With the clothing industry dominated by land-fill fashion and high-turnover trends, it’s refreshing to be reminded that some designers still hold true to ideals that got them in to the business to start with. I’m talking about designers who treasure beautiful fabrics, quality manufacture and attention to detail. Their clothes may cost more, but you’re purchasing something you can cherish and that will usually last until your daughter wants to wear it to a retro-party.
Teresa Liano, creator of the label T.L.Wood, is exactly what I’m talking about. She’s also proud to call herself a veteran in the world of fashion, having designed clothes for more than twenty years and kept her Chapel Street store in Prahran flourishing for more than fourteen of those.
This season’s range caught my eye, not only because of its superb quality, but it features many pieces that are perfect for lounging about a pool party or glamorous BBQ over the summer holiday break. And that’s precisely what Teresa had in mind when designing this collection. ‘One of our philosophies is “everyday luxury and effortless beauty” and that really sums up the summer collection particularly well,’ she said.
‘I do follow trends, but I also like to make sure the clothes are wearable and really useful. I want people to wear the clothes. I don’t want them to just admire them. I want to feel like they’ve got something beautiful on. That sums up where the summer collection is coming from.
‘When I’m designing, I look at every piece and if it doesn’t follow our philosophy of everyday luxury and effortless beauty, then I won’t go ahead with it. I want that divine feeling of summer, where there’s a sense of ease and being relaxed.’
‘The pieces are floaty but sporting at the same time,’ she said, warming up to her subject. I was glad I was taping the interview because my pen couldn’t have kept up with her delightful enthusiasm. ‘I’ve got a few characters in my head when I’m designing and one of the characters is a tomboy, even though the pieces are ultra-feminine. I like that sort of attitude. A bit 1940s elegance, a bit Katherine Hepburn, although I’m loathe to use her name because everyone uses her as a fashion icon, but she is, so what can you do about it?’
Let’s take a look at some of my favourite pieces from the range that are in store right now. With a bit of arm-twisting, I managed to persuade Bonnie, the Chapel Street store manager, to model for us and doesn’t she look stunning?
Kingston Bomber Jacket $355, Panama Trouser $295 and Abella Singlet $165
Teresa explained more about the T.L.Wood range between outfit changes. ‘If girls have a sporting edge to their style, there’s something very cool about it. It’s almost aspirational when they’ve got that sporty, tomboy relaxed look. If you can go to an event and feel stylish but like you haven’t tried too hard, that’s when you have the best time. And we’re obsessed with the cut of our pants, so they’re really well-shaped and flattering. They’re comfortable but look great.’
Beautiful fabrics are critical for Teresa, who says all her pieces are made in Australia. ‘They’re not mass-produced,’ she explained. ‘Which is fantastic because it gives me lots of scope to re-invent the collection the way I want to. It means I can experiment and play, because I’m not limited like a lot of designers who manufacture overseas.’
I asked Teresa whether her ‘relaxed’ style was one of the secrets to her survival in the competitive fashion industry. ‘I think I’ve always been very relaxed,’ she said, smiling. ‘That’s because designing feels very natural to me. It isn’t an effort.’
‘And I spend a lot of time on the shop floor, so I’m very close to my clientele. Because I’m close to them, (and I’m probably T.L. Wood’s biggest customer – I wear it ALL the time) I actually enjoy dressing them and that inspires me to move ahead with the next collection. Our commitment to fit and quality are the key elements to T.L. Wood and I think that’s why we have a loyal customer base.’
Isla Navy Zip dress – also doubles as a jacket – $420
And while T.L.Wood has a website, Teresa says they no longer sell on-line. ‘I prefer shopping in-store myself and when customers come here, we help them put outfits together. There’s a lot of styling advice which you can’t get on-line. We’re really in to service.’
Florian jacket $385, Nantucket top $220 and Navy Salvatore Skirt $255
Luckily, the impact of internet shopping has had little effect on T.L.Wood’s sales figures. Teresa says there was an impact though at the time of the GFC. ‘People were being more careful with their money. I stopped being so frivolous with designs and made sure everything was really wearable and versatile. I shifted my thinking more towards what is real. But my customers have grown up with me. A lot of them bought their school dance dress from me!’
And here’s something REALLY important to note about Teresa’s clothes. Following on from my whinging blog last week about the exorbitant cost of dry-cleaning, 99% of T.L.Wood clothes are washable!!! How cool is that!
SPECIAL OFFFER TO BLOG READERS: Plus if you visit the store this week and mention you’ve read this Blog, you’ll receive a THIRTY PER CENT DISCOUNT storewide. A huge bonus! Happy shopping. 🙂
You can visit T.L. Wood at 216 Chapel Street, Prahran.
