A selection of fashion's finest - including Terry Biviano, Shop Til You Drop editor Justine Cullen, Glynis Traill-Nash, Melissa Hoyer, and designer Gail Elliott - has dubbed an edgy local label as 'one to watch'.
Fledgling label Tibbity, by Stephanie Goerlach, has been crowned as the winner of the 2012 Launch Your Label Fashion Design competition, after going head-to-head with four other finalist emerging designers in Australia.
The competition, created by online retailer Oneweardesigns.com, is aimed at discovering and investing in the future of outstanding new Australian fashion labels. It launched its first-ever applications in April this year, as previously reported on ragtrader.com.au.
As part of the winning prize, Tibbity has been awarded a prize package worth over $20,000, including a full page in Shop Til You Drop magazine promoting the brand, a leading designer mentorship, a boutique on the Oneweardesigns.com website, a three month start-up marketing package from The Social Factory, and a cash prize.
The winner and finalists - Ann & Albert, Necia, Sarah James, and ToniMay – each had their collections judged by a robust panel of judges including: Natalie Gruzlewski, Terry Biviano, Shop Til You Drop editor Justine Cullen, acting style editor at The Sunday Telegraph Glynis Traill-Nash, Elle Halliwell, Jo Casamento, Melissa Hoyer, Victoria Cheatham, Georgia Hatzis, Gail Elliott, Joe Farage, Natalie Chapman, Lara Petrou, Carlotta Moye and Jo Ferguson.
Despite the competition, Tibbity scored the winning vote on the basis of its craftsmanship and originality, and mixture of bold unique prints and freeform sculptural knits - described as “a fusion of quirky eccentricity and architectural femininity”.
Goerlach, who officially launched Tibbity at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australiain May 2012 as part of the Innovators show, said she named the label after her great grandmother.
She said her debut collection “Alice in Wonder” pays homage to one of her most beloved childhood fantasy stories and she hopes to “grow Tibbity into an iconic Australian brand that is celebrated locally and recognised internationally”, going forward.