Joel Carter: The queer Massey fashion designer obsessed with ties
Joel Carter walks around Massey’s Wellington campus sporting an outfit which mixes streetwear with Catholic school chic. Two thrifted ties are looped around his neck, hot pink hair peeks out from beneath a backwards flat cap, and a kilt drapes over baggy jeans. Missy Elliot hums from a nearby speaker, as Joel greets me grinning.
“I’ve got a collection of about 60 ties. It’s a thing.”
Photography / Georgia Andersen
The collection of ties are relics of his uniformed Catholic school days. Now, a Massey Wellington student, fashion has become what he studies, how he found his community, and how he stitched together his queer identity, creativity and confidence.
Before studying Fashion at Massey, Joel lived in the small South Island town of Oamaru, known for its Victorian limestone buildings, steampunk attractions, and colonies of Blue Penguins. With a population of around 14,000, Joel recalls it as, “chill, but also kind of conservative”.
Attending a Catholic high school, Joel says he came out relatively early for someone in a small town — Year 11. He says, “It was a bit of a shock for everyone.” While he was supported by friends and family, he wasn’t confident in his identity.
“I used to have this idea that I had to live up to being queer.”
However, seeing other queer people in Oamaru, he didn’t feel connected to their Farmlands and Hallensteins looks, describing it as “classic NZ bloke” attire. Shopping wasn’t an adventure to try find Joel’s fashion identity. Instead, it was a once-a-year trip with his mum to find practical clothes which would last. What Joel really needed was to find clothes which would make a lasting impression.
Moving to Wellington, clothes shopping became a different experience. His friends introduced him to the thrifting culture, “Thrift stores especially became a fun activity to do with friends. It was almost like finding a new uniform every weekend.”
“Inherently, self-expression is the best thing. Especially for queer people. What I’m wearing is my uniform. Even if it’s constantly changing — if you feel the most comfortable in that, then that’s what matters.”
It started with Fashion school. Then came thrifting. Then came the ties.
“I love formalwear. I have this thing for ties. We used to wear them at school — blue and red stripes, top button always done up.”
Joel’s work is playful and precise: contrasting patterns, structured shapes, and deliberate rejection of trends he finds tired. “I’m not a big fan of bows, like the coquette trend.”
“Jojo Siwa-core? Not for me.”
His current work walks the line between sharp and soft, inspired by designers like Thom Browne and John Galliano. He starts with a strict formal silhouette before letting it burst into something bulky, expressive, and often ruffled — a love letter to 2000s hip-hop icons he worships.
“Music is a huge inspiration for me. Especially hip-hop music. I love Mary J Blige and Missy Elliot. When they were making music, they were wearing very bulky and baggy clothing which I love.”
Looking back on his younger self — quiet, unsure, and yet to come out — Joel is gentle. “I would tell him to be kinder to himself. I jumped around friend groups a lot, trying to figure out where I fit in. I was always worried about what people thought and that changed how I thought about myself.”
The friendships and community Joel found in Wellington are now central to both his life and his work. He says he finds inspiration in his friends, random people on the street, and his classmates.
But Joel’s biggest creative hurdle isn’t ideas, it’s discipline. “I’ll spend two weeks working on something and realise I don’t like it, because I didn’t like the idea to begin with. It’s annoying, but it’s part of learning how to trust myself more.”
Looking forward, Joel wants to take Roxbur — his fashion label — global. His dream is to travel to fashion capitals like London, Paris, and Milan, hand his portfolio to Thom Browne, and design for celebrities like Doja Cat, Lady Gaga, and Janelle Monáe.
But for now, it’s about finishing the next design, building a portfolio, texting a friend for feedback, and matching a tie for every occasion.
Joel’s journey isn’t one of sudden transformation — it is a series of small, confident steps. Swapping out Farmlands trackies for thrifted treasures. Choosing to study Fashion in Wellington. Embracing a community which has embraced him back.
To young queer kids in small towns, Joel’s advice is simple: “Find people who don’t disregard you. Especially for being queer. And find a really funny art teacher to hang out with.”
For Joe, the best outfits aren’t about being like everyone else — they’re about standing out in your own uniform.