Delightful Darling

 Meet fashion designer student Hayleah Ralph. Hayleah is inspired by all things fantasy and mystical. Having always been surrounded by Art at a young age, her childhood days were filled with countless art and craft activities. She was encouraged to express herself and think outside the box and question normality.

Now as a designer Her imagination runs wild and free. She strongly encourages the expression of ones self through fashion and to be the main character of your own fairy tail. Hayleah is finalising her studies at Academy of Design(Bachelor in Design Arts Majoring in Fashion Design) Inspiring her to create her own fashion label right here in Melbourne called Delightful Darling. Her creations are marvellously unique wholly inspired and based upon fairytale books. I was thrilled to collaborate with Hayleah and her collection, it is based on “The Folk of the Faraway Tree” by Enid Blyton.

How long have you wanted a career in fashion? 

Many designers have dreamt of being a designer since when they were little, but for me it was right at the end of year twelve. When I was choosing what university courses to apply for. I have always enjoyed being creative and dressing up but it wasn’t until then that I really considered a career in fashion.

Tell us about your brand delightful darling

“Life itself is the most wonderful fairytale.” Delightful Darling aims to embody and share the essence of this statement with the world. Specialising in feminine aesthetic and child like details. The label is all about expressing yourself and having a play with your own look. The collection is exceptionally versatile; incorporating many reversible pieces. This creating ultimate wear ability and allowing the customer to tailor the collection to their own personal style.

You’re currently a student at academy of design in your final year of fashion design ,tell us more about your current experience with the academy of design and what you have achieved since attending.

Through out my time at the Academy I’ve been encouraged to really push myself as a creative,br I feel this has shaped me into the designer I am today. Last year I was lucky enough to be selected for a scholarship with a group of nine other students. I traveled to Paris and London on a two week study. This experience was a huge eye opener for me because i had experienced so  much culture and exciting opportunities with the scholarship. This year I also asked to participate in “ A Capital Collection “ runway show as part of the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival cultural program. I was asked to create two looks based on the 60’s. This was a great event as it allowed me to network with other creative people.

How did you go about sourcing your material for this collection?

A lot of research!! I used utilised websites such as aliexpress and alibaba to help me out.

What inspires you with your brand?

I tend to find my inspiration for Delightful Darling through children’s story books. The launch collection is based on “The Folk of the Faraway Tree” by Enid Blyton. The clothes incorporate many hidden details and features like The Enchanted Forrest itself. I aim to carry the story book theme through out all future collections and base every new collection on a different story book.

Who is your target market?

The target customer is a woman who showcases the same fairy tail style and attitudes that the Delightful Darling holds. Puts great thought into how they visually present themselves and uses their style to express themselves in a way of empowerment. The environment in which the label is aimed at are occasions such as tea and garden parties but also whenever the customer wants to feel “classy and fabulous.”

This collection you created something very different with your garments! Tell us.

The collection incorporates some detachable accessories such as cuffs and collars. This adding to the wear ability of the collection and also a feminine touch to any outfit . These accessories also carry their own surprise whimsical feature, they are scented with Jasmine. When these accessories are purchased they also come with a small bottle of scented detergent for them to be hand washed with to reinforce the scent.

What gives you inspiration?

As a designer I gain my inspiration from many places. I really like femininity and anything bright and colourful. I love Spring afternoons and fairytales. I remember standing in Lincraft once and getting overly excited about this beautiful rainbow chiffon material that I found. It had immediately reminded me of a butterfly that I had seen, i knew at that moment i had to have it and create something out of it. I ended up buying the whole ten meters that was left of it!

Have you completed any internship?

Last year I interned for nine weeks at Megan Park. It was a great insight into the industry and networking opportunity.

What are your goals would you like to be an independent brand or work for a brand?

My goal is to develop my label Delightful Darling over the next few years while working for an established designer within the industry to build up my experience. Then ultimately I’d love to work full time on my own independent label.

What fashion designers do you look up to?

There are so many designers that I look up to. One in particular is Melbourne based designer Petrova Hammond, who is the head designer for “Lady Petrova”. I really admire her outlook on the fashion industry and her feminine aesthetic. I actually invited her to the “A Capital Collection” runway that I participated it at the beginning of the year. It was a great opportunity to have a chat to her and hear her advise. I have also invited her to my graduate show at the end of this year and am excited to have her view my collection.

