By From the vintage-flavoured sweets at Par Moi to the rave-ready swimwear of Emily Watson, Vogue rounds up the under-the-radar Australian and Kiwi labels you should know.
Image credit: courtesy of My Mum Made It
We’re always on the hunt for the next big thing. There’s nothing that insiders adore more than happening upon local labels and emerging designers before they become a household name, taking residence in the halcyon days when cult-favourite boutique brands like Christopher Esber were more IYKYK than ‘It’.
In this regard, social media has made the discovery process far easier. A simple scroll through your Instagram feed is all you need to have your heart stolen by a top, or a bag—a piece that catches your eye and opens up the floodgates to a designer’s personal universe. Often, it’s these new names in the current contemporary creative boom who use digital platforms best, though most are also drawn together by a focus on sustainability and transparency—versed in responsible production and consumption in a way that their predecessors may not have been.
Here, we present our favourite homegrown labels doing just that. From the vintage-flavoured sweets at Par Moi to the rave-ready swimwear of Emily Watson, a Vogue editor rounds up the under-the-radar Australian and Kiwi labels you should know—before they blow up.
My Mum Made It
Whimsy, innocence and delicacy rule in the My Mum Made It universe, which comes to you from Brisbane. Founder Nyree Leckenby began by spinning designs from thrifted bed sheets; the brand’s name was often her response to questions about what she was wearing. The bedrock of her label these days are silhouettes you might imagine in a Rococo painting: bloomers, flouncy dresses, bonnets and Peter Pan collars. We mean, if Clairo is a fan…
Permanent Vacation
“Design as an expression of sentiment”: that’s how founder Claire Louise Smith describes her mission at Permanent Vacation, a Melbourne-based, ready-to-wear label that specialises in quirky, streamlined basics. Every garment you’ll discover in Permanent Vacation’s offering has been imagined and produced within 15km of their Abbotsford studio. “My intention is for Permanent Vacation to be an escape from the cyclical,” continues Smith, “a brand that is beyond time and place, which also informs the name of the label.” Embrace her vision in gauzy dresses, seersucker gingham, and lace cardigans—silhouettes that are simple, yet slightly off-kilter.
Muse the Label
Mother-and-daughter duo Christine and Sarah—whose gorgeous wedding we featured on Vogue in 2023—are behind Melburnian label Muse, where clothes are breathable, elegant and ever-so-slightly sporty. Both Christina and Sarah lend their feminine silhouettes a touch of grit: silver eyelets on a skirt, rock star studs on a Grecian dress. Everything wears like air. Seek them out for basics that are anything but.
Pave
If your wardrobe is in need of some elegant, well-cut staples, Pave has you covered. Inspired by the perennially timeless era of ’90s minimalism, this local label focuses on polished silhouettes in refined palettes, cut in premium, wool-blended materials. Think high-cut tank tops and chic pencil midi skirts ideal for layering or worn ever so chicly solo. Forever pieces for your workwear collection, as well as for your everyday capsule, Pave looks to the busy lives of working Australian women and provides her with the perfect uniform.
Par Moi
Ashiya Omundsen’s Par Moi is relatively new to the scene. Birthed in 2019, the name, which translates to “By Me” in French, reflects the designer’s intimate and personalised approach to clothing. Omundsen works out of Melbourne, and crafts all her pieces from deadstock fabrics. Season-lessness is the goal, but there’s a vintage touch to everything that Par Moi makes. Exaggerated collars sit atop empire waists and contrast cuffs; ruffles, ribbons and tie-front details offer a version of womenswear at its sweetest. And there’s plenty of genderless shirting too, if you’re a fan of easy androgyny.
Wixii
Mother and daughter duo Shelley and Georgia Hembrow run Wixii, a New Zealand brand where fabric and the art of construction is king. Founded in 2016, Wixii was brought to life with sustainability at its core; the Hembrows wanted, simply, to create everyday silhouettes from natural fibres. Luxuriate in their ’90s-style designs, which include body-forward dresses, silk minis, and cashmere in all forms (micro shorts, baby tees, cropped cardigans, et cetera), spun in muted shades; dove grey here, moss green there.