For enquiries, call (03) 9510 6700 http://www.tlwoodaustralia.com
I like a bit of variety when it comes to blogging a weekly fashion post, and Sleep ‘N Round is just what I feel like right now. The clothes that is – what were you thinking?? Yes, it’s a label, silly! Given how much time we actually spend in sleepwear, it’s surprising how little focus it’s given. Even more surprising that more entrepreneurs haven’t tried to jump on the bandwagon and sell pyjamas, given the very public and much-heralded success of Australian pyjama king Peter Alexander.
Sleep N Round store at 389 Chapel Street, South Yarra
I’m sure I thought about doing something very similar a couple of years ago but didn’t do anything about it, and now, lo and behold, someone else has. Three young men have opened a flagship store on Melbourne’s prime strip shopping location, Chapel Street, to mark their rising success in the sleepwear trade.
There are so many reasons to love this brand, but before I start raving, let me re-iterate (although I think I’m starting to sound like a broken record) that I have not been paid to write this nor have accepted any freebies. (But if they’d offered, it would have been hard to say no…)
Laura wearing LOGO Leggings $45.00 and Scoop singlet Loveheart Girl $39.95, with Sleep N Around mascot, Jeffrey the bear
First and foremost, in the appeal stakes is that Sleep ‘N Round’s primary concept is to make sleepwear that doubles as clothes. That’s right – you sleep in it, wake up in it then wear it. Yep, that’s a huge plus. Think of the time you’ll save on washing clothes, getting dressed and choosing what to wear. All you have to do is jump out of bed and put on sneakers instead of slippers and ‘hey presto’, you can head on down to the local coffee shop or to a picnic at the beach without getting changed, For us lazy folk, it’s a dreamy concept.
Then there’s the actual designs of the sleepwear itself. It’s a pretty edgy look – on trend patterned pants, stylish t-shirts and funky shorts – all in a contemporary colour palette that oozes cool. Most of the range is easily interchangeable too, giving it a versatility that has broad appeal to customers with varying design tastes. Thirdly, I love the brand mascot – Jeffrey the bear. Apparently he’s well-travelled, with promo shots taken of him sleeping his way around the world, and there’s plans for further celebrity appearances as he becomes increasingly famous.
And the fourth reason to love, is that Christmas is on our doorstep. That means shopping for presents and its affordable price range makes Sleep ‘N Round sleepwear a perfect gift option with each piece costing between about $40 and $70. Not only does the store sell sleepwear, it has a range of gifts which all fit the ‘relaxation theme’ – heat pillows, ugg boots, decorative pillows, specialty teas and candles. Gift cards too, making it a one-stop present shop.
Hawthorn footballer Michael Osborn being interviewed…
It’s a timely business move for Michael Osborne. The Hawthorn footballer is currently de-listed due to an injury, but regardless of his AFL career, Osborne is setting himself up for a financially secure future.
And he’s fully committed to the whole relaxation theme of the brand. In the centre of the South Yarra store is a double bed, so we thought we’d do our interview horizontal, Why not? With a name like Sleep ‘N Round, you can’t help but have fun with all the cheeky double entendres it naturally brings.
Michael modelling Red drawstring pants $55.00 and V-neck Tee-X $45.00
For Michael, his foray into fashion is more than clothes – it’s a lifestyle. ‘With Sleep N Round, we don’t want it to be “just a fashion label”. We want it to encapsulate everything to do with sleep and the recovering side of your day. So we’ve got the comfy clothes you can relax in, the pillows for your bed or couch, tea, candles… And the clothes are really versatile. You can just chuck your jeans on with the tees, or wear it down the beach. I also wear the stuff to the gym,’ he said.
The three directors of the company include Michael, Andrew Prowse and Sean Cummins. Originally they started out selling on-line two and half years ago, and were then taken on by Myer.
‘Andrew came up with the idea,’ said Michael. ‘He was at Uni doing a business degree and saw a niche in the market and thought we’d get on with it.’ After a while, they began to feel their product was getting lost in the vastness of a large department store, so to ensure their customers could get a real feel for the brand, they decided to open their own store in Chapel Street.
I couldn’t help asking how they would compare their range to that of their major competitor, Peter Alexander. ‘I think it’s a bit more on-trend and has a bit more edge,’ MIchael said. ‘There’s also more options for male customers. And we have new styles in the store each month. It’s good for people to know there’s an alternative.’
Their fabrics are carefully chosen – most designs are 100% cotton, because they want fabrics that allow the skin to breathe at night. Viscose is another choice because of its silky texture.
Michael is also fond of the brand name. ‘It’s a bit cheeky and you can read into it what you like. It appeals to people in different ways. Some people have a dirty mind and like it because it’s a bit suggestive. It matches well with sleepwear.’ And it makes for a good sandwich board advertising!
Here’s some more of my favourite styles that are in-store now:
