A clothing store, plus so much more: Nightcliff’s Sister Buffalo shutting shop

After four years of Sister Buffalo, Lou and Gaby De Mattia are saying a final farewell to the popular pink shop. Here’s what is next for the stylish sisters.

Lou and Gaby De Mattia, the pair behind popular Nightcliff clothes store Sister Buffalo, are saying a bittersweet goodbye to the iconic pink shop. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

After four years in which Sister Buffalo has become central to the Top End fashion scene, the iconic pink shop is closing its doors for good.

The sister pair behind the second-hand and slow fashion enterprise, Lou and Gaby De Mattia, said it was “bittersweet” to bid farewell to their Nightcliff store, and the Territory community around it.

“I am so proud and grateful for it all, Sister Buffalo has become so much more than just a shopping experience,” Gaby said.

Lou said they likely would not have dared to start the business anywhere other than Darwin.

“It wouldn’t have worked how we wanted it to work in another city,” she said.

“We wouldn’t be able to have the shop without the community.”

Alongside selling new and second hand styles, the sisters mend and fix clothes, travel to Aboriginal communities to help local women with sewing projects, and host workshops and events.

Lou and Gaby De Mattia, the pair behind popular Nightcliff clothes store Sister Buffalo. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Now, the sisters said it was time for the next chapter.

“We both want more flexibility in our lives,” Lou said.

“Sister Buffalo is a huge aspect of our life,” Gaby added.

“And it’s sort of come to the point where we just want a little bit more independence and for it not to be all of our life.”

Add cost of living pressures and the shop lease coming to an end: “it was time”.

While the physical store closes on Friday, Sister Buffalo will still be seen around town.

Lou and Gaby will sell clothes online, are planning to host pop-up shops and clothes swaps when possible, and have started a podcast discussing all things “fashion commentary, girl culture, and the usual dumb chit chat”.

They will also host a fashion show at the shop on October 5 as a final send off.

“We’re feeling sad, but excited,” Gaby said.

“It’s been the best four years, before coming to Darwin I never would have thought we were going to open a store together, and there’s no-one else I could’ve done it with other than my sister.”

Originally published as A clothing store, plus so much more: Nightcliff’s Sister Buffalo shutting shop