ABOUT US
At Ahipao, every thread tells a story—a story of resilience, craftsmanship, and the pursuit of something enduring.
Our founder, Esme Pfaff, has spent her life weaving beauty into everyday essentials. From a vibrant career in the fashion industry—working with denim and founding stores from Plymouth to London with her husband—to raising six beautiful children, Esme’s journey has always been rooted in care: for people, for the planet, for the things that truly matter.
As her values evolved, so did her work. She pivoted toward sustainable parenting, founding LittleLamb reusable nappies—a natural extension of her ethos. Seeking a slower, more intentional life, Esme and Nick emigrated with their family to New Zealand. Once settled, Esme began representing a fine UK-based cashmere brand in a time when few in New Zealand or Australia truly knew the worth of cashmere.
When others hesitated, Esme did what she always does: she built something herself. In 2013, she opened The Cashmere Company on Auckland’s Queen Street—a boutique that introduced cashmere and later, New Zealand-made possum merino, to local fashion in a new, luxurious light.
Possum merino was beautiful, but not always elegant. So she designed. And when designing wasn’t enough, she learned. Alongside her daughter Alannah, Esme travelled to Japan to master knitwear construction. Then, with brave hearts and a bold leap of faith, they ordered the machines, built a tiny factory, and began to knit a legacy.
Ahipao was born.
Our factory, nestled in one of the most beautiful bays on Waiheke Island, has worn many hats—a café, a restaurant, an event space—but behind every chapter, the quiet hum of knitting machines carried on, stitching our dreams into being.
Then came the pandemic. Our beloved Queen Street store closed, and in 2022, our world stopped when Esme was diagnosed with leukaemia. As she underwent intensive, life-saving treatment, Alannah worked to keep the family’s businesses afloat. The knitwear had to wait.
But knitwear is our language of love—and love always finds its way back.
In 2023, with Esme in remission, we reopened the doors to Ahipao. The machines sing again—more slowly now, with balance and intention. Every piece we make is infused with the quiet courage of starting over, and the fierce love that carried us through our family’s most challenging time.
Today, Ahipao is very much a duo.
Esme is the creative soul—visionary, designer, nurturer of ideas.
Alannah is the powerhouse—making things happen, managing production, operations, and ensuring the pieces make it from our hands to yours.
They love working together. Truly, they wouldn’t do this if they weren’t side by side. The work is hard, the stakes are high, and the business is deeply personal. But when they’re in it together—it’s magic.
And then there’s Nick, Esme’s husband and their steadfast rock. With cups of tea and well-timed biscuit deliveries, he holds the family (and the factory) together with calm and kindness.
The Heart of What We Make
In our family, there’s a jumper we all know as “Dad’s Old Faithful.” Soft, light grey, frayed at the cuffs—it's been part of our lives for over 15 years.
It belongs to Nick, Esme’s husband, the anchor of our family. Somehow, that jumper is always on the move—borrowed for chilly ferry rides, wrapped around shoulders at family dinners, or found folded on someone else’s couch. It’s the piece everyone reaches for. The one that smells like home. The one that carries memories in its stitches.
That’s the kind of knitwear we make at Ahipao.
Not fast fashion. Not fleeting trends.
Just beautiful, enduring pieces made to be lived in, loved, and passed down.