Wonders Cease

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MandEFashion Designers Maryanne Edwards and Emma Fitzgerald consorted the discovery made in 2009, namely, ‘Wonders Cease’. Having both studied at South Sydney Institute of TAFE a diploma in Fashion Design, where in fact they had both met at. Both having an aim of their mid to high-end womenswear label is to create pieces that are boutique-exclusive, financially accessible and make the wearer feel fashion forward yet timelessly chic. Wonders cease is gradually becoming known for its signature design of delicate handwriting of sophisticated artless shapes are carefully crafted on feature fabrics. An affordable chic wardrobe with the exclusivity of a silent screen goddess. 
 
The name wonder cease orginated from Emma, she had  read somewhere ‘What if wonders cease?’ emma and I were discussing that idea and decided that it wouldn’t be such a bad thing. If everything we planned for turned out exactly the way it was expected then in essence you could create your own best effort you can and accepting what comes out of it. 
 
Not wanting to conquer the world, the couturiers aspiration is to progressively pace the label controllably and remain true to their vision that is too establish a successful fashion label that prides itself on quality design, fabrics and workmanship (on Australian shores). To be stocked in a handful of great multi-label boutiques in each state of Australia would be ideal with the future vision of opening our own store or a few one day. 

I was grateful to interview this establish successful fashion label that prides itself on quality design, fabrics and workmanship stocked on Australian shores .As well Congratulations, Maryanne and Emma as the winners for ’Best Emerging Designer’ at ‘The Fashion Forward Festival’ Sydney, May 2010.

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What is your label about?  

It’s about quality, in craftsmanship and fabrication. We believe in buying clothes to be worn again and again so our pieces have a timeless appeal to them. They also feature a detail or texture that makes them unique, timeless doesn’t have to equal boring. We believe that clothes, and everything, should be crafted with love and as such maintain a close relationship with our makers.    

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What’s a usual day in the office? 

There is no usual day in a small business, Emma and I both juggle part-time jobs as well as our label. We work from our homes on patterns and designs and we dash between makers, fabric agents, boutiques with the mobile office. The role is very cyclical too so it just depends where we are up to in the creating/marketing process.  

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

We both studied at South Sydney Institute of TAFE a diploma in Fashion Design, it’s where we met in fact. 

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What is your favorite part about being a fashion designer? 

It’s really a wonderful feeling when you see friends or customers wearing and loving your creations. Knowing that they have been ethically made in superior fabrics, encouraging quality over quantity makes me happy. Doing shoots or shows is exciting too when the clothes come to life on a body.  

 
How did you select the you used? 

Very instinctually, we visit our agents to view the collections and just pull anything that jumps out, we love to use natural fibres so we tend to sort a bit by taking out any synthetics that have caught our eye. Sometimes we have particular fabrics in mind but often we evolve the design as we fabric shop.  

 
What made you create this label? Tell us your story 

It was very much an organic thing, Emma and I were both in a place of wanting to try something new than the roles we were working in and so decided to create one collection just for the fun of it. It was not really our intention to create a business but rather we just kept designing and exploring ways of marketing and it evolved into the brand it is now. 

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How did you get started in all this? 

We put together a tight capsule of about 20 pieces, we had a show at a gallery with industry, friends and family, we took orders. 

 
How many in your team? 

Just 2 really plus everyone we outsource. 

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

Every time we designed a new collection we explored new avenues of marketing and sales, we did shows, shoots, pop-up stores, launch parties. The creative process is similar, each season it gets easier to come up with the new range as the brand establishes a signature style. 
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How and what gives your inspiration for each collection? Do you go on fashion trips to gain inspiration?  

We love travel, we have been to Tokyo several times plus NYC and Bali together. Always those trips provide great inspiration as well as watching the international shows online, but it’s not necessary as such - we tend to just design from a place of what’s the piece we want in our wardrobe now? or what’s the new version of a favourite style from last collection? Often the fabric does the talking, a style just comes to mind straight away. 

 
Who is your target market? 

Women like us, aged 25-40. Women with an eye for quality and craftsmanship, smart buyers that want something unique but not heavily trend focused, buying pieces for longevity as well as fun.  

  

Where is the final product made?  

Our most recent collection was made in Bali where we were based for a few months developing it with our factory there, all collections prior were made here in Sydney. 

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

Fashion week was a highlight for sure, and landing a partnership with thegrandsocial.com. 

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

I think as soon as you set your mind on something it becomes a reality, we just wanting to create a collection so we did. Every season you start again in terms of getting it out to the customer so it is hard to build a brand when you’re producing physical and seasonal items. 

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Any difficulties in creating and production?  

Of course, there are difficulties in anything you put effort into. In creating it could be that you really have a fabric in mind and it’s just not out there, or something looks great as a sketch but just doesn’t translate 3 dimensionally. In production – we haven’t had any disasters as such (thank goodness) just little things, it’s important to be as specific as possible with everything narrowing the margins of error.  

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Before creating your brand did you work for another label? 

I worked for Cue on their label Veronika Maine as a designer. 
 
What are your future plans with your label?  

For now we are actually having a break in the designing while we clear some stock from past seasons, we just reshot some pieces from last winter, it’s fun to restyle and freshen up our image gallery. 

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

We love Nicholas Ghesquiere especially while he was at Balenciaga, we also love Alexander Wang and now he does Balenciaga! Stella McCartney, The Row, Celine, Givenchy, Jil Sander.  

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What’s your feeling for future trends 

I feel like anything goes these days, it’s never been a big interest of mine to predict trends and I think it narrows creativity when you try to work that way. Hopefully the trend is toward ethically made quality garments.  

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

If design is something you love to do then go for it, we must all spend time doing what lights us up.  

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