New Zealand-born Maggie Hewitt was only 21 when she founded her fashion brand Maggie Marilyn in 2016, and began a journey to create an ethical business where both people and the planet can thrive, and where fashion can create a better world.
Maggie Marilyn is now B. Corp certified and one of the highest-ranked climate-positive fashion brands in the world for its social and environmental impact. While there are stores in New Zealand and Australia, and a global following thanks to its online store maggiemarilyn.com the company’s carbon footprint has been reduced by an incredible 73%.
Growing up in the Bay of Islands in Aotearoa’s north means that Maggie was surrounded by the most beautiful nature. Now she’s moved to Sydney, and recently became a mum, Maggie’s connection with the natural world has become even more important. We caught up with her to find out more.
What’s your favourite thing to do in nature?
Swimming in the ocean! I live in North Bondi and feel so fortunate that the beach is right on my doorstep so I swim year-round. In winter, diving under the waves and feeling the cold water hit my skin is so invigorating and uplifting, and in the height of a Sydney summer there’s nothing better than evening swims to cool off after work.
What are your fondest memories of spending time in nature?
I grew up in a place called KeriKeri in the Bay of Islands, at the top of New Zealand, and all of my childhood memories include Mother Nature: climbing trees with my sisters, swimming in the ocean, running through paddocks. I think the desire to protect Mother Nature is ingrained in Kiwis; it’s almost a sub-conscious trait. So when I founded Maggie Marilyn I wanted to take that love and use it to redefine what a successful fashion formula looks like by putting people and the planet at the centre of our decision-making.
Is there a ritual or custom you have to bring nature into your home?
I always have fresh flowers from the Bondi farmers’ market in my house. I grew up with a mother who was—and still is!—the most incredible gardener and the “fruits” of her picking garden were always in vases around the house. I’ve carried this ritual with me into adulthood and my own home so that my son will grow up with a similar memory.
What is your favourite natural scent, and why?
Roses: the scent reminds me of my mum and her garden in Kerikeri. I also love the scent of salt water mixed with sunscreen on my skin after a long day at the beach.
Can you describe an experience when you’ve been made to feel fully in awe—and perhaps even uncomfortably—aware of the power of nature?
I had a really life-changing experience the first time I visited Lake Hāwea Station, a carbon-positive merino sheep farm in the South Island of New Zealand. I’d never been on a regenerative farm before, and so to see these paddocks with wildflowers and happy sheep grazing nearby changed everything I thought I knew about the farming industry. Regenerative agriculture represents a way of growing food and fibre that restores, repairs, and regenerates the environment. It’s a way of farming that operates in harmony with how the natural world is designed, and for Maggie Marilyn, regenerative materials represent an exciting opportunity for our garment fibres to have a positive impact on things like soil health and carbon sequestration. We’ve spent the last two years transitioning the organic fibres in our supply chain, like cotton and merino, to regenerative fibres. Our best-selling 01 Blazer is proudly made entirely of regenerative cotton and merino.
