We got some awesome exposure in the Eastlife magazine in May 2018 - if you haven't seen it, do take a squizz - the article tells you a bit more about where we come from and where we're going. 

Swinging in the rain!

A childhood passion for designing and sewing Barbie doll clothes was probably the fi rst indication that some aspect of couture would likely figure in Camila Dixon’s future and, so it has, as HELEN PERRY explains.

Fashion and clothing have always been a part of Camila Dixon’s life – her father was a textile chemist and as a young girl she accompanied him to factories and laundries where she gained a solid education in fabrics and their wash capabilities. At 15 she was given her own sewing machine and quickly progressed from making doll’s clothes to designing and making her own clothes. Now, more than 20 years later, the Colombian-born, South African-raised creative is behind a range of water-proof rain jackets which scream ‘style!’ “My husband, a clothing performance designer, and I moved to New Zealand from Durban in 2016 with our son and daughter, settling in Eastern Beach. We are very much into garment design and he offered great advice when it came to the technical side of this venture.” Coming from South Africa where warm, dry weather is a given for much of the year, Camila says it was the many weeks of rain she experienced during her fi rst Auckland winter that inspired her to think about the rainwear business. “I was a bit taken back by just how much it rained that fi rst year just when we were loving the country and dying to get out and explore. Needing coats, I tried several styles but some left us hot and sweaty, some were uncomfortable and others just didn’t keep out the wet. “I thought I’d like to produce something that was fun, bright and did the job properly. The coats needed to work.” 

Camila adds that living in such a beautiful location helped inspire her Scribbler Gear range. “These are not just rain jackets or fashion coats, they are waterproof, performance coats. “While looking good they are also technically functional, protecting the wearer from the elements – wind, rain, and cold.” But, tired of ditch dull rain wear, her objective from the beginning was to feature the work of local and international artists on her jackets. “The first was South African artist, Ingrid Marais, now living locally. She created the beautiful protea print on our African Protea coat; it’s this kind of detail I want to pursue.” Scribbler Gear offers four styles:

• The ‘breathable’ Amazonas shell rain coat constructed to withstand wind and strong downpours of rain whilst allowing for plenty of activity without the wearer sweating excessively.
• The Amazonas bonded and African Protea are both fleece bonded coats designed to protect from wind and light rain. Breathable but not to the extent of the shell rain coat, these coats are warm and soft to touch but less suitable for strenuous activities. They are water-proof in a shower but aren’t designed to keep out extended periods of heavy rain.
• The fantail performance coat – the crème de la crème of the range. A versatile, year-round rain coat designed to cope on cold and warmers days whilst keeping the weather at bay. “The latter is made from our premium waterproof and breathable twill fabric,” Camila says. “It is soft to the touch and doesn’t crackle with movement. I absolutely love wearing this coat with its gorgeous fantail-printed lining and sweat wicking fabric which is silky to the touch.

Now aiming to extend the range, Camila – who is also a marketing research consultant – is presently working on coats for children and has plans for a men’s coat, too. “I also want to add a trench style to the women’s range, keeping to the water-proof ethic and colourful nature of the brand.” Presently talking with two artists, one local, the other from Mexico, Camila’s enthusiasm is boundless. “So far, reaction to the coats has been very positive so I’m really hoping both new artists will come on board, the prototypes can be designed and that the extended range will soon be available online. Then it’s just a matter of marketing!”