Kristine Crabb’s Love Letter To Gloria As The Brand Winds Down Business

The purveyor of sensual dressing is slipping out ... for now.

Kristine Crabb is closing the doors on her Gloria store on Ponsonby Rd in April.

Still, like any industry misfit, she’s keeping the door half open in case there’s potential for it to morph into something else in the future.

Since she launched Gloria in 2020, Kristine has always been clear about her intentions. Unlike the commercial seasonality of her preceding brand, Miss Crabb, Gloria was always pitched as Kristine Crabb in her purest form, a creative project with infinite possibilities – whether it was an extension of her ability to cut and drape a beautiful dress or an enveloping coat.

At one point, the clothes were supported by other things. A fragrance that encapsulates her brand of whimsy. A collaboration with some of her favourite bands and musicians. A set design for a music video. Bespoke garments that toe the line between fashion and performance art.

But it was always done with Kristine’s point of view: artfully skew-whiff yet elegant – and of course, always irreverent.

From her days as K-Rd’s original queen of disruption via her first retail store in 2001 aptly named Rip Shit and Bust on Karangahape Rd (Gen-Z brats this fashion history lesson is for you) before closing up shop in 2003; to launching her label Miss Crabb with a destination store on Ponsonby Rd between 2004-2019 – Kristine has always been known for moving to the beat of her own drum.

Customers include Jacinda Ardern and Bic Runga, along with a legion of fans who invested in their first Miss Crabb dress for their school ball or a parade of bridesmaids who felt at ease in Kristine’s ability to design dresses that accommodated a range of body shapes and sizes.

In 2020, we charted her return in a less commercial way of working with Gloria, described at the time as a wide-ranging creative project that encouraged Kristine to explore all aspects of her creative passions. Alongside making cool clothes, it allowed Kristine to complement her universe with art, art direction, musical collaborations and even a collaborative fragrance with local fragrance brand Curio Noir.

After four years and the opening of a whimsical store on Ponsonby Rd in 2023, Kristine says now’s the right time to slow down.

“My kids are getting older and it’s really a chance for me to focus on my personal life,” she says. “I’ve achieved what I set out to achieve with Gloria, and sometimes things just come to a natural conclusion.”

While she acknowledges that the market has been challenging, it’s only a small part in her desire to take some much-needed time out, inviting her loyal fans and customers to make time over the next few weeks to buy the last remaining pieces before she closes up shop for good.

When I prompt her to write a love letter to Gloria, she emails the next day.

“It’s time to say Au Revoir to the Crimson Palace. April will be our last month in ‘The Temple’, the last chance to worship! (The last chance to have your own unique piece of dreams by Kristine Crabb)

“Reflecting on these last few years, it’s been an honour to bring you all of our special Gloria projects: Gloria Parfum by Curio Noir and our Gloria suiting and ready-to-wear, as well as our Gloria Custom projects for the most fab weddings, artists, professional figures and beloved supporters.

Thank you to our glorious clients and followers for believing in, loving and wearing the pieces for your important times! I’m so grateful for you all.”

Gloria would also like to pay special tribute to our wider industry at this time – the local creatives, photographers, suppliers, artisans and media who make up the ecosystem in which Gloria came to be. A special whānau worth supporting and protecting.”

But like any creative spirit, Kristine says that while Gloria’s current state is about taking a rest, she is typically fluid about the future and keeping Gloria’s doors open for “special projects and sensory events”.

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