John West

John West, John West Exclusive, and Berg were brand names of an company whose headquarters were in Fanshawe St, Auckland. Not much was able to found about this company, but possibly their leather designs were made up by Derek and Janette Turner who set up a small premises in Khyber Pass in 1971, with a small workroom, one machinist, Maria Van Hees, and operated on a cut make trim basis for another leatherwear manufacturer. The Turners expanded to a point where ‘most of the leatherwear manufacturers’ were their clientele, then established their own label ‘Ode of New Zealand’ in the mid-1970s.

The Eden Hore collection includes four Jon West garments, reflecting EdenHore ’s keen interest in the intersection between fashion and the primary industries.

In 1971, John West was one of the labels included in New Zealand’s World of Fashion—a fashion show of ready-to-wear and couture garments by New Zealand designers, which designer Kevin Berkahn toured to Australia, England and the US.