Inside Story: Chris Lorimer & James Dobson
Chris Lorimer and James Dobson.
Lorimer descends the stairs of the one-bedroomed K’Road apartment.
Lorimer and Dobson live in a first-floor heritage apartment filled with art and clothes.
The living room of Lorimer and Dobson’s inner city dwelling.
The living room of the K’Road apartment.
View of the apartment from the street.
Gamper stool: “We bought the Arnold Circus stool in bright yellow by Martino Gamper from Everyday Needs as a house-warming gift…”
Otsu Ghost: “Hanging off the bannister and made by our friend Yuka, this is our good-luck charm…”
Our black wardrobe: “We seem to be well known for our all-black wardrobe. In the mezzanine we have a vintage chrome rack that I have had since I was a teenager…”
Kitchen table: “We had the table made by Tony at Beggars Banquet to fit the long, narrow kitchen. It has an up-cycled wooden top and hairpin wire legs.”
Books: “They’re so important to us and have inspired collections and shoots that we’ve created…”
Dobson’s photographs: “James majored in design and photography at Massey University and we have done the odd shoot together in the past”.
Cushions: “We have a great collection of cushions but I particularly like this iconic Bernhard Wilhelm tiger cushion for its shot of bright blue…”
Squeezed between a liquor store and a sex shop, at the Newton end of K Road, Auckland, stands an unassuming white door. It leads to the apartment of Chris Lorimer, 39, stylist and director of fashion public relations and events company Ciel PR, and his partner James Dobson, 33, director of Jimmy D clothing and owner of the Children of Vision store.
Dobson’s shop, nestled inside nearby St Kevin’s Arcade, carries his own label as well as international imports Bernhard Willhelm, Peter Jensen and Daniel Palillo, and local cult favourites Company of Strangers, Deadly Ponies and Meadowlark. Lorimer, meanwhile, represents New Zealand labels Cybele, BLAK, Chaos and Harmony, Otsu and Maaike to name a few. Together the two men are at the heart of New Zealand fashion.
Lorimer and Dobson lived on Queen Street for several years until friends recommended them for the heritage, turn-of-the-century, first-floor apartment earlier this year. The Italianate-style block has the traditional layout of storefront below and accommodation above. Inside, the apartment was a blank canvas: wooden floors, high stud, white walls, exposed brickwork and views of the Auckland Harbour Bridge.
“It’s a bit of a hideaway above the frenetic energy that this part of town can have,” says Lorimer of the one-bedroomed apartment. “Living in the city is a priority; it’s where we belong and feel the most inspired. We walk, bus or cab everywhere – neither of us drives and we both work close to the apartment.”
“I was worried that too much of my life would be on K Road with both my shop and workroom near here, but actually it’s perfect,” says Dobson, who, like Lorimer, grew up in Wellington. “It’s a super-short walk home after a late night in the studio and we are just across the road from the awesome café Eighthirty. I wouldn’t want to live or work anywhere else in Auckland.” childrenofvision.com
