With international fast fashion brands setting up shop in Australia at an increasing rate, what does this mean for the future of the Australian fashion industry? Quick product turn-around and on trend pieces for cheap is hard to compete with, but many Australian designers are giving it their best shot, keeping faith in the industry and in consumers judgement.
As the textiles industry in Australia has steadily grown smaller in production, around 90 per cent of consumers in Australia now wear garments from international sellers and that are made overseas.
Olga Moore is the founder and head designer at Naked Official, a Sydney based high end clothing label, who believes that in order to support the Australian fashion industry, public awareness of where brands are made needs to change among other things.
“I think the best thing is consumer awareness of the impacts of fast fashion, such as the wear one and throw out mentality and more focus and attention on the diversity that local Australian brands such as Naked Official give to the market I think it’s important that the Australian consumer and women consider their future and decide whether they just want to wear a fast fashion brand or they want to build a strong local brand culture providing individuality and I think Australian brands do that. “
Olga says the main drawbacks faced as an Australian manufacturer competing with international brands are competing with the low prices they are able to set due to their fast-paced product turnaround and ability to release on trend items quickly.
“They provide obviously a lot of cheaper products due to the volumes they can produce and most of the time they buy up the supply chain to have a really fast turn around and I think that’s impacted Australian designers because we obviously don’t turn around very quickly, we produce season after season, whereas big brands can produce every week which kind of creates this cycle of scarcity so the consumer keeps wanting to come back week after week”
Alice Edgeley, owner and designer of Melbourne based brand Edgeley says that people need to be educated in finding out how and where their clothes are made.
“It would be good if people knew more about local designers and maybe prioritised them over mass produced overseas things.”
She says that most of her customers appreciate the individuality of her brand and most of her business comes from her custom designs and alterations, a service not available at big name brands.
“I think you have to offer something different, so I do custom made and I do alterations to things so I can customise the clothes in the shop to suit people, I have my machine in here and I feel like that’s something that helps a lot, it’s not something that you’re going to get at Topshop or H&M. And it’s really hard to find clothes to fit people, like no one’s a standard size. “
Olga Moore says that what sets Naked Official apart from international brands is the fact that she can keep an eye on the whole process and maintain quality control over the whole product.
“The fact that I manufacture here in Australia and have a good relationship with my suppliers and my manufacturer I’m able to control the quality and things like that and provide people with really high-end quality garments at a reasonable price.”
Naked Official has recently begun selling through the online store The Iconic and has plans to expand to Melbourne and Queensland soon, widening their reach to Australian consumers, and Edgeley is available online and in their Fitzroy store. If consumers do their research online and ask questions, they can find amazing home-grown brands that are unique and fashionable, and that support Australian made products and Australian jobs and creativity, while also making a statement that says more than fast fashion ever could.
Amy Sullivan 