E Nolan
Melbourne-based label E Nolan is redefining the art of made-to-measure tailoring with a distinctly irreverent charm that we just love. Founded by designer Emily Nolan, the brand fuses top tier craftsmanship with a playful, gender-inclusive ethos—think sharp, custom suiting with a wink. Sartorial codes are rewritten with unexpected details, vivid colours, and a rebellious spirit that challenges the stiffness of traditional tailoring. Loved by those who crave both precision and personality, E Nolan is the kind of under-the-radar Australian label that once discovered, feels like a well-kept secret worth sharing.
Niamh Galea
Niamh Galea—formerly known as Ramp Tramp Tramp Stamp—is the Australian label rewriting the rulebook on rebellious femininity, one subversively spliced, deadstock-sourced piece at a time. Founded by the eponymous designer, the brand thrives on contradiction—slinky yet scrappy, delicate yet defiant, DIY yet deeply considered. A love letter to the offbeat and the underground, Galea’s designs range from printed tracksuit sets to deconstructed bras, her viral cut-out Lucky logo tees to textured bloomers, and have earned a cult following amongst fashion’s most discerning individuals. If you know, you know—and if you don’t, now’s the time to find out.
Courtney Zheng
So you’re fluent in minimalism? Let us introduce you to Courtney Zheng, a made-to-order label dedicated entirely to the art of clean, precise tailoring. A neutral palette of greys, blacks and taupes let the shapes take centre-stage, an array of skirts with knife-sharp pleats, waistcoats and Audrey Hepburn-style head scarves. Zheng cites her grandmother, a mill worker turned textile factory owner, and her parents, who own a denim manufacturing business, as key sources of inspiration. With her self-named label, she’s carving her own path.
By Ellen With Love
There’s no mistaking the work of By Ellen With Love’s titular founder—the ruching, the sensuality, the playfulness. Two-sets are her specialty, and she plays around with her signature fitted camisoles and micro-shorts in a variety of shades and textures, from red gingham to dainty, beaded silks. It’s the kind of clothing that makes every day feel like an occasion—and when life is so sexy, why not treat dressing like seduction? The brand opens monthly for orders, so keep your eyes peeled on its socials.
Après Studio
Meg Wilcher’s Après Studio is famous for its bubble hem dresses—flouncy, coquettish things made from deadstock and 100 per cent recycled materials. Find T-shirts, tank dresses and turtlenecks in Wilcher’s signature ruching, along with ’70s-style ginghams, tartans and terracottas. Flirty and feminine daywear that you’ll undoubtedly put on regular rotation.
Mode Mischief
Mia Zotos’ Mode Mischief has come leaps and bounds since it was established in 2021. Now, given the stamp of approval from stars like Hailey Bieber and Emma Chamberlain, the Australian brand has become known for a series of specific silhouettes. Its backless tee, one of its early signatures, has been joined by Mode Mischief’s bubble skirt, gingham blouse and tie-front midi skirt. Cheery, unapologetically girly and just a little retro—if that sounds like you, there’s no better destination.
Little Yarn
Designer Sophia Gibbs founded Little Yarn from Byron Bay. Even if you haven’t heard the name before, we assure you: you’ve seen her work around. A red knit with ‘Lucky’ stitched across the front in cursive, perhaps? Or a white cropped blouse, cut at the elbows and trimmed with lace? Whatever your flavour, you’ll find something to suit your tastes here, spun in the softest of wools and in the most adorable silhouettes.
Il Bahri
There’s a sweetness to the functionality you’ll find at Il Bahri, a Byron Bay-based label founded by best friends Alexe and Scarlet. Strapless tops are stitched with hidden loops to encourage multi-wear, but are themselves soft and ribbed, worn best with well-loved denim. Cargo skirts are plush and buttoned, while the brand’s signature long-sleeve pieces are ruched and adjustable at the back.
With Consideration
Unsurprising that a label called With Consideration approaches clothes with care. You can see its focus on mindful production in the design too, a collection of minimal, clean shapes and staples with a retro twist. Consider their new, corporate-flavoured range of pleated schoolgirl skirts, deliciously oversized polos and ruffled halter shirts. It’s all very Gisele Bündchen in The Devil Wears Prada—and that’s a very good thing.
