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Fashion Industry Mentor, Dj Station’s Jon Orlowski
With almost nine years of experience running Auckland’s urban street and club wear label Dj Station, Jon Orlowski also makes it his place to nurture new fashion talent through his student mentoring programme. “We need to encourage young talent to be like absorbing sponges,” he says. “It’s too easy to crush their spirit by being too harsh and without them we don’t have a future.” Jon’s career in fashion stretches back many years including his extensive overseas travels. Through it all he worked in both men’s and women’s clothing while at the same time immersing himself in the club and rave scene of the 80’s and 90’s around the world. Returning to Auckland in the late 1990’s he struggled to settle on any particular designer to work with. However, during his research he did spot an opportunity in the market in made to order dance and club clothing and so Dj Station opened its doors on Auckland’s vibrant Karangahape Road in 1999. Pretty much an instant hit, Dj Station quickly became a first port of call for dance fashion enthusiasts and professionals from both the club scene and the burgeoning Salsa and Ceroc scenes. “People who were into the dance and rave scenes seem to gravitate to Salsa and Ceroc as they get older,” says Jon, a keen dancer himself. Since then Jon has become a respected name in New Zealand’s fashion industry. His designs focus on well-tailored pieces using rich and textured fabrics sourced from around the world including his current favourite markets of Hong Kong and Taiwan. Each piece is created to reflect the wearer’s individual look but all are supremely funky, hip and comfortable. Inspiration comes from the people Jon deals with every day; customers, business contacts and dancers. In return they trust his word on styles and fabrics although he’s the first to admit that it doesn’t always work out. “You try to listen to your customers but there will always be the odd time when you end up being the only person who likes what you’ve done. It does come down to personal taste but ultimately you have to be able to sell what you make.” This experience of building a name and a business in New Zealand’s marketplace is what gives him the credibility and the drive to mentor fashion students. While he’s positive about the overall creative direction of our fashion industry he is very concerned about the narrowing of the skills base. “Everyone wants to be the designer,” he says. “But the industry relies on having a range of skills; fabric sourcing, pattern making, machinists, cutters, finishing, pressing and selling.” These are all skill sets that he sees as being in short supply and it worries him. Jon has spent many years being the consummate multi-tasker, at times running every aspect of his business single-handed. What concerns him is the lack of efficiencies that this creates as he doesn’t believe it’s possible to do all everything to the standard needed to build a successful business. His response is to work with design schools, in particular the NZ Institute of Fashion Technology and AUT, providing much needed student work experience. Those lucky enough to be selected by Jon are shown the ropes at Dj Station from every angle. He’s keen to remind students that the fashion industry isn’t all ‘glitz and glamour’. What he looks for is passion and commitment and evidence of loving the work. “It can be very hard work, long hours and high pressures,” says Jon. “It doesn’t suit everyone but I wouldn’t work in any other industry!” 
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