COUNTRY FLAIR
The hills, land, and country-living inspire the timeless jewellery and accessories of Whistle & Pop.
Whistle & Pop was founded just four years ago by entrepreneur Bex Hayman who lives on a beef, sheep, and cropping farm up the Hakataramea Valley near Kurow with her husband and their three young children. This personal connection to rural New Zealand is the main ethos behind the company’s creations which tend to find favour with those who share that common bond.
“I started the business end of 2017 after hanging up my boots on my country-music singing career and moving to the station as a new bride. I am a very creative person and founded Whistle & Pop as a way to express my creativity through jewellery and accessories. I literally love, live, and breathe Whistle & Pop. I love it so much; it’s my fourth baby,” Bex says.
Bex and the team design everything from top quality 100 per cent wool hats to utterly unique ties, scarves, and an extensive range of jewellery pieces, shepherd’s whistles, and cattle tags. Whistle & Pop’s pieces all have exceptional practicality and style that can be worn in both town and country.
In these four short years, the business has grown to become one of the country’s largest rural-focused jewellery brands and has seen constant expansion and even more passionate members added to the team.
Bex thinks the key to the success of Whistle & Pop is the growing desire for lifestyle goods and services that focus on the rural market. The best way to help communicate this unique identity is by using local people and making the most of our amazing rural landscape, which they are so lucky to live in. Interns help keep the brand real, fresh, and elegant.
“We love adding our little bit of country flair to everyone,” she says.
Aside from the headquarters on the station, the brand is only available online, but they are currently working towards being available in a select number of outlets in both the North and South Islands by 2022.