My Friends Are Yours
Sydney-based slow fashion label My Friends Are Yours has the uncanny ability of worming its way into the wardrobes of the most stylish people in your neighbourhood and then making you crave every single piece. Their keyhole top is a brand signature, and comes in a crimson and particularly delicious aqua, as well as an array of halter neck tops and dresses. If you want clothes to slip and twirl into, this one’s for you.
Modalità Vacanza
It’s easy, it’s breezy, it’s Modalità Vacanza. This resortwear label, founded by Tayla-Lea Schulz in northern NSW, is dedicated to clothing for ladies of leisure. That means plenty of sheer, billowing chiffon dresses, semi-sheer minis and slips. You’ll want to buy everything plus a ticket to Rome.
Amiss
Sensual knits, mischievous Y2K mini skirts and hoodies, and leather boots with a whole lot of attitude—this is Amiss, a label from designer Vanessa Gray, that aims to blend elements of the Australian bush and and what Gray terms a “Sri Lankan reverence for nature”. In other words, it’s what it says on the tin. These are casual clothes designed for you to move in and feel confident in, yes, but also cause a ruckus. Spunk and elegance aren’t often associated with each other but Amiss suggests they go hand-in-hand.
Koster Kulture
Yasmin Koster would like to design for a perpetual summer, thank you very much. The founder and creative director of Sydney-based label Koster Kulture creates clothing you might imagine for yourself on a European holiday, or a particularly lovely lunch with the girls: halter neck top and skirt sets in blacks, burgundies and ice cream shades, along with ruched minis and maxis that lean into quality fabrics and techniques. There’s a distinct focus on using upcycled and recycled materials, and the pieces themselves are tailored for mixing and matching, to maximise wear.
By Neil Vernon
Shanelle George and partner Josh named their Sydney-based label By Neil Vernon after Josh’s late father—the couple write that Neil was “a hardworking and dedicated man who understood the importance of downtime; a man that embodied everything we wanted out of our brand.” You’re likely to have seen their signature piece, their asymmetric Mara top, all over TikTok; it’s available on their website in a range of shades, as well as in a dainty sheer fabric. But there’s a wide range of elevated basics you’ll find in their store, from flattering tanks to streamlined trousers.
Maem Disko
Fluttery silk separates, flirtatious tank tops and polka dot bikinis are everywhere to be found at Maem Disko, founded by Margot Castor in 2021. This is the best of underwear translated for an everyday wardrobe, from Castor’s see-through lace bodycons to her bloomers, which you can wear inside the house—or out with kitten heels.
Monroe the Label
What’s not to love at Monroe the Label, a Melburnian brand that prides itself for making pieces that are distinctly out of the ordinary? Here, find ruched maxi dresses, fencing-style tops and soft, croissant-shaped bags that wouldn’t be out of place in Berlin, or at a rave.
Pinky & Kamal
Natalie Carusi began Pinky & Kamal after a humanitarian trip to Bangladesh, and named the brand after two friends she met during her journey. At the label, she focuses on activewear, but also leisure wear—leggings, bras and tees that are designed to carry you through all kinds of movement. Style her sets for pilates, and throw on a long-sleeved T-shirt or zip-up jersey when you leave to face the day.
Bacigalupo
Who knew waste could look this good? Every piece you find at Bacigalupo, a Sydney-based brand designed and made on Gadigal land, is the result of upcycling—waste, deadstock and landfill transformed into clothes. Long-sleeve graphic tees, micro shorts, and mini tank dresses hang from Bacigalupo’s online rails—clothes that feel like a techy, yet casual nod to both our digital age and our taste for nostalgia.
Hopeless Lingerie
Sisters Gabrielle and Dominique Adamidis are behind Hopeless Lingerie, an intimate label based in Melbourne, where all garments are made in-house and to-order. Crimson and black are the leitmotifs here, where thongs, bralettes and suspenders come ruffled, mesh-panelled and laced. Their nightwear, too, is delectable: enjoy skirts dotted with ribbons, and bodysuits to wear solo or beneath trousers in the daytime. This is ethical luxury for the dark romantic—are you game?
