Lucy Maxwell of Josephine

After more than 15 years working across fashion in New Zealand and Australia, Lucy launched Josephine in 2023 with a clear idea of the wardrobe she wanted to create: distinctive, considered pieces defined by proportion, natural fabrics, garment craft and thoughtful detail.

With Josephine now in residence at Spacefor Pavilion for the week, we spoke with Lucy about her journey from the workroom to launching her own label, the details behind each collection and building a fashion brand from the Far North.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your brand?

I’m Lucy Maxwell, founder and designer of Josephine, an independent womenswear label based in the Far North of New Zealand.

I spent 15 years working in fashion before launching Josephine in 2023, bringing together everything I had learned with a clear idea of the wardrobe I wanted to create.

Josephine is defined by confident proportion, considered garment craft, natural fabrics and thoughtful detail. At the heart of the brand is the idea of refining the wardrobe rather than adding to its demands, creating distinctive pieces that move intuitively through everyday life and become the favourites you continually reach for.

Everything is designed in New Zealand and produced in small, considered runs with long-standing manufacturing partners.

How did your journey start?

My journey in fashion began over 15 years ago after studying Fashion Design at AUT in Auckland. I started out in the workroom and garment technology, which gave me a strong technical foundation and an understanding of how garments are constructed, before moving further into design.

A large part of my career was spent in Australia, including at Country Road in Melbourne, where I became a Senior Designer in Womenswear. Working within large, established fashion businesses gave me incredible experience across everything from product development and fabric to building collections at scale, while also helping me understand the kind of designer I wanted to be.

After returning to New Zealand, I continued working as a Senior Designer before reaching a point where I felt ready to take everything I had learned and build something of my own.

I launched Josephine in August 2023. I wanted to create a label with a very clear perspective on the wardrobe, where proportion, fabric, garment craft and detail are considered from the beginning, but the finished pieces still feel intuitive and easy to make your own.

Josephine is named after my grandmother, which brought something personal to the brand from the outset. What began with my own experience and point of view has continued to evolve as I see women wearing Josephine in their own way, which is ultimately what I always wanted the clothes to allow.

Can you share an interesting aspect of your work? Maybe a part of the product-making process or a unique work ritual you have?

One of my favourite parts of the process is developing the details that make a piece distinctly Josephine. I can spend a lot of time refining proportion, the shape of a sleeve, the placement of a seam or how a cuff turns back. Often, it’s the smallest details that take the most consideration.

Fabric is a big part of that process too. I love developing custom fabrics and colours rather than always designing from what already exists.

For our current Summer Slowly collection, I designed an exclusive Lavender Stripe from the yarn up. The individual yarns are dyed before the fabric is woven, giving the stripe the same beautiful finish on both sides. That became part of the design itself, particularly on the Pip Shirt, where the internal facings are intentionally revealed when the cuffs are rolled.

I’m always thinking about the garment from every angle, including the parts that aren’t immediately visible. For me, it’s those small, considered decisions across proportion, fabric and detail that give each piece its point of view.

What are the future plans and goals for you personally, and for your company?

My goal is to grow Josephine thoughtfully while staying very connected to the product, the design process and the women who wear it.

For the brand, I want to continue refining what makes Josephine recognisable, developing our approach to proportion, garment craft, exclusive fabrics and considered detail, while building a wardrobe that feels increasingly cohesive from one collection to the next.

Growth is important, but I want it to be purposeful, creating pieces that earn their place in a woman’s wardrobe and become favourites and go-tos rather than simply adding more to it.

Personally, I want to continue growing alongside the brand as a designer and founder, while protecting the creativity and curiosity that made me start Josephine in the first place.

I’d also love to create more opportunities to meet our customers in person. So much of the business happens online, and there’s something incredibly valuable about seeing someone try on Josephine, make it their own, and hearing directly from the women I’m designing for.

My partner and I are pretty set on life in the Far North, close to our families, so for now that’s where Josephine HQ will remain. I love that the brand can continue to grow beyond the Far North while still being designed and built from here.

Can you tell us about your Spacefor activation? What can customers expect, and why did you decide to do it?

The Spacefor activation is a really exciting opportunity to bring the full Josephine world into one physical space. We’ll be at Pavilion in Britomart from 5–11 October, with our complete Summer Slowly collection available to see, try on and shop.

I’ll personally be there each day, which is a huge part of why I wanted to do this. I’m really looking forward to meeting customers, helping them try pieces, talking through the collection and sharing some of the fabric, fit and design details behind the garments.

We’ve also brought together an amazing group of brands and makers we love to collaborate with throughout the week, making the space feel like a broader expression of the Josephine world.

I wanted the activation to feel like more than simply opening a shop for a week. It’s an opportunity to create a physical expression of Josephine, celebrate the Summer Slowly collection, collaborate with people and businesses we admire, and spend time with the women who wear the brand.

Quick Answers

Currently, my favourite brands are:
Harris Tapper. Dream label! And Lee Mathews has always been a favourite of mine.

An object or item I can’t live without:
A really good pen. I’m constantly writing down ideas, lists and little thoughts, so there’s always one nearby.

My favourite online destination is:
Pinterest. I can start looking for one thing and end up somewhere completely different. I love it for interiors, art, colour, fashion and all the unexpected references you find along the way.

My favourite place to shop, anywhere in the world, is:
I don’t think I have one particular place. For me, the best shopping is when I’m travelling and have time to wander. I love discovering independent boutiques and finding something I wouldn’t necessarily come across at home.

Offline vs Online?
50/50. I love exploring new cities and discovering independent boutiques. You always come across new and interesting pieces, and I love being able to touch fabrics, try things on and see how they actually feel and move.

But living in the Far North, I also really appreciate the convenience and access that online shopping gives you. So for me, it’s genuinely a bit of both.