Retail Therapy: Rapid rise for Sera Lilly

Sera Lilly (L) now owns her own shop, The Hospice New Zealand T-shirt. Picture (L) / Olivia Hemus

Just two years ago, Sera Lilly was dreaming of a career in the fashion industry. Now, she has her own label, has won a fashion award, and this month opened her own store. All this at just 22. She has a 4-year-old daughter and is in her final year of a fashion and design diploma at AUT.

She won the Glam Slam Young Designer tennis competition last year with her four-piece outfit featuring a sports bra, halter-neck top, underpants and skirt. "It all just fell into place after winning that competition," says Lilly.

"People don't give them [competitions and awards] enough credit these days. But they are a huge learning curve. People take you a little bit more seriously than if you just started and didn't have anything behind you."

With the $3000 prizemoney and help from her parents, Lilly began her own label and secured stockists in Auckland and Wellington. She thought her dream to open a store was a long way off but her parents helped out and Lilly now has her own spot in Ponsonby Rd, on the former site of Adrian Hailwood's store. "They (my parents) think they're on to a good thing and are going to make lots of money."

For now she is stocking only her label but hopes to add a couple of others, possibly a new young designer, "someone who complements my collection".

Lilly has just finished her summer collection, called Forgive Me Father. The religious-inspired range features Holy Communion dresses and lots of "pretty, feminine" pieces.

Sera Lilly is at 62 Ponsonby Rd, ph (09) 360 6994.

Charity begins here

Here's your chance to be fashionable and do your bit for charity. A new range of T-shirts and polos is on sale, raising money for Hospice New Zealand. House of Travel formed a partnership with Hospice New Zealand last year to fund raise and educate people about the work hospices do.

Now, with fashion outlet Ezibuy, it has created the T-shirt and polo range. Ten dollars from the sale of each T-shirt goes to a hospice of your choice. They're available in men's and women's sizes on Ezibuy's website, or phone 0508 788 888.

May is Hospice New Zealand's annual awareness month. For more information see link below.