Wind and Water Designs

As part of my Ethical Clothing Pledge, I started looking for clothes closer to home. I started off at some street sales and markets, and found them to be wonderful places to meet up-and-coming local designers who aren't charging the earth for their designs.

I first came across Irene from Wind and Water at sidewalk sale for Panda Pearls in my suburb. (If you're in Brisbane, check out their next sale - they're fantastic, and you can pick up some wonderful vintage items, as well as gorgeous fabric art.) Irene works with vintage designs to make her clothing, and I instantly fell in love with her tops and dresses. Her ruffle dress has been so popular that it was recently featured in Frankie magazine (and, yes, I certainly own a ruffle dress!).

Image: Wind and Water Designs

Image: Wind and Water Designs

Irene is currently researching organic cotton and bamboo for her range, which makes her designs even MORE appealing! Until then, she uses high-quality fabric that she's sourced from around the world, and her clothes are made right here in Brisbane. Hooray! Here are some more of her fabulous dresses - a v-neck frock (which can cleverly be worn both ways, as in the first and second photos) and a sailor frock. Too cute!

Image: Wind and Water Designs

Image: Wind and Water Designs

Image: Wind and Water Designs

Recently, Irene ran a competition on her Facebook page for a $150 shopping spree to the person who introduced the most friends to Wind and Water - and I won! Today I visited her stall at the Valley Markets to pick out my winnings, and I walked away with another two dresses (a sailor frock and v-neck frock, which can cleverly be worn both ways), and a tudor top. I am incredibly happy with my new items, and I know I'll be back shopping at Wind and Water again and again.

You can find Wind and Water each Saturday at the Valley Markets, and also at the Southbank Young Designers Market every month. She'll also have a stall at this year's Ekka, with a fashion parade on the Pavilion stage.