Often when a womenswear brand branches out into the men’s market, it’s a tokenistic effort, with the results more his-and-hers in style rather than something designed specifically for the male customer. Thankfully, however, it’s not the case with Deadly Ponies‘ debut men’s collection. The decade-old New Zealand leathergoods label has, as its creative director Liam Bowden explains below, always produced a variety of unisex items, and in taking its time to observe the men’s market, it has developed a range (arriving in stores June 10) that’s at once functional and quietly elegant.

Why the move, after years in womenswear, into the men’s market?
We have always done a number of unisex products as part of our collections however we found that men were reluctant to buy into a brand that they saw as ‘female’. We therefore wanted to create a collection that was specifically designed for men.

How does the men’s collection relate to and differ from the women’s?
Our debut men’s collection maintains all Deadly Ponies’ hallmarks; New Zealand leather, solid brass hardware, sleek and timeless design but it differs from our women’s line in that it is more pared back and focused on functional pieces. In line with this, the collection has been launched solely in black.

Tell us about the influences behind the debut winter collection.
The primary influence for the collection is our own heritage. Each piece has elements that reflect products we have produced over the past ten years, infusing the collection with our history from the outset.

Who and how might people wear the collection.
Each design has been made with the travelling man in mind. They are made to be worn on the go, everywhere and anywhere! The collection will appeal to those who like to travel, want something special, and appreciate quality craftsmanship.

Tell us about the fabrications and manufacturing of the pieces.
Luxury, quality materials are always at the forefront of everything we create. For our men’s collection we have used New Zealand cow leather, which we sent to Italy to be tanned. It has a strong grain and is extremely robust. The straps are 100% cotton and were woven in New Zealand. As with all our pieces, the hardware is solid bridle brass and every piece is hand-finished.

How might we expect the men’s collection to evolve?
Our goal this season was to create core shapes, delivering the ultimate bag for the every man. Future seasons will see us build on these core styles and also experiment with different materials and finishes. This summer we have reinterpreted selected styles in Neoprene - light and portable, perfect for the man on the go.