What are your future plans do you wish to achieve?

I would love to have Petrova stock the Delightful Darling label in her boutique . This would be a great achievement for me as I feel the label it extremely suited to that environment. I would also like to travel some more and experience all that life has to offer.

Advice for anyone who is currently studying fashion?

Never let an opportunity pass you by!

Special thanks to Hayleah xxx

Models: Adriana Perri Lewis Macmaster

Photographer: Ebony Finck Ebony J Finck Photography

Website Instagram: Delightful_Darling

Wild Horses

http://www.wildhorseslabel.com.au/

Natalie Donovan

Look out for Western Australian tempestuous label WILD HORSES. Designed for untamed women who want to abscond from the herd and dare to be lax but different. Simple, yet striking, the clothing and jewelry assemblage is renowned for achieving naturally inspired fun and accessible designs while still maintaining dark, stormy undertones.

Natalie’s creations are superbly unique as she steers her creative skills into drive ready to road test to onlookers. A woman who takes pride in quality checks, her exceptional craftsmanship ensures each piece of clothing is crafted to sheer perfection. A multi-tasker mum, she has created a marque from scratch, utilizing her prior industry talents and ingenious pattern maker in the making of the business. Natalie allowed her passion to run freely for women who want to escape the herd.

What is your label about?

Wild Horses is about being carefree, wild, spirited and effortless! For women who want to escape the herd.

What made you create this label? Tell us your story?

It all began in 2011 when I would create hand made jewelry out of precious stones. From there I would go to markets specializing in local fashion and from then on it grew and got popular and so I took the next step which was clothing.

How did you get to where you are now with your label?

Perseverance, consistency and strong will! Be 100% you! Keep going and don’t look back. And make sure you remember ‘if the elevator to success is out of order, you’ll have to use the stairs, one step at a time.

What’s a usual day in the office?

Office is attached to our home as we have two young children. Usual day is wake up 6am, organise kids for school. The day - answer urgent emails, gym, write a to do list of the day and sometimes week/month, try to complete that list! Meeting, appointments throughout the day about up and coming shows, shoots, collections. And if it’s that time of year where we need to organise the next range, we would be in the studio most days pattern making, designing, toiling and sampling.

Did you study fashion? If not what did you study?

I studied Fashion and Textiles at the Institute of Technology in 2010 completing Diploma.

What is your favorite part about being a fashion designer?

Flexibility of working from home. You have total control on what you design, and how you can style it. It’s very joyful!

How did you select the materials you used?

Fabrics are usually chosen during pattern making time. I like to be clear in what I’m wanting to use for the collection so I don’t confuse my self and more importantly so I don’t waste time and money. Most of the time I have a theme for the range and I stick with that theme to keep the fabrics cohesive and strong throughout the collection.

How many people are in your team?

There is me, myself and I! And my pattern maker, samplist, factory, book keeper and accountant.

How and what gives your inspiration for each collection? Do you go on fashion trips to gain inspiration?

I have been on fashion trips over seas. But most of the time the inspiration comes from within. I feel and imagine a lot and from there it creates these little pops of ideas and then it grows.

Who is your target market?

Women between 18 – 39 years.

How do you go about sourcing your products? Lots of googling! Research into fashion Asking people Calling and inquiring a lot of businesses in what they do.

Where is the final product made?

The final product is made locally – Fremantle WA. A small handful is made in Indonesia which is mainly the leather side.

What’s your current achievement with the brand that you are most proud of?

Proud that WH is 100% pure and organic. The whole brand has been curated and created by myself. And to have started the label up from nothing is truly inspiring and I feel lots of women can be inspired by each other as we are all strong and passionate beings.

How many years did it take for your idea to hit reality and start becoming a reality?

A good year.

Before creating your brand did you work for another label?

I didn’t as I just thought – hey lets do this! And threw myself into the deep in, head down, bum up!

Which fashion designers do you aspire to?

Stella McCartney,Chanel,Kate moss and the Olsen twins

And lastly, any advice to people who want to get into the industry?

Do it! But, make sure you have the knowledge, strength and financial back up to start. Something tricky and hard as this industry will leave you red and raw. They say to make $100,000 you need $1,000,000.

