Fashion icon Paula Ryan
Few in the cut and thrust of the fashion industry will not have heard of Cantabrian Paula Ryan. Metropol’s Céline Gibson catches up with Paula, and talks of times gone by, and those to come.
“Have fun with fashion, wear what you love, dress your body not your age, and you’ll naturally find you’ll reinvent your style and yourself from time to time,” she says when asked about top tips for women.
Turning 75 in November, Paula says she has now found her ideal life balance, having more time for family and friends.
“I have decided that taking yourself too seriously is not a good idea…sometimes we all do it. And the other thing is, you don’t have to be right – even when you are. Just gently sigh and step back.”
Speaking to Metropol while relaxing in Rarotonga is a far cry from the hectic pace of her business career.
In her final year at boarding school Teschemakers (near Oamaru), a young Paula was awarded Actor of the Year. Unable to find a professional acting school, the artistically gifted teen opted to pursue a career in graphic design instead.
Paula began at U.E.B. Industries, with a weekly salary of $30. Two years later she handed in her notice, having been told by the CEO there was no future for women in creative management at the company.
Undaunted, the 19-year-old founded her own business that same week – Paula Ryan Graphics – creating wine and beer labels, stationery, catalogues, and fashion brochures.
Paula also did occasional modelling assignments, with photographer Euan Sarginson. She earned the princely sum of $5 per hour. “The 60s modelling scene was fun. The highest regarded fashion photographer was Desmond Williams, who later did most of our shoots for Fashion Quarterly (FQ), along with Euan,” she recalls.
Paula eventually sold her graphic design business, heading to Europe for a gap year with her sister, Tina (Christchurch foodie Tina Duncan). It was 1972, and while Tina worked in London restaurants, Paula worked for prestigious clothing company Samuel Sherman, utilising both her graphic design and modelling skills.
“I also delivered garments to Vogue House, where I met the photographers and editors of the day. I learnt more through those visits than at any time in my publishing career.”
Paula’s meeting with the woman who created the mini skirt was to prove a fortuitous one. “Mary Quant later paid to be on every FQ cover for about three years. The shots were taken by David Baily, Norman Parkinson, Helmut Newton, Richard Avedon, and my favourite photographer, Guy Bourdin.”
Paula recalls one particular evening dining with the Shermans’ and sitting at the next table were Bianca Jagger, Ryan O’Neal, Tony Curtis, and famous hairdresser Alexandre de Paris.
“Another time I dashed into the Hard Rock café for some lunch, and there were Mick Jagger and Salvador Dali having burgers. I waved, they waved.”
In 1973, Paula returned home and launched the Paula Ryan School of Elegance and Model Agency with her then husband Don Hope. Her budget was $200.
Two years later they launched Fashion, a catalogue distributed to 500,000 homes nationwide, which evolved into a newsstand magazine in 1980, followed by instore magazine Fashion New Zealand in 1982 and FQ in 1986.
Paula was the editor, stylist, and oversaw the layouts, while Don handled the advertising and negotiating with print and distribution suppliers. Later, Pieter Stewart joined the team, arranging the fashion shoots with Paula.
“We were a team. I worked tirelessly with journalist Peg Johnson, often working until 2am to make deadlines.”
In 1994, FQ was sold to Kerry Packer, and Paula remained as editor until 1998.
Iconic clothing company Lane Walker Rudkin (LWR) had been a major advertiser with FQ, and through Paula’s exposure to Icebreaker founder Jeremy Moon, she was inspired to encourage LWR to create quality New Zealand merino essentials for women.
“LWR thought it was a good idea and asked to use my name as the brand and pay me a royalty. The following season I created Paula Ryan Simply You magazine to market the clothing.”
The magazine soon captured attention, and advertisers, from luxury brands to retailers, wanted to use it as their print marketing tool. Paula was back in publishing.
In 2001 Paula met prominent menswear businessman Rob Dallimore. “Rob said that if I sold him half my clothing business, he would run it for me.” Paula did so, and says it was the best business decision she ever made.
When Paula and Rob married 20 years ago, Paula wore a green jersey knit dress from one of her favourite designers – Donna Karan.
The Paula Ryan Simply You label became Paula Ryan in 2002, and Paula Apparel Ltd was launched, of which Paula was the Creative Director.
Paula and Rob now license the Paula Ryan brand to former Paula Ryan General Manager Ben Macmillan and his partner Sean Frater. The Paula Ryan Online business is licensed to Paula’s daughter, Bridget Hope. “It’s a great team and retailers remain as loyal now as they have been for the past 25 years.”
A Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, Paula is most proud of her Lifetime Achievement Award from NZ Magazine Publishers Association.
Paula’s advice
- Study women you admire as they will inspire you and your decisions.
- No one ever died from wrinkles.
- Always have comfortable jersey knits in Modal and MicroJersey (haha) in your wardrobe.
- In terms of women’s aging, their appearance and how they dress – Age is 100 percent attitude. Probably 80 percent gene related, the rest is your contribution.
- Laughter is the best medicine from my experience. Apparently belly laughter is the ultimate, so surround yourself with the positive, and give critical and negative people a wide birth.
- Our lives are not a dress rehearsal, so make the most of every day.
- You are what you eat, a little exercise is good, but obsession and overdosing on anything will create issues.
