“My first significant purchase was a pair of Dirk Bikkemberg ski boots from Zambesi when I was about 18,” says Kowtow (@kowtowclothing) designer Dayne Johnston (@daynemjohnston). “They were made in Belgium, and at $600 were a big purchase for a student in the '90s. But I used my student loan to pay for them, it was my first real taste of investing in fashion.” Years later, Johnston joined Zambesi as its menswear designer and buyer, travelling to Paris twice-yearly for fashion week. Now, as Head Designer of fellow cult New Zealand label Kowtow, Johnston brings his international sensibility to the brand’s ‘radical transparency’ approach to slow fashion. Recently, we caught up with Johnston at some of his favourite places around Wellington, while on a walk with his French Bulldog, Angus. Hit the link in bio to learn how his personal style has evolved over his career, what makes up his media diet, and his thoughts on the current menswear scene in New Zealand. Photography @chloechill