Checks Downtown is the Auckland-based streetwear label with community at its centre
Image via @checksdowntown/instagram
Words by Lucy Andrews
“I’m constantly in awe of all the amazing people who choose to purchase and wear Checks.”
When Jordan Gibson dreamt up his genderless streetwear label, Checks Downtown, he was ready for a new challenge. With community at the centre, he built a brand aimed at ‘defining a new generation of New Zealand fashion’, offering playful, tailored pieces.
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Sitting between streetwear and luxury fashion, Checks Downtown makes elevated basics – think boxy shirts in silky cotton poplin, baggy sateen pants and meticulously tailored outerwear. Below, Jordan speaks on the label’s journey so far.
Tell us about you. What’s your fashion background?
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My name is Jordan Gibson, I am the founder of Checks Downtown. I worked in the industry here in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), New Zealand, within both tailoring and streetwear boutiques before starting Checks.
How did the label get started? Talk us through the process and the challenges.
Checks started after I finished my last job. I had worked my way to being the creative director of a New Zealand fashion label, and I was ready for a new challenge and to follow my creative instincts developing a brand from scratch.
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The challenges are many and constant. One of the main ones is learning about the business of fashion on the job. The fashion industry is traditionally fairly closed doors, always… aspirational and at arm’s reach, so information can be scarce.
What were you trying to achieve from the project at the time? How has this evolved and what are you trying to communicate through the brand now?
My goal was to build a brand that represented what I wanted to see from an Aotearoa-based fashion label. A community-focused clothing business that people I identified with could be proud to associate with, hopefully acting as some sort of role model or catalyst within the industry for a more exciting and dynamic scene.
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The second stage of this was delivering this message to the world and becoming a global player and this is a work in progress. The focus now is on growth and amplifying what we’ve started.
How would you describe your label to someone who’s never seen it before?
Checks in a unisex street-fashion brand, with a style that is both playful and expressive, while being slick with high attention to fit and details. We’re known for statement items using colour or pattern. Currently, we are focusing on shape and silhouette to create unique items.
What are you most proud of in your work on your label?
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That it’s connected with so many people along the way. Reaching people who value what we do is what keeps us going and I’m constantly in awe of all the amazing people who choose to purchase and wear Checks.
What do you wish you knew when you started?
Rome wasn’t built in a day.
How can we buy one of your pieces?
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You can purchase directly from checksdowntown.com, or at our Auckland flagship store located at 84 Pitt Street if you’re local or visiting!
Browse the Checks Downtown collection here.
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