Five Fits With: designer Joshua Heares of Porter James Sports
The Auckland-based designer chats with Esquire about how he went from corporate life to starting his own brand, the Americana roots of his new collection, and what he thinks about the local menswear scene
By 
THE CORPORATE WORLD may one day run out of employees: tired of the hustle, more guys with a creative itch are jumping ship, some of them becoming designers. Under the suits and ties (maybe even sans tie), burgeoning menswear heads are looking for creative outlets, and, as Joshua Heares simply puts it, to live a life on their own terms. After leaving his job of 10 years in advertising and design, Heares launched Porter James Sports in 2021, a brand with the desire to create a “well-designed life” for its customers. “Whilst I’m not trained in fashion, I backed my personal taste and knew I had a lot of transferable skills,” he says in this edition of Esquire‘s Five Fits With series.
A cornerstone of PJS is Heares’s receptiveness to what’s going on in the menswear world, and to acclimatise it to New Zealand (though his customers come from everywhere). He certainly doesn’t need to look too far, though. When asked about how much of his own personal style is ingrained in the brand, it’s a simple “100% of it.” The guy knows what he likes, and so do loads of his customers. Now three years into building PJS from the ground up, Heares is at a point where branding creates longevity. He cites designers like Ralph Lauren, who’ve built empires off curating a certain way of living, as an influence.
Recently, the Auckland-based designer took Esquire through five of his favourite fits, while telling us about where his interest in fashion began, how he mixes his Aucklander roots with Americana culture in his latest collection ‘Porter Country: HOWDY BRO’, and exactly what he thinks about the current state of the local Auckland menswear scene.
Fit one
Esquire: Firstly, where did you grow up?
Joshua Heares: For better or worse, I’m an Aucklander through and through. Whilst I have lived in Australia a lot throughout my life, Auckland is where I call home. We grew up in a small south-central suburb called Hillsborough and were lucky enough to spend weekends and summers at Snells Beach where my grandparents lived.
What was considered ‘stylish’ or ‘cool’ when you were growing up?
Golf was my life growing up and fortunately that coincided with an era where polos were cool, thus I fell in love with Ralph Lauren from an early age (my hero). I’ve had to buy my own clothes for as long as I can remember so I couldn’t afford to have a ‘cool’ golf wardrobe, so Ralph polos were it.
How did you first get into menswear? Was there a defining moment?
I don’t think there’s ever been a defining moment. While probably a vanity thing, I’ve always cared way too much about how I look. Dating back to primary school I remember wanting to wear all the brands or have the best fit for mufti-day.
Fit two
How, if at all, has your personal style changed over time?
My style has always had an undercurrent of simplicity, tempered with an innate understanding of my body type and what works with my proportions. That being said, there’s been a lot of trial and error as trends have come and gone and I’ve certainly got it wrong my fair share of the time, too. However, I think you have to put in the reps to find the clarity – #NoRagrets.
Who or what are some influences on your personal style?
From an ideological standpoint, designers like Dieter Rams or Ray and Charles Eames have always inspired me. Words like utility, simplicity and timelessness come to mind.
With personal style and brand it will always be Ralph Lauren. I think he pioneered lifestyle marketing (although I hate that term). His use of colour and the way he incorporates depth with his styling. Also, his outerwear is pretty goated in my opinion. I could probably say the exact same about Giorgio Armani.
Fit three
What was your first significant fashion purchase?
I just bought an early 90’s Cartier Tank a few months ago, so maybe that?
What were you up to before Porter James Sports, and how did you decide to start it in the first place?
I worked in advertising and design agencies for about 10 years. I was tired of working with stale corporates and wanted a life more on my terms, so I thought I’d scratch my fashion itch before it was too late. I’m not trained in fashion, but I backed my personal taste and knew I had a lot of transferable skills.
How much of your personal style is tied into the language of PJS?
100 percent of it.
Fit four
Where do you look for inspiration when designing?
It’s a complete mix. Observing street style when travelling overseas would probably be my favourite means of ‘looking’. But otherwise, Instagram (obviously), Grailed archives and op shops. You need to have your antenna tuned otherwise you’ll miss the clues. The clues, the ideas, the inspiration funnel through the PJS filter.
Talk me through your latest collection Porter Country: HOWDY BRO.
In fashion, the marketing of New Zealand has never really seemed that cool; it obviously doesn’t have the same appeal as New York or LA. But I am super proud of where I come from and to call Aotearoa home, so I don’t want to shy away from that.
I wanted to marry my lived experience with the Western-slash-Americana zeitgeist of late. For example, making a cropped Rugby knit using the ‘95 All Blacks colourway, a made in New Zealand leather western belt or simply putting the word BRO on a tee.
Holly, my partner and primary photographer, was instrumental in helping me articulate the vision, shooting on a small farm in Kaukapakapa. The majority was captured on medium format and is probably my favourite shoot in Porter-history.
Fit five
How would you describe the menswear scene right now in Auckland?
Diabolical, but [it’s] getting better. [Fashion] isn’t in our DNA. We are a country with a small population, and a lot of our best talent is living overseas. Thus, we lack depth in a lot of subcultures like fashion.
But you can’t brush Auckland with the same stroke as you can New York. Our Kiwi quaintness is also part of our charm and that’s why I love it. Fortunately, 70 percent of our business is done overseas so we aren’t too limited by the scene here.
Any brands (other than PJS, of course) you’re particularly loving right now?
Babaà, Studio Nicholson, Our Legacy, Cordera, District Vision, ERL, Ralph Lauren.
How do you unwind or escape from a big day in the design studio?
Lifting weights, running (ideally a long trail in the far North), or drinking a few beers with mates.
What are some of your favourite places to shop in Auckland?
If you had to wear one outfit for the rest of your life, what would it consist of?
Ask me again in a year and I’ll probably change my mind, but I think my current uniform is pretty good. Top down: an old Polo dad cap, Moscot optical eyewear, PJS slim fit tee, PJS dart-knee pleated trousers, PJS leather western belt, Uniqlo socks, Our Legacy Uniform derby.
See more of our favourite ‘Five Fits With’ . . .
Five Fits With: Steve Calder of Informale
Five Fits With: YouTuber Michael Messineo
