Hayley King
FLOX is an art and lifestyle brand born in Aotearoa New Zealand, built from hand-cut stencil artistry, bold colour, and a deep connection to nature. Over the past 20 years, I’ve evolved my studio practice into a multidimensional brand spanning murals, fine art, stationery and travel accessories — all rooted in storytelling, craftsmanship and a celebration of place.
What inspired the idea for your business?
FLOX began long before it was a business — it began as a creative instinct. Early on, stencil art became my voice: a way to layer ideas, colour and narrative into the world around me. The desire to create work that felt both accessible and meaningful led me beyond gallery walls and into public spaces, and eventually into product — where art could live in everyday moments. The business grew organically from the belief that art shouldn’t just be admired… it should be lived with.
Where is the business now? And where is it headed?
Today, FLOX is both an art studio and a lifestyle brand, carried by a loyal audience and a rapidly growing retail footprint. We create across art, stationery and travel categories, with new ranges launching into the Australian market this year. The next chapter is about expansion without dilution — growing our presence internationally while staying grounded in our origin story, design integrity and connection to nature.
How does your brand differentiate itself in the market?
FLOX sits at the intersection of fine art and lifestyle design. Every product begins as an original artwork — layers of stencils, spray, and hand-painted detail — so each piece carries artistic provenance, not just surface decoration. The brand is unmistakably connected to Aotearoa: our ecosystems, our colours, our birds, our stories. It’s both visually bold and emotionally rooted, and that combination is what sets it apart.
What challenges have you faced, and what have you learned from them?
Scaling a business built on artistry is a constant balancing act — protecting creative integrity while building commercial systems that support growth. I’ve navigated production challenges, distribution shifts, and the steep learning curves that come with evolving from artist to CEO.
A strength has always been creative vision — it fuels everything. A weakness has been wanting to do it all myself. The biggest lesson? Build partnerships, trust expertise, and let your business grow with you, not at the expense of you.
What are your core values and guiding principles?
Everything flows from three pillars:
Authenticity — staying true to origin, process and identity
Connection — to place, to people, and to story
Creative integrity — art first, always, even as the brand expands
These principles guide every decision, from product design to partnerships and production.
What advice would you give to aspiring business owners?
Start before you feel ready. Your voice doesn’t need to sound like anyone else’s to be powerful — it just needs to be yours. Back yourself even when the path isn’t linear, and build a business that protects your creativity, rather than drains it. And remember: momentum beats perfection every time.
What achievement are you most proud of?
Longevity. Two decades of evolving, learning, creating — while staying true to the heart of the work. I’m proud that FLOX has grown without losing its soul, and that our work continues to resonate — whether experienced as a mural that transforms a space, or a beautifully crafted product that brings art into someone’s everyday world.