Special thanks to Natalie Donovan xx

Website : www.wildhorseslabel.com.au Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/W-i-l-d-H-o-r-s-e-s/150633064994175 Instagram: @wildhorseslabel

ONEBYONE

www.oneby1.com.au

Matt Newman created ONEBYONE the label way before it was the popular renowned street wear brand it is today. Matt was fresh out of completing his Diploma in Graphic Art and Diploma in Graphic Design. Matt originally started his brand by focusing on creating board shorts with an outcome to eventually be sponsoring extreme sport and water sport brands.

Today his ONEBYONE street wear company was recreated into the world of fashion. His style is out of this world and there is much meaning behind his brand along with his different themes with each season. He is a man who breathes for summer with a seaside lifestyle. His outlook on life seeps through his creative ideas in his clothing. Providing the image of his brand it has today.

What is your label about, I’ve noticed with a few things with ONEBYONE is that you have a strong theme having in your videos for each season; tell us more about that and your story. 

My ONEBYONE label does have a theme to it. If you watch the videos we always use the same models in each film so that you feel apart of the story and can visualize what is happening each season. It’s kind of like a runaway love story in each season. Each season brings something new such as a change, new beginning the way life really is. Life always changes as well as clothing and fashion. My brand is a journey through the themes.


When I had first started ONEBYONE, I had focused my brand as only the intention of creating just surfboard shorts. This stopped quickly as I didn’t want to put in a genre.

I could see the industry was changing as to when I first started my brand. Rip curl, Billabong and other big brands were being out grown by street wear brands. If I kept creating surf wear my brand would eventually die out, I had to develop my range further to become street wear brand. When I converted my brand into street wear I wanted to stand out and be more adventurous than other brands. All my seasons have themes and this corresponds with the seasons.

What’s a usual day in the office?

My usual day is talking to stores, dealing with manufactures, working daily on designing and looking after my brands image. Making sure production is on track. I’m already ordering for next winter 2015! Writing and replying to emails, PR and searching for fashion bloggers who I can collaborate with. Then designing at night, sometimes till 12am it’s the only way I get into the zone I cut myself from everything and make that commitment at night.

Did you study fashion? If not what did you study?

No I didn’t study fashion.

I went to Holmesglen Tafe Melbourne studied a Double Diploma in Graphic Design & Advanced Diploma in Graphic Art

What is your favorite part about being a fashion designer?

My favorite part is seeing someone wear my label. If its out in nightclubs, beaches or down the street. Seeing your brand out and about gives me a rewarding feeling about myself and the brand. How did you select the materials you used?

The materials I use is a cotton viscose. 55% cotton 45% viscose. This makes the material feel very soft, In fact it's what people notice when they come into store and touch our clothing. It also fits nice as well comes out of the wash without damaged to the garments. The quality is better than your normal cotton t-shirt and the quality is important when you purchase anything in stores and online.

How many in you’re team?

Three part time and one full time around up to six people when the store is open at Philip Island in the summer. The brand is constantly growing and expanding there could be more employees in the future!How did you get to where you are now with your label?

It started as a hobby, I would dedicate long nights without making any money at the start. Anything that I did profit I would put it all back into my brand. From hard work and dedication is where I got to where my label is today. How and what gives your inspiration for each collection? Do you go on fashion trips to gain inspiration?

I tend to have a theme in each collection. Sometimes it can relate to what’s currently going on in my life at the time. Sometimes it can as well be reflecting about the summer that has just past. Emotions as well come to play with each theme and collections are part of that. I just can’t come up with the collection straight away. Life’s journey is what makes my ideas come to life or where I am traveling at the time. Such as my pervious collection was called “Lost Heaven” That reflected on how I traveled to Thailand. It’s just all about my current situation and what is happening around me will reflect straight into that season as well a mix with current trends.

Who is your target market?

Well, I say 16-35 but to be honest as I mature the brand matures. So it grows with me along with the target markets. How do you go about sourcing your products?

Well normally I buy samples and from overseas then I do some quality assurance measures on them. Washing them multiple times seeing how it takes. Then from there I get a feel for what’s in trend and I create my own look. I normally send over the trade sketch to china to create the sample that is reproduced with my own unique touches to it.

