SYDNEY: Womenswear label Ampersander was happy to eat a slice of humble pie at the recent instalment of trade fair Fashion Exposed.
Sydney-based founder Angela Nash relaunched the brand after a year long hiatus. Prior to its initial launch in 2005, Nash studied at Whitehouse Institute of Design and was awarded a scholarship to undertake a Masters Course in Florence Italy.
But even an outstanding education couldn't prepare her for the numbers game.
"Being a young designer, I took on too many consignment orders which made cash flow difficult," she said of the decision to pull Ampersander from the market after five seasons.
Nash returned to full-time employment and set up stalls at Powerhouse Museum's Youngblood and Finders Keepers markets in a bid to forge the brand's comeback. She said she leapt a "last chance" opportunity to set up a designer booth at Fashion Exposed - even with just four weeks notice.
"I was still working full time so I [stayed up] late on weekdays and spent weekends swing, cutting and designing prints. The relaunch collection was tiny but I have immediate plans to expand with some extra pieces to add to the range."
Ampersander's spring/summer 2009/10 collection is dubbed 'Garden Of Eden' and is comprised of five garments in silk satin, suede leather and soft printed cottons. The collection is manufactured in Australia and priced from $88 to $295.
More pieces and colourways are expected to be on offer as the consumer season kicks off, including tops which feature hand woven cotton from Laos.
"I am also looking into using environmentally and socially responsible materials wherever possible, which I have always wanted to do. They are harder to find and generally require more research but I want to make a guarantee to my customers that what they wear has been made in fair working conditions."
In between pursuing no-sweatshop accreditation, Nash is already working on a basics range. It would be comprised of unisex tees printed on fully accredited organic and ethical supplier Moral Fibre T-shirts.
Ampersander's relaunch at Fashion Exposed has already attracted local and international buyers, with Nash looking to secure 10 stockists for the range.
"I've also had interest from buyers in Singapore, which is just fantastic and very reassuring for this relaunch phase," she said. "It was great going back to previous suppliers, being greeted with smiles and asked why I'd been away so long."