3 Perth-Based Sustainable Fashion Designers To Shop With This Spring
One positive outcome of this COVID-19 riddled year has been the increased attention placed on buying and supporting local suppliers. There has been a strong focus on supporting local suppliers, from fresh produce and markets to local restaurants and cafés, and even retail.
Given that even importing and exporting goods has been difficult in some sectors, we’ve begun to really turn our attention towards manufacturing locally, and most importantly, sustainably.
Sustainable fashion has become increasingly important over the past few years, and 2020 has seen further emphasis placed on avoiding “fast fashion” and reducing the environmental and human cost associated with it.
Here in Perth that movement continues to grow steam, and below you can read up on three local designers to get behind as you start planning your spring (and beyond) wardrobe.
Empire Rose
The brainchild of local designer Kath Cizeika, Empire Rose features fashion designed, made and sold from her North Freo studio/store.
A strong advocate for slow, sustainable fashion, after over two decades in the business Cizeika is starting to see the benefits of producing fashion the right way.
“There is a huge environmental and human cost at the heart of fast fashion, but it’s heartening to see that consumers are becoming more educated on the matter and the industry processes are being exposed…
“Over the last five years I’ve seen a noticeable shift in the way we view and talk about fast fashion; we still have a long way to go, but it’s a start.”
Cizeika’s team of machinists and seamstresses are all based in WA, and you can check our latest collections HERE.
Meraki
Meraki, based out of Claremont, is the ready-to-wear label from globally renowned designer Alvin Fernandez and Samantha Wyllie.
“We are proudly made in WA and we employ a local team and support local producers as our first choice,” says Fernandez. “I think in the current state of things globally it has made everyone re-think the way we do business; sustainable fashion is something we have always been putting into action in the way we produce.”
With a strong emphasis on saving fabrics and wastage, Fernandez says most of their off cuts are donated to charities and schools for reuse. The proof is in the pleats, with Meraki showcasing around the globe, and a popular choice for celebrities all over the world.
Check out their latest collections HERE.
Wild Horses
Launched in 2012 by Fremantle-based designer Natalie Donovan, Wild Horses puts a strong focus on creating timeless garments with strong materials that don’t need to be left in the track after one wear.
“Our choice is to use fabrics and materials that can last the test of time and ensure the garment quality is always made with the most economical manner,” she explains.
“Natural fibres are best to use as it not only sews better, but the whole garment looks so much more beautiful than using a nylon or poly. It will last longer and is best for our environment as it doesn’t pollute the world if for some reason it is thrown away.”
Similar to Meraki, Donovan is constantly searching for new ways to use off-cuts and left over fabric: “We even use the ends of the fabrics to tie our parcels up when we get our online orders. The rest of the fabric scraps can usually go into our worm farm, or donated to a school or university.”
Quality over quantity, explore Wild Horses’ products HERE.
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For more on what’s happening in the Perth fashion scene, follow the below links:
A Guide To Sustainable Shopping In Perth City
Spring Trends And Where To Buy Them
What To Wear To Perth’s Best Bottomless Dining Offerings
To go deep on where to shop, dine and play in Perth city, head to the Visit Perth WEBSITE.
This article was written with the help of Clare Ryan. Clare has spent over 13 years as a stylist, editor and journalist, working across all lifestyle markets including fashion, interiors, food and design.
COVER PHOTO VIA Meraki