We talk to Alice Veivers from her Brisbane based fashion label, Alice Nightingale
Can you introduce your lovely label, and the idea behind it?
Alice Nightingale is a hand-made fashion label giving women the chance to wear something unique every day.
The idea is to provide a high quality, individual alternative to bulk-made clothing by making very small quantities of each design. This way, you know you’re not going to run into your doppelganger whilst frolicking about town! There’s also quite an emphasis on vintage trends and classic shapes within each collection. After all, who doesn’t love feeling just a little ladylike every now and then!
What is your background and when did you launch your clothing label?
I launched the label in late 2009 after completing my Diploma of Fashion Design and Technology from the Australian Institute of Creative Design. The women in my family are pretty handy with the sewing machine, so this hand-made approach to fashion has always been a part of my life. They also helped guide me to an obsession with vintage patterns, which led to my current love of pattern making.
What do you love about what you do & what have you learnt so far along the way?
One of the highlights of running such a ‘hands on’ label is the instant production process. There’s no waiting around for two years for every collection. Each garment can be designed, made into a pattern, cut, sewn and added to the range so quickly! It’s also lovely to interact directly with the public as a designer and hear why hand made products are making a comeback. The whole experience is wonderfully creative and rather rewarding, it’s definitely taught me to push forward and prove that hand-made is best.
Where do you draw inspiration for your label?
The whole concept draws from a love of vintage designers and the wonderful trends of the thirties through to sixties. Each season however, I tend to centre around a main subject or era. The Spring 2011 collection is very soft and ladylike, with a mix of lightweight cottons and soft chiffons. I tend to find that “Alice Nightingale” can be anything from a fairytale character to an English lady but one thing is for sure; she’s always feminine and constantly unique!
Where are some of your favourite places to visit in Brisbane?
Winn lane in Fortitude Valley is really picking up the pace in Brisbane at the moment. There’s a wonderful community of local creative’s with everything from vintage clothing to designer jewellery on offer. Oh and a lovely lunch at Flamingo Cafe to go with it!
What can we expect from Alice Nightingale at the upcoming FK Brisbane markets?
There’ll be plenty of one-off’s to accompany the spring range of flowing dresses, skirts and blouses. As always, I’ll have hand-made bags, purses and jewellery to match all of my designs. Plus, Finders Keepers will be the place to find a preview or two of the main summer range before it launches in mid November!
