Each collection we create is a celebration of our African heritage, an homage to our roots and the inspiration behind all that we do.

Ethically made. Locally made. Minimal waste. Social enterprise / charitable.

Collective Closets make clothing and accessories that are thoughtful, considered and of a lasting quality.

Collective Closets is located in Melbourne, Victoria.

Can you share a little more about your values?

Our Impact
Equality for All
We believe in honouring our social responsibility in any way we can through our manufacturing and production processes. Since the conception of the brand, we’ve been lucky enough to work closely with skilled Nairobi based fashion designer, mother and business owner Wairimu. This partnership has allowed Wairimu and her all-female production crew to negotiate a pay rate that respects and honours the skills of every employee. We believe in fair, standardised and equal wages; environments that uplift and give opportunity and, above all, running a socially conscious enterprise from the ground up.

Our team in Nairobi are + have been responsible for:
Sourcing Fabrics
Making our Tote bags
For our Wanderer collection – Wairimu and her team made our selection of pants.
Makers behind our brass jewellery
Makers behind woven basket bags

Diversity and Representation
Women are at the core of our collective, our tribe and everything we do. We have consciously developed a network and supply chain that champions diversity and female visibility, one that highlights the talents of the amazing women who make up the Collective Closets family. We have cut out the production middle-man to ensure all funds go directly to the dressmakers, and their safety and comfort is priority for us. We can and will continue to be part of a conversation that promotes successful women from all backgrounds and a code of conduct that lifts up our sisters.

Giving Back
Every year, we choose to give back in a variety of different ways. The first of these are our Missions of Hope – we have partnered up with Nairobi based NGO ANPCANN and give back through their Child Education Sponsorship programme.
The programme empowers girls through education; meeting their school needs by giving them access to education and vocational skills training in Kenya through sponsorship.
We also make a conscious effort to give back to the community and our environment on a product level. Second Stitch Studio is a not-for-profit social enterprise that celebrates the unique skills, traditions and stories of refugees, migrants and people seeking asylum. We have worked in collaboration with Second Stitch in the past, and stock a variety of their products in our store.

Community
Each collection we create is a celebration of our African heritage, an homage to our roots and the inspiration behind all that we do. The story behind our fabrics is the essence behind our label- we travel at least once a year to Nairobi, Kenya to decide upon our fabrics for our upcoming collections. We work closely with our spinning factory in Nairobi who provide us with our shuka, the traditional cloth of the Masai tribe, a consistent feature in every collection we produce.
Our label is known for celebrating our dual cultures as African/Australian women. The essence of what we create is about showcasing and sharing the beautiful stories behind the fabrics.

Conscious Clothing
From the very beginning we have wanted to make clothing and accessories that are thoughtful, considered and of a lasting quality. We consider our pieces to be “slow fashion.” Our garments are trans seasonal and well-tailored designs, manufactured at the rate that they are sold to minimise wastage and lower our environmental impact as a fashion business.

Who makes your clothes?

Husband & Wife Duo – Mark + Irene (Cutting), Sewing – a team of Seamstresses across Melbourne.

Which particular fabrics do you use?

Cotton – African Print, Acrylic Wool – Shuka Fabric. Made + Spun in Nairobi Kenya.
These fabrics are the foundation of our label and who we are. The fabrics we use are fabrics that we have grown up with and are a celebration of our heritage.

Linen – Used over the Cooler seasons. Relaxed vibe that represents the women behind the label.

Price guide:    $100 – 200 up to $200 – 300

Size guide:      Pants: 6 – 20 Tees: XS-XXL Shorts + Skirts: 6 – 16 Tops: 6 –

Want to get in touch with Collective Closets:

collectiveclosets.com.au / @collectiveclosets / fb – Collective Closets

Store Address: 103 Victoria St, West Melbourne