'Ethical fashionwear just got a little more beautiful' / Lucinda Babi

Lucinda Babi is a Melbourne-based fashion label that has captured our interest with its focus on production methods’ sustainability and thought-out delicate designs. Scroll through to see the amazing work that is Lucinda Houghton’s first collection and some information on her practice.

“I founded my design practice as a way to keep creating garments after graduating from RMIT Fashion Honours in 2017, and eventually set up an online store to start selling pieces under the name Lucinda Babi earlier this year. It is a Melbourne-based label creating modern ethical clothing on a made-to-order basis. 

I’m always working towards becoming more ethical and sustainable in the way I operate the label. I create all pieces myself in my studio in Collingwood to ensure quality and ethical manufacture. Pieces are only created once an order has been placed, to make sure I’m not creating more garments than necessary - excess stock that didn’t sell would otherwise end up being discarded eventually, as often happens with traditional production methods. 

Fabrics and trims are sourced locally and with careful consideration, however, the label is not perfect and is always focused on exploring more sustainable materials and improving its credentials going forward. All orders are shipped in recycled/compostable packaging to reduce plastic waste.

While there is a strong focus on the ethics of the label, I am also keen to create interesting and meaningful designs that resonate with the customer. I love creating my own prints and fabrication techniques, and always try to maintain a high level of finishes and technical detail throughout the collections. Hopefully, the pieces are desirable as well as ethical! 

In the past I have used lots of topics and ideas I am personally interested in as a driving force for collection concepts - such as gender roles, the idea of appropriateness, the boundaries between clothing categories e.g. tailoring and sportswear, etc… I have found since running the label I am restricted slightly in how conceptual pieces can be while remaining sellable - if that makes sense! I’m hoping that, as the label progresses, I am able to incorporate more of these concepts back into my designs. At the moment, for my next collection of pieces, I’m exploring a lot of imagery from my British roots, and reflecting on memories of childhood and nostalgia.”

Photographer: Lucinda Houghton

Model: Zoe O’Hoy - @zzzzbone

Hair and makeup artist: Chloe Rose - @xs.rose

Assistant: Gautam Kapoor - @gka_official

Lucinda Babi is taking orders through her website: lucindababi.com. To keep up with the label, follow the Instagram: @lucindababi