Spy: Kiwi fashion label Deadly Ponies a hit with celebs

Deadly Ponies fashion designer Liam Bowden. Photo / Babiche Martens

The name Bowden is regularly seen in the pages of Spy, with the TV host du jour, Dominic, one of the most popular faces on our screen.

But it's his younger brother Liam who has caught Spy's eye this week.

Liam and his business partner Steve Boyd run local luxury leather accessory brand Deadly Ponies: a New Zealand-designed and made label that is synonymous with the country's fashion mavens.

Never one to blow his own trumpet, Liam has kept quiet on the brand's successes and its celebrity clients, but we can reveal Deadly Ponies is a favourite among some of the world's pop music and Hollywood elite.

Eva Longoria - spotted last week wearing the Mr Mini Chain Mail bag - joins an impressive clutch of Deadly Ponies lovers including Charlize Theron, Brooke Testoni, Carmen Hamilton and New Zealand's own Lorde.

The Deadly Ponies range of bags retail at between $330 and $1200.

Dom told Spy he was "very proud" of his younger brother's achievements. And the TV host is also doing his own bit to fly the Deadly Ponies' flag.

"Earlier in the year when I was back in LA, I interviewed Katie Holmes for her new movie and at the end I gave her an amazing custom-made bag as a gift," he said.

"Liam also made an exact match mini bag for Suri, she loved it."

Lorde with a peach Deadly Ponies handbag. Photo / Getty Images