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To be featured in the 2026 directory, we will be releasing a free form right here in Q4 of 2025.

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Apparel Magazine has been producing an annual industry trade directory since 1969. Founded by Peter Mitchell in 1969, Peter was a dedicated member of the New Zealand fashion scene.

Peter Mitchell, who founded NZ Apparel Magazine in 1969, began his career working on the Manawatu Evening Standard as a cadet reporter. Later he was to move onto London’s famous Fleet Street, working for the renowned media mogul Lord Roy Thomson, 1st Baron of Fleet. During his time with Thomson, who had recently purchased The Times, Mitchell worked in publishing before being sent to Melbourne, Australia, to manage Butterick Patterns—a key distributor of Vogue and Butterick Patterns. He later transferred to New Zealand to lead the company’s local operations.

Finding his niche in the fashion world, Mitchell’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to pursue his own publishing venture. In 1969, with a $300 loan from his mother, he rented an office in the Securities Building on Queen Street, Auckland, and launched NZ Apparel Magazine. His vision expanded when he purchased and merged Clothing & Footwear News into NZ Apparel Magazine, creating a definitive voice for the industry.

Mitchell’s influence extended beyond publishing. In the late 1960s, he played a pivotal role in establishing New Zealand’s National Colour Council, set up by the Fashion Industry Association and the Retailers Association. This council, run from Mitchell’s office with Jillian Ewart as fashion director, provided colour recommendations to the local apparel industry, aligning it with global trends.

This move paralleled the broader international landscape, where the British Colour Council, established in 1931, had been influential until the 1960s, when its codes were largely supplanted by commercial standards such as Pantone. Founded in the 1950s, the Pantone Colour Institute continues to be a key player in standardised colour reproduction systems.

Peter Mitchell’s leadership and vision helped shape both the fashion publishing and colour advisory landscape in New Zealand, leaving a lasting legacy. He passed away in 2022, but his contributions remain significant, marking a key chapter in New Zealand’s publishing history.

Today, it remains a New Zealand family-owned and operated publication. Peter Mitchell's youngest daughter, Caitlan, is the managing editor and is proud to continue her father's legacy in the industry. Apparel has proudly supported the industry through its highs and lows for over 55 years. Growing up in the industry, Caitlan Mitchell quickly learned the ins and outs of the industry firsthand.