OCDC streetwear label now a fulltime job for Aiden

A Kiwi streetwear designer who lives with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) says his designs are a direct reflection of his illness and his emotional experiences.

Aidan Treston, Blenheim designer and owner of Obsessively Confused Design Clothing (OCDC), was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder when he was 17 but says he struggled with symptoms from a young age.

His diagnosis came as something of a relief, he says. “To be honest, I was more relieved because I just thought I was going crazy, so I had a weird relief to know that I wasn’t losing my mind.”

He started the OCDC brand in 2017 and opened a shop in 2018 but the brand didn't start kicking off until 2020 when Covid-19 hit.

“Things didn’t really kick off for the brand until Covid, working online. trying to get into it and getting a few weeks off my full-time job and working hard to get the brand going and [now] this is my full-time job.”

Treston says his designs are based on his feelings and what's going on in the environment around him.

Sometimes the designs can come across as very dark, especially if he has a bad day.

He says it's very interesting to see those designs also resonate with other people.

“It’s very real and it's quite surprising to see how many other people tap in and feel something towards this design as well, which is very important.”

If you or someone you know is affected by OCD, please visit for more information:

https://mentalhealth.org.nz/conditions/condition/obsessive-compulsive-disorder

https://www.ocd.org.nz/

https://1737.org.nz or free call or txt 1737 to talk with a trained counsellor, available 24 hours a day.