Lamington began with Sarah and Izzy, two good friends who had worked together previously and wanted to find a way to work together again as they started their own families.

Their idea was a collection of baby tees featuring familiar New Zealand favourites, from sheep and pōhutukawa to lamingtons and pavlovas.

Neither had a background in business, so there was plenty to learn. They were open to advice and fortunate to have plenty of support along the way, from a friend who helped prepare the original designs for print to nieces, nephews and family friends who became their first models.

Lamington launched at the Auckland Gift Fair, with The Prickly Pear in Browns Bay on Auckland's North Shore becoming its very first stockist.

By 2007, Izzy had decided to step away from the business, with Sarah taking over as sole owner. The two remain close friends today.

At the time, Sarah had two young daughters, and the idea for socks came from a simple wish list. Intended as an addition to the baby tee collection, she knew exactly what she wanted. Merino wool, knee high socks to keep little legs warm, the size knitted into the foot to make sorting the washing easier, and the distinctive Lamington logo knitted across the foot.

At this time, merino wool was just starting to gain recognition for its many natural properties.

The first concept was hand drawn on a refill pad, starting with just two designs in two colours. A local Auckland manufacturer brought the idea to life, using his considerable skill and experience to turn Sarah's early sketches into the first Lamington socks.

Sadly, a fire at the factory meant finding a new manufacturing partner, the first of several changes Lamington would navigate over the years.

By 2010, Lamington socks had grown to include both baby and children's sizes, all still in the original knee high style.

Originally intended as an addition to the baby tees, the socks had taken off in a way Sarah had never anticipated. What began as a small part of the collection was quickly becoming the main focus of the business.

She has always believed that if you pay close attention, a business will show you the direction it wants to take. Her husband perhaps recognised it first, telling her, "Lamington is a sock brand, you need to go with it."

And he was right. Lamington had found its direction, even if it wasn't quite the one originally imagined.

The Sleep Store was one of Lamington's earliest supporters. In the early days of their own business, Matt and Louise tried Lamington socks on their boys and became loyal stockists, a relationship that continues today.

Lamington was still run from Sarah's home, with wholesale orders packed and dispatched with plenty of help from family and friends. Sarah's mum, who worked as a merchandiser, would save good cardboard boxes to reuse when sending out orders. It was a practical approach to running a growing business, with everyone helping where they could.

By 2015, Lamington had moved out of Sarah's home and into a third party warehouse in Christchurch. There were some wonderful people supporting the business through this next stage of growth.

Hannah had joined the team and was instrumental in growing Lamington's wholesale business. She later brought in Jo, who also became part of the Lamington team. Both have since gone on to become co owners of Sheepish Design, building a successful business of their own.

Those years brought trips to Australia, trade shows, plenty of flat pack furniture to assemble, and many, many laughs and memories along the way.

The collection had also expanded to include women's and men's socks. The men's range was originally called Man-ingtons. Yes, really. Thankfully, that name didn't stick.

By 2020, Lamington was well established, with a strong network of stockists across New Zealand and Australia, alongside a growing international presence in Canada, the United States and Europe.

The business had moved into its first Auckland warehouse, bringing distribution in house and building a dedicated team.

Abby, a talented photographer who had worked with Lamington for years, had become Brand Manager, bringing a strong creative direction to the business. Channelle had also joined and remains an important part of the team today as Sales Manager.

Then came COVID. Like so many businesses, Lamington had to adapt quickly, with the team working from home and rethinking how things operated. It was a challenging period, but it also prompted some positive changes, many of which have remained in place.

Through it all, Lamington was fortunate to have a team willing to adapt, pitch in and help the business move forward.

By 2024, Lamington had moved into a larger Auckland warehouse, with a growing team and an established network of stockists both at home and internationally.

From those first two baby sock designs, the collection had grown to include styles for the whole family, from premature babies through to adults. The original knee highs remained a favourite, alongside an expanding range of crew and ankle socks, Sunday Socks and merino tights.

Over the years, Lamington had developed a distinct design identity. Colour had always been part of its personality, with each new collection bringing fresh combinations, considered details and a balance of familiar favourites and new ideas.

Collaborations with other brands had also become part of the creative process, bringing new perspectives while staying true to Lamington's own style.

2025 brought some of the biggest changes in Lamington's history.

Lafitte, a family run Australian sock brand with over 40 years of history, approached Lamington about its future. Originally specialising in men's socks before expanding into novelty designs, Lafitte had a very different personality to Lamington, but shared its commitment to local manufacturing. With Sarah's love of Australia, it felt like a natural addition. Koalas and quokkas joined the design portfolio, and Lafitte became part of Lamington Design Ltd.

The year also brought significant manufacturing challenges. Lamington's longstanding New Zealand manufacturing partner closed its doors after three generations, leaving the team to rethink much of its production. The closure of the last New Zealand manufacturer of women's merino tights presented another difficult decision.

With loyal customers and stockists across New Zealand and Australia, finding a way to continue offering tights was important. This led to the launch of Mosey, a new brand under the Lamington Design umbrella. The team partnered with an overseas manufacturer, working closely together to develop merino tights that met expectations for quality, fit and design.

The creative team had also expanded, welcoming talented young designers with fresh ideas and perspectives. With Sarah's own daughters now young adults pursuing careers in different areas of fashion, supporting graduates and those early in their careers is something particularly close to her heart. It's very much a two way exchange, with the business benefiting from the creativity, skills and perspectives they bring.

It wasn't quite the year anyone had anticipated, but it marked the beginning of a new chapter for Lamington Design Ltd.

With three brands now under one roof, 2026 has been a year of change and looking ahead.

Lamington's commitment to New Zealand Made remains an important part of its identity, although the decline in local manufacturing continues to present challenges. Finding the right manufacturing partners, maintaining quality and keeping production close to home wherever possible are all part of the work behind the scenes.

Today, a tight team based north of Auckland looks after Lamington, Lafitte and Mosey, each with its own distinct personality and direction.

More than 20 years have passed since those first baby tees. In that time, retail has changed enormously. Online shopping has reshaped how people discover and buy products, manufacturing in New Zealand has become increasingly difficult, and technology continues to change the way businesses operate. Now AI is opening up another world of possibilities, along with a considerable amount to learn.

Through it all, the focus remains on the things that have shaped Lamington from the beginning. Colour, thoughtful design, quality, good relationships and an appreciation for the people who choose its products.

And as the team looks ahead to 2027, one connection brings the story full circle. The talented technician who helped bring the very first Lamington socks to life back in 2007 is now playing a key role in developing the upcoming collection through one of Lamington's current manufacturing partners.

Nearly 20 years later, that collaboration is beginning again.