An example is that I liked a jumper that fitted well it but it was produced with polyester but I wanted to make in different material. So I sent swatches of material that I prefer. Then I create a jumper that will match the fabric and add my own special touch to it to make it unique.

Matt how did you learn about fabrics?

I threw myself in the deep end and taught myself about fabrics. I learnt on the way with creating my brand and when you create something that you love and passionate about, you become very determined to learn everything you can to pursue your dream.Dedication is the key!

Where is the final product made?

The product is designed by me in Australia. Final products are made in China.

 What’s your current achievement with the brand that you are most proud of?

My most current achievements are often being the most popular/top seller brand on the iconic. Which is fantastic as you know they have more than 250 male brands on the iconic and to be top seller is absolutely the best feeling. I am really  proud about my brand and knowing that the public loves it really makes me feel I’ve achieved a great outcome! As well opening up my own store down at Phillip Island, which has been around for about 5 years now. How many years did it take for your idea to hit reality and start How long did it take for your brand to become the strong brand it is today?

When I first started off business was booming in retail, it was a very easy environment to sell clothes to stores before Recession hit. When I first started people had money to spend, Chapel street was booming, Bridge Road had shops everywhere.  During recession it became a really tough time for retail. It first affected with surf wear shops and then moved on to the other fashion brands. No one was taking on new brands onboard, I had to restructure everything and re-born my brand in a tougher environment. The retail market is a whole different ball game, I had to make sure I could keep up with my competitors in this new environment. Who are your inspirations? What Fashion designers who you look up to?

My inspiration and who I look up to happens when I go to Hong Kong yearly. The big brands there are just so incredible especially the window displays there such as H&M and Louis Vuitton are amazing. Checking out the street wear too whilst I’m there really give me an insight to new ideas for the brand.

And lastly any advice for people who want to get into the fashion industry? If you know what your up for and have a passion and love for designing then go for it. Also another word of advice is that you have to put in the hard yards and dedicate your life before you start making any profit.

Special thanks to Matt Newman

Website:  

www.oneby1.com.au

Instagram: ONEBYONE_CLOTHING Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/ONEBYONECLOTHING

Christie Nicole

Become acquainted with flairfashion designer Christie Nicole Trowbridge. A pipedream that blossomed into her own label at the youthful age of 23 years. Completing a Bachelor of Design in fashion, Christie landed the grand opportunity of an internship with one of the finest fashion icons of the century, Karen Walker.

Based in New Zealand, Christie embraced prospectus offers to learn the business and flourished with the continual success of where the brand has emerged today.

Christie Nicole took sexy intimate apparel pieces and tailored every woman with the desire to feeling and looking beautiful. Accessories are an ensemble when assembling an outfit. The designer’s exquisite handcrafted bralettes are carefully crafted in her personal Sydney studio.

A roundtable discussion with Christie about her passion – her label.

“Grabbing inspiration from anywhere & everywhere.”   

What’s your name?

Christie Nicole Trowbridge

 Age? 23

Did you previously study fashion? 

I sure did, studied a Bachelor of Design

How did you get started?

Once I graduated I went an did an internship with Karen Walker in New Zealand for 8 months and I came back and I could not get a job anywhere within the design industry. So I decided to start my label and amazingly it has bloomed and all my time goes towards

What made you get into fashion?

My grandma, I remember her always sewing around me when I was younger, then I did textiles at school and really loved it!

Who’s your inspiration/ fashion designers who you look up to?

Riccardo Tisci – Givenchy – IN LOVE

What’s your up coming design theme for your brand?

My Spring / Summer collection is being launched early October, called the ‘The Great Escape’ – that is all I can tell you for now, you’ll have to wait and see J

What made you create this brand?

I always wanted to have my own brand from the start it was just a matter of when.

How many years did it take for your idea to hit reality and start producing and selling?

It honestly took about a month or two.

what’s your main focus on your brand, where is your label made?

My main focus on my brand is to produce beautiful products that everything lovely lady will want. At the moment I am taking everything one step at a time, its all a learning curve at the moment.

I hand make all bralettes in Sydney, Australia and leather clothing pieces are made in Indonesia.

What are your future plans with the label and your feeling for future trends!

A soon future plans would be to eventually expand into doing clothing etc

I do have a plan for the future but its top secret! :) 

Special thanks to Christie Nicole xx

www.christienicole.bigcartel.com