Grace Stratton

Founder of All is for All  
Auckland, New Zealand       
Grace wears Checked top and Sunray skirt

You’ve really shaken up the fashion scene in New Zealand! Tell us about All is for All and your ambitions for this project.

That’s very nice of you to say, we’re definitely moving slowly, because we want to be intentional. But we love having the support of people like KS. And are so thrilled that people are listening. So thank you.

When did you have the light bulb moment that made you realise you had to make it happen?

There wasn’t really one single light bulb moment. It was a series, I had gone to and loved fashion week twice before, once under the guidance of Frances Morton at Vice (who is a legend) and once on my own as a freelance writer. I loved the weeks, the experience was unlike anything, and so much more than the front face (or consumer) might believe it to be. So, I truly loved the experiences; and fashion itself, it was once I loved it I recognised a lot of online retailers had an opportunity in disability; or access needs. That I wanted to guide them towards. I do that with a lot of help from Angela Bevan, a fashion force & I owe a lot of thanks to SweenyVesty, a communications agency who guide us.

You’re also studying at AUT Uni, what do you study, and are there any crossovers with All is for All?

I am a law and communications student, as I write this I am waiting for my Contract and Torts results. The law crosses over with everything, it’s really my first great passion. I think when you can understand the law, you can grasp the beginning structures of everything. In terms of the day to day running, some of the logistics of contract cross over; as do the communications planning which happens in PR.

There is a casting and model agency thats runs alongside the website, what is your message to the fashion industry on a global scale with the work you are doing?

Hire models for how they carry themselves in your clothes; for the life they give them. A model can give clothes dimension no matter if she’s got an access need or not. To me fashion is about clothes taking on life, going beyond “being” a garment and so if we want to reflect that; we must reflect the diversity of life itself. A runway, an editorial can be both socially relevant, cool & yet reflective of the world we navigate every day.

What are you reading / watching / listening to that is inspiring you at the moment?

A friend at university is super passionate about the Joe Rogan Podcast, I had watched a few episodes. But he’s made me even more alert to it, it’s really great.
Also, I love my next guest needs no introduction by David Letterman. The Jay Z episode is particularly good.

I’ve also loved recently, a magazine curated by. Which essentially is what it says it is. A magazine curated by different people in the fashion industry. Simone Rocha for example has done one; Kim Jones has most recently.

Do you have any secret escape portals in the internet for procrastinating?

Hmmm - Man Repeller is good, but everyone knows that;
But if I’m honest, I’d advocate for playing scrabble as a way of procrastinating. My Dad and I play (he almost always wins) and it’s a nice way to also spend time with people that you love. 


Interview & photography by Greta van der Star.        
Check out All is for All here.