Arthur Apparel
You’ve likely stumbled across Olivia Gow’s Arthur Apparel on your Instagram feed, a label influenced by the designer’s own Italian-Chinese heritage. The brand’s niche, according to Gow, is “glorified daywear”; each design is a marriage of the masculine and feminine. A quilted vest and skirt comes printed with swans and white hearts; carpenter pants and box pleat trousers are some of Gow’s grittier signatures. One to note down especially if you have a penchant for colour. Tangerines and ceruleans pack a hell of a punch.
Ruby
Creative director Deanna Didovich leads Ruby, a label based in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Family-owned, Ruby is, technically, a catch-all for two brands: the aforementioned Ruby, helmed by Didovich, and Liam, created by Emily Miller-Sharma. While Ruby offers easy-wearing silhouettes in vibrant colours—think cobalt vests, ruched emerald midis and pink slips—at Liam, you’ll find both ready-made pieces and patterns to sew your very own garment, available in sizes 4 to 28.
Katharina Lou
You’re a maximalist, and you’re not sorry about it, because well, why should you be? If this is a refrain you turn over in your head, chances are you’re familiar with Katharina Lou, whose blue tartan midi dress did the rounds on the Australian style set a few seasons ago. Founder Katharina Mildren founded the label in 2020 after moving to Melbourne from Sydney, and works with a female-owned and led block-printing studio in Bangalore, India, for her distinctive prints, which she splashes onto puff-sleeved midis and button-down shirts.
Caves Collect
Sarah Russell and Johanna Howe dreamt up Caves Collect in 2014. The duo source quality fabrics from Italy and Japan, but make all their garments in Australia; they describe their mission as one of “conscious consumerism”, encouraging a sustainable relationship with clothing reflected in minimalist design. Merino turtlenecks, high-waisted Twiggy skirts and tailored trousers—if you’re looking for French Girl staples, Caves Collect offers a homegrown option.
Alix Higgins
One look at an Alix Higgins piece and it’s apparent that the designer hails from the Tumblr generation—that cabal of internet poets and digital dreamers. His self-titled label, established in 2021, made its runway debut at 2022 Australian Fashion Week. “The pursuit of the brand is freedom,” Higgins told Vogue in October that year. “Freedom in image, identity, and dress. The person that fulfils this is anyone, but the muse is often a type of performer, someone taking pleasure in constructing and reconstructing their identity.” Do so in Higgins’ second-skin tops, printed with snippets of his own poetry, upcycled tops and glitchy sunset gradients.
First Colours
Many brands avow to blend style with sustainability. Sydney-based First Colours truly delivers. Founded and led by designer Emily Savage, the label is committed to the idea that sustainable fashion shouldn’t be a luxury, making their pieces more accessible, exclusive, and in a world so often marked by greyness, colourful and exciting, too. Using organic or natural recycled and deadstock materials, and offering a range of go-to basics and statement sundresses, tops, sets and more, First Colours has you covered for every occasion and every season—and in every vivid hue.
Bodicia B
Sydney-based label Bodicia B derives its name from founder Bodie Keely, who began her career as one of Australia’s most-watched budding designers by reworking second-hand garments for resole on Depop. Each piece from Bodicia B is made-to-order from deadstock, and appeals to a brand of Victorian-slash-country girl chic: pastoral dresses stitched from patchworked flannel, lace-trimmed bloomers and raw-hem skirts.
Emily Watson
Bella Hadid is just one of the fans of Melbourne-based label Emily Watson, a swim and resort wear label based in Melbourne that has made a name in recent years for its subversive, Y2K-inflected pieces. Ruffled halter neck tops, ruched bikini shorts and tankini nylon skirts comprise the backbone of Watson’s oeuvre. Wear her pieces to a rave, or poolside in summer—the choice is yours.
Olga Joan
Newcastle-based designer Rebecca Pastro started her label, Olga Joan, as a stylish and sentimental ode to her Nonna and Nanna—Olga and Joan, respectively—back in 2018. Since then, the low-impact hemp and silk apparel brand has built a cult-favourite name for itself courtesy of its tailored craftsmanship, and timelessly feminine and flattering pieces. From slip skirts and beaded necklaces to ruched blouses and sweet sundresses, this local label has mastered the effortlessly chic vibe we’re always coveting.
