You will feel the chill in the air if you live anywhere in the Southern Hemisphere. While our northern hemisphere neighbors may laugh at what we think is “cold” here in Australia (Top of 10 degrees – Brrrr!), sometimes the wind feels like it has blown straight off the Arctic. So today, I have assembled a collection of our local ethical fashion makers, spinning some fabulous honest fashion pieces to keep us warm. And they look the part too!
He is a Melbourne-based brand run by friends Kajsa and Kate Brook. Each season they collaborate with local artists who contribute unique prints to their clothing designs. The Blair Jacket is perfect for layering with fluctuating temperatures and makes the perfect trans-seasonal fashion item.
Intrepid traveler and designer Roza Khamitova of Shovava fuses art with fashion design. Originally hailing from Kazakhstan, she later moved to New York, where she studied visual arts and worked in the fashion industry. Uninspired by her work there, she stumped in 2010 and moved to Australia. Once there, she started her fashion business selling her hand-drawn digitally printed cashmere and cotton scarves. When we interviewed her two years ago (read her interview here), her nature-inspired winged scarf prints were flying out the door. And they still are. Now based in Byron Bay, her range has expanded to include bohemian-styled skirts and funky leggings. Well worth checking out.
Sarah and Ludo Vintage in Melbourne has a great selection of vintage jackets ranging from cropped military style to princess jackets and flowing capes from the 1940s to the 1970s. While there, you may also want to take a peek at the vintage garden and party dresses!
There is a lot to love about Alpacas. In addition to looking fluffy and funny at the same time, they also produce beautiful wool. Alpei is a Sydney-based business producing a full range of winter-warming garments and accessories. They make a cute father and son Alpaca blend jacket, in addition to 100% baby alpaca button-back cardigans, nordic inspired alpaca socks, beanies, and scarves—plenty to keep you toasty warm on those extra cold days.