STUD FARM

In their third season, newcomers Amber & Thomas have a refined aesthetic that rivals that of a more established label. Amber Hourigan and Thomas Williams, the designers behind the Australian brand, have found that elusive balance between being directional and accessible. This May, the label will make its highly anticipated debut at Australian Fashion Week.

Jean Kemshal-Bell: What made you want to start Amber & Thomas?

Amber Hourigan: Fashion is something that my family has been involved in one way or another pretty much my entire life. I started working as an assistant for a stylist even whilst I was at high school. It’s always been in my blood—I just wasn’t sure which way I would go with it. Also, because I didn’t study fashion and I was never that great at drawing, it kind of scared me off it. I never thought that if I wasn’t a fantastic drawer, I could ever be a fashion designer, which of course is completely untrue. Then when I met Thomas a few years ago we got talking about it and threw around some ideas and then it all just started happening from there.

Jean: Was it always your intention to include swimwear in your spring/summer collections?

Amber: We actually started with swimwear. I’ve just always—my entire life—struggled to find swimwear that I responded to. I’m not an overly girlie-type person. I’m not overly sporty and my aesthetic is quite classic, but modern. Also, the fit as well; finding the right fit has plagued me and a lot of my friends our entire lives. Whilst we had intentions the whole time to do the full collection, it was definitely a great place to start—a good place to cut our teeth, for lack of a better term.

Jean: How would you describe your aesthetic?

Amber: I’d say it’s quite sophisticated/modern, we use a lot of very clean lines and we’re not into over-designing garments or any details that are too fussy. Even when we use something like sequins or embroidery, we always keep it quite clean and simple.

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