Australian Made: Part 1 – Celebrating Designers Who Make Their Collections In Australia
Posted: March 14th, 2011Post written by Leah
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The land of children’s fashion design here in Australia is as vast as our glorious country. There are the small, intimate labels, just like our small townships through to internationally recognised designers living abroad that still call Australia home. The spectrum of tastes runs from the bohemian right through to the traditional. There is such a vast point of difference between each label, but what they each have in common is a strong Australian identity.
Today we celebrate the Australian labels that design and produce their collections right here in Australia. This is not an easy task: there are few incentives for them to do so; the government offers little support – taxes are high, and subsidies are low – and the benefits of off-shore production promise lower production costs and higher profit margins. It’s true that you may pay a little more for Australian made, but we’re confident that you will be happy with what you receive for it: the knowledge that you are supporting local industry and reducing your carbon footprint, that fair working conditions are in place, and that you are purchasing a high quality product that will take everything that your child dishes out to it and then still be good to go again.
We hope you love these Aussie labels as much as we do. Please show your support and buy a piece or two 
Read Australian Made: Part 2 – Celebrating Designers Who Make Their Collections In Australia here.
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Chalk ‘n’ Cheese
Proudly manufactured in Melbourne, Chalk ‘n’ Cheese has been a firm favourite amongst serious fashionistas since its creation by Tracy Eastwood back in 2005. Shying away from overly decorated garments and “fizziness”, Chalk n Cheese signature A line dresses, machine washable fabrics, gorgeous colours and classical styling are reminiscent of European fashion.
You can source Chalk n Cheese from Bubba Funk, ShopHouse, and a bevy of B&M stores here. For past season bargains and end of line stock, don’t forget to check out Trunk Show Kids.
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Selkie Smith
When Melinda Smith left her corporate positon in banking with a dream to make her Yorkiepie bags a wardrobe staple, I really don’t think she expected the demand to be as large as it is today or that she would now be employing a number of staff! Featured in the latest Studio Bambini, Selkie Smith Designs are home grown in the Blue Mountains, are made from a range of delicious, hand picked fabrics (with an exciting collaboration with local fabric designer Saffron Craig only last year), and available in a range of bag types. Which one will you take home?
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Cheeky Chickies
Back in 2006, Mrs Chicken AKA Deni Fowle, hatched a plan that would see her launching one of the very first Australian Made 100% organic cotton clothing and accessories range. With the motto “Let your light shine LOUD and stand out from the crowd!”, Cheeky Chickies bold colours and easy care materials are a favourite in my kidlets wardrobe. Better still, everything from the design to the material to the sewing is all sourced locally here in Australia! You can purchase Cheeky Chickies Free Range Clothing online at Cornflowerblue and Sustainababy or at one of these bricks and mortar stockists.
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Czarque
A few years ago I came across a pair of divine Czarque soft sole leather baby shoes and fell in love. Head over heels in love in fact. Here was a shoe that was stunning to look at, was soft on my little missy’s feet, and better still, were handcrafted by a shoemaker with over 100 years of experience right here in Australia. They’re sophisticated, they’re unique….they only go up to size 5, so make the most of them while your bubba is small! You can find Czarque at Bubba Funk or at one of their B&M stores.
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Heavenly Creatures
With its genesis back in 2005, Heavenly Creatures is a Melbourne based label that truly encapsulates the whimsical tradition of fusion dress-ups and functional wear. Designed by duo Kelly Duckworth and Heidi Weber, you’ll become all nostalgic with the tales this label tells, from Peter Pan to Narnia,. You can find their range at Little Styles and ShopHouse; or click on their website to locate a store near you.
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Mae
Mae, or ‘Love Mae’ as they have also become known, is a truly original reusable fabric wall sticker company that is completely Australian Made. This gorgeous innovation sprang from the minds of three lovely ladies – Bec, Peta and Emily from the little town of Stokers Siding in Northern NSW (less than 25 minutes from Byron Bay), and has progressively grown to become one of Australia’s favoured interior design products. Washable, durable and able to stick on to most surfaces, the Mae range will cheer up, charm and provide food for the imagination for any child (or even adult) whose walls they don. Buy direct from the Mae website.
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Knuffle Kid
With an ol’ worlde charm grown from locally sourced Australian Made and vintage materials, Knuffle Kid is an Australian Made label that has risen from the market scene to be stocked in many online and B&M stores across the country. The brain-child of Emma Strybosch, Knuffle Kid (meaning “to cuddle” in Dutch – and young goat= child) is bright, original and amongst my selection each and every season. To purchase try Threads of Red or click here for their full stockist list.
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Britt
Britt Design has become an internationally recognised label that started as a small market stall at Bondi Markets and can now be found in places like Harrods in the UK. Proudly Australian, with 80% of the product line made right here, Britt products are renowned for their super soft garments, signature teddy and for their customer service. Britt Design know what it’s like to lose a childs favourite teddy too, so they’ve set up the Lost Teddies initiative, or emergency teddy replacement. Ooohhh, so sweet! You can find their complete stockist list here.
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Miss Haidee
A few years ago now, I purchased my very first Shop 4 Kids magazine and fell in love with a photo spread of babies in the cutest little playsuits and bloomers. The label – Miss Haidee. Back then, they were almost impossible to source, as Miss Haidee was predominantly a market store item and based in Byron Bay NSW (now Woodbridge, Tasmania). Thankfully, that’s all changed with the emergence of their own online store which is full of goodness, and a handful of discerning stockists. Miss Haidee has a Enid Blyton Gypsy feel to it, with the skirts all ready for twirling and dancing, with small runs of each item to ensure they remain unique.
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Tea Pony
Almost every little girl wishes for a pony at sometime in their life, so it goes without saying that Tea Pony is a label that every little girl should also have at least one dress from hanging in her cupboard. Elsa Cooper, the designer and owner of the label, thought up the concept of Tea Pony back in 2006 after the birth of her little muse Coco. Inspiration from folk prints and vintage styling, Elsa has created a bevy of delightful dresses in cotton that are soft on the skin and beautiful to the eye. Every piece is lovingly made in a little studio just out of Byron Bay. Tea Pony can be sourced on their own online store and a sprinkling of online boutiques.
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Read Australian Made: Part 2 – Celebrating Designers Who Make Their Collections In Australia here.
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Please check individual sites for postage details and browse the KidStyleFile All Current Deals page to make sure you’re getting the best possible deal.
