Outland Denim diversifies; Tiffany & Co designer Elsa Peretti passes away

Outland Denim’s new ready-to-wear line offers more opportunities for disadvantaged women

A look from Outland Denim’s new ready-to-wear collection.

James Bartle has long been a solutions-oriented person. The Outland Denim founder built his company on helping women escape human and sex trafficking in Cambodia by training and employing them so they could escape the poverty cycle — resulting in ethically produced denim for the rest of us.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the brand was faced with a near six-month shutdown of its Cambodian factory. But while Bartle conceded it was a hugely challenging time for the business, he persevered with his team to continue developing new product lines during the shutdown, which have now come to fruition.

The brand recently launched a small ready-to-wear line, in addition to its denim. “That’s a bit of a game changer for us,” Bartle told Buzz of the venture.

“A lot of people want to support the brand, but may already have a pair of jeans. This just opens up those options and creates more employment opportunities. It ticks a lot of boxes of areas we need to address.”

The company has 120 employees in Cambodia, up about 20 since before the pandemic, and Bartle said the new collection was the reason they have hired more staff.

A dress from Outland Denim’s new ready-to-wear line.

“Going into COVID, we knew we needed to spend more on certain areas of the business, and ready-to-wear was one of those areas we needed to invest in.”

The company also took the time last year to improve on its products. “Patterns were tweaked to fit better, we developed better washes, construction. The product has improved hugely since we were able to spend that time to go back and redevelop,” Bartle said.

One of those improved items is the Harriet jean, as worn by Meghan Markle in Australia in 2018 — and which then became a global sensation. “That’s gone back to being our bestseller right away (post-COVID),” he said.

The new ready-to-wear line includes T-shirts, skirts, shirtdresses and shorts, made from linen or Global Organic Textile Standard-certified cotton, with details including corozo nut buttons.

Its origins T-shirt features commissioned artwork that depicts the local Tamborine Mountain, where the company HQ is based in Queensland and — for global appeal — a kangaroo.

“We really want to own our heritage and tie it back into Australia and our community here. We’ve had that feedback (from international retailers) for a number of years, ‘Can you add something Australian?’.

“Australia is getting a reputation for brands that get cut-through in the international marketplace.”

Tiffany & Co’s Bone cuff is one of Elsa Peretti’s enduring designs.

Farewell to Tiffany icon

The fashion industry lost a unique voice last week with the passing of jewellery designer Elsa Peretti, aged 80. Best known for her work with Tiffany & Co, the Italian designer died in her sleep of natural causes in a village near Barcelona, Spain, according to a statement from the Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation.

“Her legacy comprises a body of exceptional design work as well as a foundation dedicated to humanitarian, environmental and conservation causes,” said the statement. “A true citizen of the world, her absence will be strongly felt within all the different circles where she played such an active and creative role.”

Tiffany & Co said: “Elsa was not only a designer but a way of life. Elsa explored nature with the acumen of a scientist and the vision of a sculptor.”

The former Halston model was introduced by the US designer to Tiffany & Co, for whom she began designing in 1974, creating some of their most iconic designs, including the Open Heart and Bean motifs. Her hefty, organic Bone cuff celebrated its 50th birthday last year, with reissues that included gem inserts and new colourways.

At the time, the reclusive designer told The Wall Street Journal that she pushed back against requests for new designs. “For me, nothing is new. Good line and good form are timeless,” she said.