Sunset Lover launched by former Australian Fashion Labels duo
The duo previously behind Australian Fashion Labels is looking to raise $1.5m for their new brand. The twist? Everything it sells will be compostable and sustainable.
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The duo previously behind Australian Fashion Labels has launched a new sustainable fashion brand, and is looking to raise capital to accelerate its global growth.
Melanie and Dean Flintoft are looking to raise $1.5m for their new Sunset Lover brand, which uses compostable fabrics across its range of dresses, shirts, pants and other pieces designed in Adelaide and manufactured at sites locally and overseas.
They are currently seeking expressions of interest from potential investors via new equity crowd-funding platform Swarmer, with funds raised to go towards research & development, marketing and to grow sales into the US, UK and Europe.
Sunset Lover sells direct to customers from its website, and also has several wholesale customers in the UK, Europe and the Middle East. It is working on plans for a US launch soon.
The Flintofts ran Australian Fashion Labels for 14 years, at one stage generating annual sales of more than $50m and employing more than 100 people in Australia and overseas before the company’s $12m collapse at the height of Covid-19.
The business was sold out of administration last year to a consortium led by chief entrepreneur Andrew Nunn.
Ms Flintoft, the creative director of Sunset Lover, said the decline in sales caused by Covid-19 was the major factor behind AFL’s downfall, which had led the couple to reassess their careers in the fashion industry.
“On reflection, we had struggled to find ‘our why’ and our purpose with fast fashion, and we only became aware of the catastrophic consequences of the fast fashion industry in the few years before Covid,” she said.
“We understood that the fashion industry is the second most destructive to people and the planet, and we had time to consider whether we should go back into such an industry.
“As we saw, the world didn’t need another trend-based seasonal fashion label. So the question was what do we do now with our years of experience when this is all we know?
“The decision was easy – use what we know in an industry we love but use it as a vehicle to make a difference and leave the planet better than how we found it.”
The fashion industry is responsible for up to 10 per cent of global carbon emissions, and according to the Department of Agriculture, Water, and the Environment, Australia is the second-highest per capita consumer of textiles in the world behind the US.
The average Australian consumes an average of 27kg of new clothing per year and disposes an average 23kg of clothing to landfill each year.
However, Ms Flintoft said 70 per cent of shoppers now considered sustainability when purchasing a luxury item, and that presented an opportunity for environment-conscious brands like Sunset Lover.
“The sector is growing from both the demand and supply sides,” she said.
“Our goal is for 100 per cent compostable and sustainable luxury fashion, which is unique and has its challenges, but we are committed to seeing this through and making it happen.
“The business model is primarily a direct-to-consumer online model coupled with strategic wholesale customers globally and a digital strategy for growth enhanced by collaborations with influencers and celebrities.
“We see wholesale as a crucial element in the initial phase for branding, awareness and volume.”
Sunset Lover plans to hold invite-only “trunk shows” twice a year where customers can try on and pre-order the collection.
According to an EY report published in May, the fashion, clothing and textile industry adds $1.6bn to the South Australian economy each year, employing 28,000 workers.
Ms Flintoft said that while many Australian brands were kicking goals internationally, Covid-19 continued to present a challenge to supply chains.
“The zero-Covid policy in China recently led to an eight-week lockdown of one of the manufacturing facilities we use,” she said.
“We are now sourcing our components and manufacturing from more countries to spread the risk, including bringing some manufacturing back to Australia.”
Sunset Lover’s equity crowd-funding campaign is currently open for expressions of interest, with a launch expected in about four weeks.
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Originally published as Sunset Lover launched by former Australian Fashion Labels duo
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