Deadly Ponies celebrates 20 years as NZ’s go-to luxury brand

Deadly Ponies is celebrating 20 years as the arm candy of choice for New Zealanders.

For fashion designer Liam Bowden, there’s always been something about leather that ignites the human senses. From its distinctive scent and soft texture to the versatility it enables in design and craftsmanship, leather has always equalled luxury.

“I fell in love with leather,” he says. “I loved the way leather could be shaped into various forms and the unique techniques required for leatherwork. This passion ultimately led me to design handbags, and later, footwear and accessories.”

A memorable brand name can only bolster the success of a business, and Liam understood the assignment.

“When I was studying design at university, I made a pair of goat fur slippers that I jokingly passed off as pony fur, earning them the nickname 'Deadly Pony' slippers,” he recalls. “Later, for a class project, I used that same name and created my own stickers. When I started selling my handbag designs, I used these ‘Deadly Ponies’ stickers as branding, and the name really just took on a life of its own.”

That life is still going strong after 20 years (the Deadly Ponies debut collection launched in 2005). Today, it is one of NZ’s most-loved designer brands, with a couple of major milestones recently reached: the opening of the first Deadly Ponies Queenstown flagship store, and achieving both B Corporation and Toitū net carbonzero certification for the company’s commitment to making ethical products and reducing carbon emissions.

The victories of the brand have always been a team effort – Liam co-founded Deadly Ponies with his partner in life and business, Steve Boyd.

“Interestingly, working together has become easier as the business has grown,” says Liam. “In the beginning, we often found ourselves stepping on each other's toes with so many different responsibilities. However, as we've evolved, we've found our own strengths and established distinct roles within the business. We always make it a point to check in with each other to ensure we're aligned and moving in the same direction. While it can be challenging, it’s also incredibly rewarding.”

Liam, Steve and the team collaborate on the designs from their studio in Kingsland, then the products are manufactured in various locations, including Thailand, Europe and China. The company maintains a strict code of conduct that all factory partners must adhere to, and workers are paid a living wage.

There is no compromise on ethics, nor any greenwashing for this authentic Kiwi brand, which Liam says is part of the appeal for the conscious customer.

“We have always been committed to making our products ethically, and the next step was to address the impact of shipping our goods and the carbon footprint. This led us to track every aspect of our production and shipping processes to measure and reduce our carbon impact – ultimately achieving our carbon zero status.”

Innovative vegan materials such as natural cactus leather and eco-neoprene made from ground-down seashells (a byproduct of the seafood industry) have been utilised for various accessories over the years, but it’s still the allure of leather that wins over.

The imaginative new Deadly Ponies Spring ‘24 collection ‘Primordial’ is inspired by things like ancient rock formations, Paleolithic cave art and plant cells under a microscope. They’ve also taken a playful nod from the Flintstones’ ‘campy take on prehistoric life’.

“We've always focused on making pieces that are playful, desirable, and yet, practical,” says Liam. “I think it’s this balance that really resonates with Kiwi women. To stay relevant and evolve with our customers, we're constantly reinventing our products and being innovative with our designs and materials. We aim to cover everyone’s needs by offering a collection of pieces that suit different styles and uses.”

Further tapping into the Australian market has been an incentive for the new Queenstown store, showcasing the beautiful, high-quality bags and accessories to international visitors.

“Queenstown is a very special place in NZ, and we’ve built a strong following in Australia. Knowing how much they enjoy visiting Queenstown, it felt like a natural step for us.”

The next step? Celebrating 20 years of Deadly Ponies – a time of both reflection and gratitude for Liam.

“Over the past 20 years in business, I’ve definitely grown more resilient,” he says. “When we started, making a mark in the industry meant we had to carve out our own niche, which came with its share of challenges and learnings. But looking back, I would tell my younger self to pause and appreciate the journey. It's so easy to always be looking ahead to the next thing that you forget to celebrate the present.”