Smooth sailing for silk-struck designer

An ex-pat New Zealand designer has sought to turn the tables on her Australian competitors by launching a new line of "wearable art".
With a foot planted firmly in both camps, Kiwi-born, Turramurra-based designer Anne Poppelwell plans to extend her collection to include a range of delicate hand-painted native Australian flowers and other designs on her silk nighties, slips, camisoles and tops.
The range will be officially launched at next month's Fashion Exposed trade fair in Melbourne.
The new line is one of several for the brand that also aims to introduce a new outerwear collection as well as separate baby boomer, men's sleepwear and underwear ranges.
Poppelwell, who originally trained as a registered nurse in New Zealand before spending 20 years in the aged care industry, launched Simply Silk in 2004 following a stint abroad.
"I noticed that whenever I ventured into a store and asked if they sold silk sleepwear, the inevitable response was 'we sell satin'. This alas was almost always satin polyester. It was when travelling that I saw the beautiful silk produced through Vietnam and Cambodia that I saw the beautiful silk produced there and realised the possibility of bringing it to Australia if I provided the patterns and styles. I wanted to be to silk what Bonds was to cotton."
Poppelwell said initially one of the toughest challenges in getting the label off the ground was addressing the misconceptions retailers and consumers had about silk.
"They think it is hot in summer or it is difficult to care for. In reality, silk being a natural fibre breathes so it is cool in summer and warm in winter. It does not absorb odours so does not require constant washing, dries quickly and is non-allergenic."
Seemingly striking a chord with its target - "women over 30 that "appreciate the look and feel of luxurious fabrics such as silk - the brand is now sold throughout Australia with further stockists in New Zealand and the US.
Manufactured in Vietnam, the range - which includes long and short nighties and slips, silk jerseys, T-shirts, silk kaftans, tube dresses and over jackets - is available in sizes small to XL.