Powerhouse Gen-Z Femmes at WE-AR Ponsonby
Today is a special day at WE-AR Ponsonby as we celebrate International Women's Day and shine a spotlight on the incredible Gen-Z powerhouse women who drive our WE-AR Head Office. If you've been a part of our community, chances are you've encountered Caitlin, the Retail Manager of our NZ store operations, Lily, the face of our Client Relationship team, and Naomi, the creative force behind our Marketing team.
Meet Lily, the friendly face of our Client Relationship team, ensuring that your connection with WE-AR is personal and positive. Lily's also a keen advocate for sustainable fashion, all while savouring her favourite cup of Earl Grey tea.
What is your role at WE-AR?
- Alongside being full-time retail at Ponsonby I run the online store and online communications. I love to help out wherever I can though and am always happy to lend a hand to our wonderful team on all sorts of projects and tasks. Part of the beauty of WE-AR means we can dabble outside of our conventional roles.
Coffee or tea?
- Tea! Having a detox break from coffee and I am loving a Chai tea or an Earl Grey at the moment.
Can you share a memorable moment at WE-AR?
- My first day! The energy was always so welcoming and friendly I felt at home right away which is so lovely in a new job. I got to gradually meet the whole team from the Ponsonby head office to the Waiheke crew and every encounter has been such a delight. It has only gotten better from there :)
Whose wardrobe would you swap with at the office?
- Jyoti’s! When she’s not wearing WE-AR (which I obviously love haha). Her pieces are always vibrant and stylish. I get such a kick out of seeing what she is wearing and or in the midst of creating! I would be delighted to have her closet.
What's your go-to power outfit that makes you feel confident and ready to conquer the day at the office?
- Anything magenta !! In winter my Ava Velvet pants in the stunning magenta pink and in summer the magenta cords. Pair with a Baby Tee or a gorgeous outer layer like the Denim Jacket.
Do you have a favourite office tradition or ritual that brings the women in your team together?
- Tuesday meetings over matcha or a chai. It is always fun and exciting chatting about what’s happening in and out of the office. Definitely a great ritual to keep connected with everyone one and everything that is going on weekly.
Meet Naomi, the creative force in our marketing team. Beyond her role in crafting captivating campaigns, she's also the unofficial champion of taking chai breaks during working hours + a passionate yogi at our head office.
What is your role at WE-AR?
- I'd say in a nutshell, my main role is to make our digital assets look absolutely stunning and telling the world about the incredible WE-AR brand story online.
Coffee or tea?
- Tea all the way! I'm a total sucker for a good chai. It's like a warm hug in a cup.
Can you share a memorable moment at WE-AR?
- Ah, I've got a soft spot for the time before I officially joined WE-AR. During a holiday in Bali to visit family, I stumbled upon the brand and had the loveliest chat with our team in Ubud. Their stories about how the company took care of them left me so inspired that once I was back in NZ, I couldn't resist reaching out to see if WE-AR had any job openings. And here we are!
Whose wardrobe would you swap with at the office?
- That's a tough one! Everyone's got such a cool wardrobe, but if I had to choose, I'd go for a combo of Caitlin's vintage pieces, Jyoti's wardrobe, and Lily's beautiful accessories. A little bit greedy, maybe?
What's your go-to power outfit that makes you feel confident and ready to conquer the day at the office?
- Roma Jeans paired with an ASYM Tank layered with the Leeside Shirt!
Do you have a favourite office tradition or ritual that brings the women in your team together?
- My favourite has to be our little catch-up ritual before diving into work. It's the perfect time to vent out, share stories, and kickstart the day together. It's like a mini-empowerment sesh.
Meet Caitlin, the brilliant mind ensuring seamless operations in our New Zealand stores— a strong force within our team at WE-AR. She brings a delightful mix of modern styling with a dash of 70's taste.
What is your role at WE-AR?
- My role at WE-AR isn’t always easy to define, but I essentially manage
the Ponsonby and Waiheke store, so I’m constantly flittering and working
between the two. It can be quite funny when people go into the other
store and spot me- with a ‘what are you doing here?’
Coffee or tea?
- I am a tea fiend. At work there’s always one of us with a chai or matcha
in hand, either by us making them for each other, or heading to one of
the many coffee shops nearby.
Can you share a memorable moment at WE-AR?
- There have been so many standout moments at WE-AR, both good and wacky.
I would have to say the memorable moments for me have usually been
around summer photoshoots, when it’s absolute mayhem in the best
possible way, and there is a lot of excitement throughout the office.
I’ve also loved the days where our very loyal customers who are now like
family come in simply to chat. It is incredibly wholesome.
Whose wardrobe would you swap with at the office?
- If I was to swap wardrobes with someone at WE-AR, it would be Lily,
because she has so much amazing clothing- not to call her out.
And with her WE-AR clothes, she styles them very differently to me,
which I love.
What's your go-to power outfit that makes you feel confident and ready to conquer the day at the office?
- My go to power outfit at the moment would have to be my denim flares or
my trusted old blithe skirt in dijon paired with an asym tank and
Birkenstocks. If I'm really feeling attention seeking, I'll wear boots ;)
Do you have a favourite office tradition or ritual that brings the women in your team together?
- It’s not really a tradition, but I always love that no matter how many
of us are in, we always end up having an impromptu catch up first thing
in the morning as we arrive about work and everything in between. We talk A LOT and I think that really brings us closer together.