No longer just a pit stop for the passing tourist, Fairlie has become a destination for the discerning shopper. Ben Dobbs takes us inside his newest space.

Stepping inside the newest storefront for Fairlie’s Blank Space, it is a far cry from the 20-square-metre store Ben Dobbs first opened nearly seven years ago in 2016. ‘This store is 120 square metres,’ he enthuses. ‘It is much, much larger.’ It is also a direct reflection of the hard work, endless hours and passion he has poured into his business. 

At the age of 18, Fairlie born and bred, Ben made the decision to leave his bakery apprenticeship and start his own business. ‘I had worked at the famous Fairlie Bakehouse since I was 13 and on leaving school entered into an apprenticeship, but it wasn’t really for me,’ he explains. ‘I liked the retail side of things, clothes and photography, so decided to take a lease out on a small space and open a gallery of sorts; selling calendars, some streetwear, art and photography. Essentially providing something for people to fill the blank space of their houses with, which is where the name came from.’

Despite having no formal business qualifications, his past experience in retail combined with his passion for customer service saw him quickly diversify, adding more and more streetwear and clothing into the store. ‘It was cheaper to post,’ laughs Ben. ‘Plus Mum owns Mint Boutique [a clothing store across the road] so I had some knowledge of fashion and was keen to expand, so I thought why not.’

Starting a business at such a young age came with some challenges. ‘Some of the reps and brands were a little bit hesitant about partnering with me cos I was so young and you are buying fashion a year in advance, but for me one of the most important things in business is building relationships and this certainly helped get over that hurdle.’ 

One such relationship is that with iconic New Zealand brand Federation. ‘Growing up, Federation was my go-to brand for my own clothes (and is still one of my favourites), so they were one of the first brands I signed up to stock and have had them in-store ever since.

‘Over the years we have built a really strong friendship, and our brands have essentially grown together. Their success is our success.’ Which has allowed for clear lines of communication as Ben and his team are the ones on the ground. ‘We often chat about what has sold well, what hasn’t, what feedback we have had from customers, and this in turn helps their team in their planning for what comes out next season.’ One such conversation led to the increase in sizing options offered by Federation. ‘I want the store to be somewhere anyone can walk into and find something they love and fit, and this meant stocking larger sizes.’

This ability to listen and learn from his customers is without doubt what has put Ben on the map, and drove him to launch his own label two years ago. ‘Blank Space Label was a really exciting time for us, and when it comes to design it is a team effort. 

‘My team is diverse in terms of age, so they all interact with customers and talk to them differently. We regularly sit down to share what feedback we are getting, [such as] do people want long sleeves, longer hem lines, that sort of thing, and we adapt our designs to reflect this. We have people who come looking for pieces from the label because they know they can trust the fit and style – yes the design is updated each season in terms of fabrics and patterns but the fit and quality stays the same. We get samples made in a couple of sizes and adapt them continuously until we are confident it is right.’

Price point is a key factor for Ben and while Blank Space Label is made locally in Christchurch, his newest brand Twelve, launched in May, is made in China to help reduce the price. ‘With no middleman and off-shore manufacture, we are able to ensure we can still cater for everyone, especially given the current climate without a compromise on our dedication to fit and style.’

While the beautiful and expansive new store provides much more space in which to visually present the clothing and accessories, and has allowed for an expansion into new brands – including Diesel, Scotch & Soda and Rodd & Gunn – only 10 per cent of Ben’s sales are made in-store, with a whopping 90 per cent made online. 

‘Social media and our website are huge for us which is why it has always been really important to me that we take our own photographs and model the clothing.’ With this in mind, and Ben’s own personal passion for photography, the new store also boasts a dedicated studio space, meaning these photoshoots can now happen on-site, rather than having to wait for the team to travel to Christchurch to use a studio there. ‘It is really exciting as we can now show customers what has arrived in store, almost instantly.’

Constantly thinking ahead and looking to what comes next, Ben strikes me as someone with very little down time. ‘There is lots still to happen this year,’ he explains, ‘but one project that is nearly complete [as if a new store and label wasn’t enough] is a Blank Space jewellery range, which will be ready for sale in a couple of months.’ And if it is anything like the clothing label, one piece will never be enough! 

Looking around the new store, it is evident Ben’s passion for detail and drive for perfection has been well succeeded. As has his desire to cater for everyone’s shape, style and size.

For more information, visit www.blankspacethestore.com.