Urbanwear with a vintage twist.

Emerging designer, Leigh Kanara, will make her Hustle&Scout debut on 12 April with her womenswear label KANARA. Fresh out of design school, Leigh has been designing and producing new garments that she best describes as 'on-trend feminine urbanwear with a tip-of-the-hat to vintage styles'. You will find fitting peg skirts, tiered skirts, wool jackets, merino tops, and additional versions of these pieces featuring prints and extra embellishments. KANARA's diverse range aims to appeal to the 'tween' market through to the 25-40 demographic. All handmade here in Canberra, KANARA pieces use quality materials to ensure a durability, which we love, as there's nothing worse than investing in a garment that falls to bits within months and ends up in landfill. Sustainable, unique, good quality and locally-made - can't get much better than that!

 

What is it about Hustle&Scout that made you want to apply to be a stallholder?

As a brand new resident to Canberra, I was actively seeking a quality venue to introduce my label to Canberra. I spoke to a number of local designers, and retailers in town. Many of them encouraged me to get involved in the April Hustle&Scout Markets.  A bit of a nosey at H&S web clips and pics told me this was a great opportunity to show and sell my label in Canberra.

 

 

Tell us about your label, Kanara.

Flattering features will play with trends, but will always come home to naïve prints, surprising details and clever combinations of new and sustainably-sourced fabrics. Kanara seeks to be the favourite; the garment with sentimental value, and with ‘glory box’ durability.

 

Where do you draw your inspiration from for your designs?

Currently, my designs are inspired by iconic theories of sustenance, and contemplations of time: the shapes and rhythms of the technological front, Stuart Brand’s journey of future generations, Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, and the black masses of the undiscovered. Tomas Saraceno’s Time/Space and Cloud City installations also sheds light on a multi-verse of aesthetic possibilities for me. 

 

 

What sustainable approaches do you apply to your designs?

Sustainable practices are utilised consistently in the production of this collection. Up-cycled linings, sourced end-of-roll fabric, and salvaged off-cut virgin fabrications all play a role in my range.  Yet through quality features normally associated with high-end garments, this collection will challenge current notions of exclusivity; not only are pieces made in small quantities with quality fabrics, but they are also ethically produced here in Australia. To add to the sustainable aspect of my  garments, durability is also an important characteristic of the collection. To achieve this durability, quality fabrics are selected, designs pay homage to classically flattering silhouettes, and removable components mean the consumer can combine these components with existing garments in their wardrobe and create new looks.  This ‘investment garment’ approach to fashion seeks to slow down the rate of consumption in our industry.

 

 

What can punters expect to find at the upcoming autumn market?

Customers can expect to be delighted by surprising and idiosyncratic details within each of my garments. They will also find pieces made in high quality fabrics to keep them warm and comfortable in the coming winter.

 

What design projects do you have planned for your label for 2014?

For Spring/Summer 2014, I look forward to producing a small range of print designs. These prints will be destined for classically feminine daywear: flattering styles with the essential, unexpected twist.