Campbell’s shirts suddenly a hot item

Antony Lock, a senior salesman at The Golf House, says orders started coming in for Campbell’s shirt (right) straight after the win. Picture / Greg Bowker

When Michael Campbell sank that winning putt at North Carolina, there was no Nike swoosh or adidas stripes on his back.

He wore the distinctly Maori design of a mangopare - the hammerhead shark - and within minutes of his win the clothing had become the world's hottest piece of golf apparel.

Designs such as the white mangopare polo shirt, part of Campbell's own "Cambo" range of clothing, are flying off store shelves and threatening to forever change its maker, Kia Kaha Clothing.

Antony Lock, senior sales executive at The Golf House in Newmarket, said internet and phone orders for Cambo gear from as far afield as Los Angeles began coming in as soon as Campbell won the tournament.

"I've had three or four people ringing and saying 'You've got that white shirt? - they want the shirt," he said.

Three or four tops were already on their way to American customers, said Lock, with New Zealand fans equally keen to share in the win by buying the gear.

"I'm not a full-blooded Kiwi. I've only been here three years - I'm from South Africa - but the pride that I saw in people's faces as he was winning was just immense. It was unbelievable.

"Straight after that people just wanted a top, you know?

"People just looked at the top and said, 'Yeah, I'll take one of those' and off they went. It was great. I think it's going to be fantastic for New Zealand golf."

Kia Kaha, a proudly Maori and New Zealand company, was set up by the Love family 11 years ago in Petone. Its Cambo polo shirts, like the one Campbell wore in the Open, sell for about $80.

Director Dan Love said the challenge of this global attention was going to be keeping true to Kia Kaha's founding beliefs.

"It's been fantastic. It's a huge event for all of New Zealand. It's right up there with historical sporting events.

"We've been out celebrating with the family this morning ... This is a huge moment for us, because we know Michael - we've stuck by him, knowing he can come back. He's had ups and downs, but we believe in Michael and the person he is."

Mr Love said Kia Kaha was strict about staying true to its founding ethos and cultural identity.

But it was also important to be able to deliver and fill orders, which had meant making some of the clothing overseas.

"We're very strict on keeping our taonga and our beliefs and culture intact. We're pretty selective on who we use overseas."

It was this ethos that attracted Campbell, formerly with Nike, to set up in partnership with Kia Kaha, said Mr Love.

"He was keen to develop his own label and he knew us as one of the top Maori companies in clothing.

"He wanted to deal with us because of our integrity with Maori culture."

Asked if Campbell's win meant untold riches for Kia Kaha, Mr Love said it was definitely a huge opportunity.

"We're getting quite a few different people ringing us up - retailers and production people, but we've got to keep our integrity ... Otherwise it would be a quick fix - a quick money thing then it'd be gone.

"We want to maintain it as a long-term strategy."