Perple
There’s a delicacy to the designs at Perple, helmed by Huiliana Chandra-Curry. Here you’ll discover clothing that is clean, graphic and sculptural: a white corset with a gathered, faux-leather neck; Matryoshka-inspired dresses, split down the front with a line of diamond cut-outs.
Sister Studios
Emma Cutri is behind Sister Studios, where clothing is inspired by friendship—memories of shared wines and dinners. That might be why the designs that Sister Studios has on offer are the kind you want to twirl around in: pretty lace camisoles and drop-waist skirts in lustrous shades of chocolate and crimson, or off-shoulder tops that hug the torso. If you’re an acolyte of the girlish fashion that’s been everywhere of late—the ribbon-covered, hyper-pink, Sandy Liang-flavoured kind—we’d make this our first point of call.
Amelie Teje
Limited-quantity drops, 100 per cent compostable packaging and ethically sourced fabrics—the pieces from Australian label Amelie Teje are the kind you’d like to wear on a hazy summer afternoon. Off-shoulder cotton tees, pleated skirts dangling with ribbons, slinky slips and cosy cardigans—the Amelie Teje wardrobe is about girlish comfort. This is It-girl off-duty. Hailey Bieber is one of the many fans the label has accumulated since its founding. Will you join her?
Caitlin Snell
The handmade accessories you’ll shop from Caitlin Snell are all made from scraps and repurposed material. A project that began in the pandemic, Snell transitioned from making face masks and leather work pieces to crafting oversized hair bows, headbands and velvet totes, affixed with bows.
All is a gentle spring
18th century corsetry and ’90s minimalism might not sound like the most likely of marriages, but that’s exactly the sartorial fusion at the heart of Isabelle Hellyer’s all is a gentle spring. The label made its runway debut at Australian Fashion Week in 2022, and has since proposed a whole new method of sexy dressing: think Polonaise skirts, low-slung suit trousers and woollen headbands.
SHOP ALL IS A GENTLE SPRING NOW
Studio Marlene
Emily Poole’s Studio Marlene sells just one piece: the Marlene shirt. “[It] speaks to an exploration of inclusivity, functionality and how our staple pieces continue to serve us,” explains the founder of the long-sleeved button-up, which comes in a jersey knit.
Toilè Studios
Chinese-born, Indonesia-raised designer Nadya Kusumo moved to Melbourne and founded Toilè Studios in 2021, where she pursues the innovative and multifunctional. Her fabric library consists of natural fibres like bamboo jersey and ZQ-certified wool, and she produces her pieces in Jakarta, working with both local artisans and Australian manufacturers. Boleros, gloves and sci-fi-inflected outerwear in graphic prints and colours make up Kusumo’s image of the modern woman’s wardrobe—designed for the 5 to 9, more than the 9 to 5.
Lucinda Babi
Lucinda Babi operates on a made-to-order basis. Founded in 2018, her self-named label reinvents traditional suiting shapes in tartan and cowboy denim, but is perhaps most known for its skin tight tops, which come in an array of bold prints. Just looking at one of her second skin tanks or corsets will make you want to party.
Cloth & Co.
Natural fibres and straightforward silhouettes are the pillars of Cloth & Co., a label run by mother-daughter duo Daisy Burgess and Caroline Poiner. Come here for button-down shirts that feel silky-smooth on the skin, as well as knit tees to layer over a pair of easy jeans. This is clothing that wears as light as air.
Summi Summi
Wearability, comfort and inclusivity—those are the founding pillars of Summi Summi, established by designer Ashleigh Vallis after she moved to Yamba in 2016. Her signature pieces are crafted from soft ribbed cotton, which takes the form of spaghetti dresses, bodysuits and matching sets.
Oats the Label
Bridie Davey’s Oats the Label hones in on an inclusive sexiness. The designer plays with knotting techniques to create her signature Pop Tops, which are gathered and come in lace, mesh and jersey, as well as ruched corset dresses and lace crops!