ZILPAH TART (FASHFEST Designer feature)

What is it about Zilpah Tart’s logo that arouses a sense of curiosity?

 

Designer Yumi Morrisey shares the story…

‘During a trip to Perth to go through my grandmother’s belongings after she passed away, I found a 1940s brooch of a Penny Farthing, which she had kept as a memory,’ says Yumi. ‘I thought it would form a fabulous logo.’

Zilpah Tart is a label representing feminine, bright, bold, beautiful clothing that makes the wearer stand out in the crowd.

 

 

 

 

 

At Hustle&Scout you get to meet the designer and chat to Yumi direct about how she creates her limited designs, including the highly popular full circle t-shirt dress. ‘It’s made of extremely comfortable jersey and works well on every body shape,’ says Yumi. ‘All of my garments are designed around using feminine silhouettes to flatter the female form.’

This is Yumi’s third Twilight Market and she loves meeting new and existing customers. ‘Because Hustle&Scout focuses on fashion and features mainly local and independent designers, it’s a perfect fit for my personality and my product,’ says the designer.

Yumi hand cuts and hand makes all of garments sold under Zilpah Tart, often using Japanese prints for an additional level of intrigue. Her handbags are made from beautiful prints and colour combinations, which also make them statement pieces. She always carts along a wide range of her handbags to the Twilight Market, which she makes in a range of shapes and styles, primarily out of Japanese cotton. And this time she’ll have on hand clothing from her autumn/winter range.

Women keen to invest in clothing that lasts over many years, as opposed to ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ trendy pieces, are attracted to Zilpah Tart. ‘I design for women aged 25 to 40 years of age,’ says Yumi. ‘Women who are professional, confident and faithful to Australian-made products.’

In-between getting it together for the April market, Yumi is spending every spare second working on her next full collection, which she’ll launch at Fashfest 2015 (13 to 16 May). This will be Yumi’s second year showcasing her designs on the catwalk at the event. This collection is called ‘Warrior’. ‘I looked at traditional armour from warriors and took aesthetics from that,’ says the designer. ‘I’ve also taken photos from around Canberra, turned the imagery into patterns and had my own fabrics printed.’

After completing her Bachelor of Design at the Canberra Institute of Technology in 2007 and living on the Central Cost for a couple of years, Yumi returned home to the capital to pursue fashion design full-time.