Lise top in Sticks Stones – designed by Devoi

A chance meeting of UK fashion designer, Rhianne de Almeida, and an Australian lawyer, Cheryl D’Amico at a local roof-top bar led to the establishment of the independent Melbourne fashion label DEVOI.

Despite their different backgrounds, the pair’s shared passion for distinctive clothing brought them together to create a brand with soul, advocating a vision for femininity that is individual yet effortlessly striking.  But don’t just take our word for it.  Read our interview with Rhianne and Cheryl for more on this fun label. 

Be sure to visit Devoi at Finders Keepers Brisbane AW18, 22-24 June

How did you come to be a seller at Finders Keepers?

Our first experience of Finders Keepers was as shoppers! We loved the thrill of finding something beautifully handcrafted and unique and if we weren’t buying a little something for ourselves, we were finding excuses to buy presents for our friends and family!

Finders Keepers is a huge supporter of independent Australian designers, so being a stall holder was an obvious goal for DEVOI. In fact, it is an honour, while at the same time a joy, to be in the same league as so many talented designers!

DEVOI was established in 2015 by UK fashion designer, Rhianne de Almeida and Australian lawyer, Cheryl D’Amico. We met through a mutual friend at the end of 2014. After discovering that we have a shared passion for distinctive clothing, we decided to come together to create a brand with soul, advocating a vision for femininity that is individual yet effortlessly striking.

DEVOI is a label devoted to feminine silhouettes featuring original prints and using natural fibre fabrics. We also believe in countering the damaging effects of mass-consumption that results from fast fashion. At each stage, we take care to ensure each DEVOI garment is beyond-trend, long lasting and will be loved and treasured by the wearer for many seasons, indeed years, to come.

ROSALIND SKIRT QUERENCIA – designed by Devoi

KATRIN DRESS in QUERENCIA and ROSALIND SKIRT in NEMOPHILY – designed by Devoi

Talk us through a typical day in the life of DEVOI.

We both have full time jobs as we work on building the business. So our weekends are devoted to DEVOI. We have a home studio in Surrey Hills and an intern works with us most weekends. Every day at DEVOI is different – one day may be a photo shoot, another fitting clothes on a model or painting a new bold print to feature in our next collection.

We will be featuring more of what happens at our home studio on InstaStories, so stay tuned! We work hard on every aspect of our garments to ensure that they are exactly how we envisioned them.

What would be one piece of advice you would give a first time seller at The Finders Keepers?

Take time to talk to your customers. As a predominantly online business, our customer interaction is limited. Being at Finders Keepers gives us a chance to understand our customers’ needs and wants and get feedback on our garments. So invaluable!

ROSALIND SKIRT in NEMOPHILY – designed by Devoi

ROSALIND SKIRT QUERENCIA – designed by Devoi

Tell us about your inspiration for creativity?

By being open and present, we try and find beauty in the world around us because beauty, in whatever form, inspires us. Whether it be the fairy floss-like clouds of a pink sunset or pomegranate seeds that glisten like rubies, it is a joy seeing beauty in the the everyday and incorporating these sources of inspiration into items of clothing we create.

We are a huge admirer of the work of Dana Kinter. Inspired by nature, her pieces are delicate and wonderfully understated in their beauty.

What goals do you have for your business over the next five years?

We are now focusing on having our collections featured in more boutiques, especially interstate. For customers to fully appreciate our garments, they need to not only see them but touch and feel the natural fibres we use and then try them on to see how our feminine silhouettes enhance their best features.

We often get enquires from customers asking where we are stocked so this is an important goal for us now as well as in the future. The great thing about Finders Keepers is that it is an opportunity for retailers to meet us and get to know the DEVOI brand.

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Ophelia Top & Aurora Skirt – designed by Devoi