For Aaron Styles, the entrepreneur behind Kiwi clothing brand Just Another Fisherman, the recent lockdown period has been a pleasant retail surprise.

“We’ve been run off our feet to be honest!” he exclaims over the phone.

With many winter items in his popular menswear range deemed “essential” during level 4, Aaron and his team have been kept busy during what has been a quiet time for many other retailers; just another example of how this small but mighty clothing company has been quietly powering on since its inception in 2012.

Just Another Fisherman, or “JAF” as Aaron refers to it, started out as a creative experiment of sorts.

“I grew up fishing heaps and it was a hobby I picked back up in my early twenties,” he says. “In the fishing industry, [clothing] was mostly promo product and it was kind of gross to be honest. So JAF really started as a hobby – we started out making merino beanies and vacuum packing them like pieces of fish. It was mostly about playing around with the idea of experience and product.”

What was initially a creative outlet for Aaron started to really grow legs in 2015 with the launch of the online store and extending the product into local retailers such as Superette and Good as Gold. Fast forward to 2020 and JAF is now a popular mainstay in many Kiwi blokes’ wardrobes, with most of the growth happening organically through word of mouth and social media.

Starting out with a fashion-forward approach – “party” shirts and quirky-cool pieces – the brand soon found its rhythm, concentrating on a split between fashion and function, with a particular focus on the lifestyle and culture behind the label.

“I want guys to feel comfortable in my shop or on our online store and for it to feel cool, but not that it’s too ‘crazy fashion’ for them,” he says. “I want them to feel like it’s something they can relate to and that while it’s a good quality T-shirt or a nice workman jacket, it might just have a bit more of a story behind it.”

Aaron hopes that the mix of low-key everyday wear and the more technical, purpose-made fishing product will have broad appeal. “You can wear it if you’re 22 or 65. That’s a goal of mine – I want JAF to be for real people who do real things in their lives.”

With a background in retail and fashion design working for the likes of Huffer, starting his own fashion label was almost inevitable. Aaron and wife Penny (who has previously designed for Moochi, Stolen Girlfriends Club and Sample Only, the early in-house label by Superette) have run a clothing production company under the moniker Mr & Mrs Styles since 2011, helping many much-loved local brands with end-to-end production solutions.

With Just Another Fisherman, Aaron knew that the close relationships they had forged with suppliers would enable them to see the brand he envisaged brought to life. It also means they are constantly looking at improvements across all aspects of the production process.

“We’ve been working with our suppliers to get more organic cotton and recycled polyester, which we’re introducing into JAF this summer, and we’ve already introduced our 100% biodegradable poly bags that can be reused or composted. Both initiatives are very exciting, especially being a brand based around the water.”

With their strong online presence, the current lockdown situation hasn’t hit quite as hard and Aaron hopes that due to JAF’s lifestyle focus and timelessness, it won’t be as badly affected in the short- to medium-term as perhaps other more trend-driven fashion brands. He also hopes people will keep local makers in mind when it does come time for retail stores to throw open their doors again.

Just Another Fisherman’s Dacre St HQ in bustling Uptown was designed to be a destination and an experience, not just a retail store. The fit-out is what Aaron describes as “the ultimate fishing shed/ man cave”: a rustic, homely space where all the artefacts are either handmade or home-made, set against a backdrop of American oak with plywood detailing.

It’s an ideal space to run events and speaker series such as Beer & Banter, where experienced anglers and would -be fishermen can meet and exchange angling stories and tips over beer. Beyond that, it also acts as a showroom, with new sample ranges on display so family, friends and customers “can have a nosy”.

“We have some customers that will only come into the store to shop as they know it’s nice and peaceful and they don’t have to worry about a hundred people being in there at the same time,” says Aaron. “Sometimes it might be me that’s serving them or it could be another staff member, but we can get to know them all by name, which is really nice.”

While it’s hard to look too far into the future right now, Aaron is concentrating on delivering his latest launches online (including Little Anglers, a kids’ range) and working closely with local distributors. He’s also keen to pick up his fishing rods again soon.

“Things are definitely not going to go to plan this year – I’m mainly focused on just getting through this life-changing experience, looking after my staff and going skating with my son,” he says, “and since we can’t get out on the boat for a while, I am definitely looking forward to going surfcasting with the kids for a good classic Kiwi grass-roots experience.”