even been breaking even.\u201d<\/p>\n
Not only were some places failing to break even, but the business was also taking on unnecessary costs.<\/p>\n
Joblin noted some product meant for customers in Europe was being shipped from China to New Zealand first, creating double-ups. Other products were also being shipped for free to Australia without her knowledge.<\/p>\n
The stress of the situation gave Joblin pause, acknowledging that she had considered calling it quits, especially when other offers came calling.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe hole that had been created by all this, yeah I was pretty keen. I really felt like my time running Federation had come to an end, and I wanted to do something else. There\u2019s no other way to say it.\u201d<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t until the sale process of the business that Joblin realised her value, with many would-be buyers asking her to stay with the business as part of any deal.<\/p>\n
That sparked a conversation with her liquidator, who convinced her to buy back the business herself, leading to Federation 2.0.<\/p>\n
With Joblin’s kids now at university, all three have become part of the business, creating the next generation of Federation.<\/p>\n
Joblin said her experience returning from liquidation had been a \u201creal learning curve\u201d, and that it taught her as a director that she needed to understand every aspect of her business.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt taught me that businesses need to stay adaptable. Federation had grown into a business of a certain scale, and with that came complexity. It wasn\u2019t always easy to make changes as quickly as we needed to.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday, I approach business in a much more agile way. We still have a clear vision for where we\u2019re heading, but we balance that with being completely honest about today\u2019s reality. We know our numbers, keep a close eye on cash flow, and we\u2019re prepared to make changes early rather than waiting.\u201d<\/p>\n
She was clear that this did not mean she felt a need to be an expert in everything, but knowing enough to ask the right questions to make informed decisions.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also helped her surround herself with people supportive of her and the mission of the business, noting honesty is invaluable.<\/p>\n
\u201cPersonally, it also changed how I think about leadership. When you own a business, it\u2019s very easy for it to consume every part of your life.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve learned that looking after yourself isn\u2019t separate from running a successful business \u2013 it\u2019s part of it. You make better decisions when you have perspective and take care of yourself along the way.”<\/p>\n
Today, Federation has evolved beyond clothing, with the brand selling products in other categories, including premium leather goods, jewellery, fragrance and accessories.<\/p>\n
The business faces many of the same challenges as its competitors, including higher freight costs, which Joblin said the business had had to absorb.<\/p>\n
Federation still works with many of the factories Joblin has relationships with in China, including some she has been dealing with for at least 15 years.<\/p>\n
Later this year, Joblin, Dundas, and her three kids are set to travel across China for roughly a month, both for pleasure and business, with an opportunity to build relationships with the next generation.<\/p>\n
Joblin\u2019s three children, Ryder, Monte and Dusty, are already shaping collections, product development and the future direction of the brand.<\/p>\n
With the retail industry continuing to feel pressure from the wider economy, Joblin had one message for those concerned, particularly those faced with closure.<\/p>\n
\u201cFace reality early. I know that\u2019s one of the hardest things to do, but the sooner you\u2019re honest about where your business is today, the more options you\u2019ll have. Every industry evolves, and fashion in particular has changed enormously over the past few years. The businesses that survive are often the ones willing to adapt, simplify and make difficult decisions before they\u2019re forced to.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut also, don\u2019t let one difficult chapter define your story. Setbacks are incredibly hard while you\u2019re living through them, but they often become the lessons that shape the next, stronger version of your business and yourself too.\u201d<\/p>\n