In a city covered in clouds and cool breezes, Clea Garrick and Nathan Price have found a home for themselves and their label Lime drop. After slowly migrating south to Melbourne from sweltering northern capitals, definitive skies have always hung overhead.
Tempestuous clouds wrap around you in the form of floating silk and great winds are caught in merino cardigans. Texture and prints seem to share focus with plays on movement and magnitude. Limedrops’ men and womenswear lines seem to focus on quality textiles. This focus on interesting materials bleeds into their accessories which are made from material off cuts and wood carvings. The broad range of products suggests the young design duo to be nurturing a healthy creative and resourceful business.
Textile prints have always been a strong element in the collections. Often inspired by Australian and far away landscapes they have progressed from screen prints to elaborate digital cloud formations and heavily patterned knits. All of which are produced locally. Unlike most Australian labels the pair have made a conscious decision that their clothes are made in their new home town. Working closely with Melbourne knitters and printers enables the pair build a strong dialogue with local manufacturers encouraging developments in design as well as ensuring quality and control. Manufacturing in Australia enables Limedrop to reduce the carbon miles of the clothing, and also support a suffering Australian industry. The majority of clothing designed in Australia is manufactured off shore. It’s a humbling feeling wearing clothing that was created in our own ‘backyard’ instead of a huge factory in an anonymous town.
Limedrop is collaboration between Nathan and I. Our strengths lie in different areas and we can contribute different things to make the playful label.
Why produce locally? Why is this important and how does it affect your process?
We produce Limedrop in Melbourne. It means that we can have more control over the process and involvement in the end products. We have been working with great manufacturers here and designs can come out of talking to them or seeing new developments in knitwear or machine capacities.
What’s your opinion on contemporary fashion production?
Fashion is becoming faster and the production lines have changed to accommodate this. Sometimes the market reacts in the opposite way to the way we are heading.
We play with proportions and volume within Limedrop design and this means that we need to be more thoughtful with how we use our fabric. Often times we will have two designs that can fit in together when they are cut. For Autumn Winter 2010, we have a range of merino wool three colour jacquard jumpers, cardigan and scarves knitted in Melbourne. The off cuts from these designs are being made into cloud knit eye masks.
What are your thoughts on the nature of fashion in relation to consumption?
Fashion has always been hand in hand with consumption and as the speed of fashion increase so does consumption.
Should aesthetics and ethics be linked?
Ethics should be part of all aspects of life.
Does geography affect you?
Australia is a great place. The distance to the rest of the world can be a curse and a blessing.
What next?
The future is exciting and full of lots of plans for the label.
We hope that the future of fashion is that we continue to push the boundaries and value the important things.
www.limedrop.com.au
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