Ebenezer Place’s best kept secret, is Leonard St the label. This quirky fashion label introduces a unique piece of Melbourne to our very own Adelaide.
Leonard St designer and owner Amanda McCarthy kindly invited The Adelaidian to share in the celebrations for their Autumn/Winter 2016 Collection Launch. We were greeted through the door by adorable ‘Sloth’ faced cookies, representing one of the patterns that is reappearing in the Autumn Collection!
Leonard St is a supporter of the #whomadeyouclothes campaign, with ethical manufacture being a priority to the business. Amanda is the designer and digital print creator – she works closely with a factory inBali, Indonesia in order to create an ethical and beautiful final products. Some celebrities that are self-professed fans of the brand include Katy Perry, Florence Welch, Clare Bowditch, Saskwatch and Ella Hooper.
Leonard St was created in 2004, inspired by a street in East London and its unique sense of style. The collections are a combination of bold bursts of colour and intricate patterns. Amanda has a background in arts and design, enabling her to create true artwork in her fashion design. We were so inspired by the designs created by Amanda, that we just had to see the clothing on ourselves! We spent our time at the launch trying on outfits, combining the different textured and patterned materials to create our own favourite looks of the season.
Amanda does the majority of her print design in Higett Studio.
“I like to draw and design when its nice and quiet, my favourite music and turning off the computer certainly helps me to get to that creative zone,” she says.
“The technique for the prints can be anything from potato cut print (kaleidoscope SS10) to finger painting with my daughter (smudge print SS10), or pencil drawing and refining floral and insect drawing lately for AW15, lots of butterflies, moths and beetles.”
“I have two little girls aged three and five, and I love children’s books, stories and the glorious illustrations that trigger big and small imaginations. This has re-ignited my love for the charm of animal characters and has made a big statement in my prints over the last few years. I love a nostalgic print, and also one that can bring joy.”
Leonard St has popped up in exciting collaborations all over the world, from the Australian chain Sportsgirl to the luxury car brand Porshe, whilst appearing on catwalks in Melbourne, London and Beijing. The brand has many other store collaborations and is currently being stocked across the USA in Anthropologie stores.
To view our looks, scroll up to the gallery above!