Doily Couture was launched in Australia in late 2007. The creative force behind the brand, Sarina, has been an artist and designer for 20 years.

 

The development of the brand was somewhat accidental. “My agent in New York licensed my artwork & designs for sleepwear and asked whether I could make up some sleepwear with my fabric designs and placement prints…so I did. My unorthodox manner of sewing and pattern-making struck a chord and suddenly I was designing sleepwear.”

 

Never a follower of mainstream fashion, “I’ve always liked to experiment…play with fabrics, trims and colours. At the studio I have an unusual mix of sewing machines and I’m dangerous with them. They do things they aren’t meant to do…one of my favourite things is breaking rules and being a rebel with a cause;  anti-fashion, anti-trends, anti-establishment.”

 

“The design process for Doily Couture is: drawing up the ranges, finding great fabrics, painting up the repeat yardage prints and placement prints, then making the patterns (least favourite job). Cutting, dying & painting the fabric then sewing up all the garments. Lastly, painting on the placement prints.”

 

“I like clothes in beautiful natural fabrics that are easy to launder. I’m a bit of a tomboy and tend to wear my favourite clothes to pieces then patch them so that they live on and on. Never say Die.”

 

“Doily Couture encapsulates what I like to wear: pretty, vintage looking prints, laces, roses, odd buttons, unusual, quirky stitching, fabrics with texture or special finishes. The faux patching is a trademark due to  clumsiness & belief in fixing rather than chucking. The environmentalist shines through!”

 

“I wear my sleepwear & loungewear (as do my kids) so it gets well tested and I have been known to wear it all day, to the beach & pool or to walk the kids up to school.”