Ragtrader
Erin Deering is back in business with a new label
The co-founder of Triangl, Erin Deering, has made a striking return to the world of fashion launching her own new eponymous label, over five years after she sold off her initial swimwear business.
The Deering brand, according to the entrepreneur, will sell a range of everyday dressing, with her first collection housing around 25 pieces. Deering said the collection was pulled together quite quickly, diving straight into conceptualising and sampling, then perfecting the first and fabric sourcing.
“Our big focus was on creating high quality pieces at the most accessible price point,” she said. “It was essential that the styles were cohesive with each other and that they fitted in with the aesthetic and vision for the brand."
Deering added that the launch of her new label felt completely different from the launch of Triangl, which she co-founded alongside her former partner Craig Ellis. With Triangl, she said it was “built off the smell of an oily rag” - an idiom indicating that there wasn’t much fuel to drive momentum.
“I had no experience, no knowledge and was going in blind,” she said. “I co-founded Triangl with only one other person and this meant we were heavily under-resourced. “This time around, I invested in a team. I have huge knowledge and understanding of the flows of business. Especially with how things are positioned from one day to the next and how they change.
“From this, it gives me a certain level of calmness about the rollercoaster that comes with running a business and being able to handle it all a bit more calmly than Triangl.”
The brand has launched with a dedicated website.
Speaking on Collection 01, Deering said it offers utilitarian foundational items designed to easily fit into an array of existing wardrobes and individual tastes. “Structured garments with sharp finishes are tailored with precision, whereas others languidly drape on the body. Co-ordinating sets are designed to offer simplicity in everyday wear, yet pieces can easily be paired with others within the collection for a confident and fuss-free approach to dressing. This collection is a concise edit of womenswear and genderless pieces designed with unique material applications, technical fabrics and unexpected colour combinations.”
The prices for the initial ranges sit between $150 and $800, and include pants, jackets, shirts and skirts.
Deering said she doesn’t have any solidified plans too far ahead, highlighting that the industry is rapidly evolving right now. But the pace is exciting. “I am obsessed with building this brand and want things to be exciting, fresh and new,” she said. “This will be a key focus, everything from how we partner with potentially other brands or people, to how every collection is presented and marketed."
“Hopefully, this will be a little disruptive and fun. I don’t have a goal or a vision for where this brand is going to go, aside from it being enjoyable and exciting, not just for me, but for everyone watching and buying as well. We are a seasonless brand, so we will work on collections and drop them as we feel we want to and need to.”
“It is a really exciting time for the fashion industry,” Deering continued. “Creativity feels like it is at an all time high and we are having to dig really deep to get cut through. Building a connection with the customer is what I love the most, so I am really excited to continue being challenged. Hopefully, we bring things to the space that are really fulfilling not only to me, but first and foremost to the customer.”
Alongside the launch of her own fashion label, Deering is also running to be deputy lord mayor of Melbourne in the upcoming City Council elections. Deering shared the news in an Instagram post last month, saying she is proud to make a contribution and bring a fresh start to Town Hall.
"In my career I’ve done a lot of things people told me were impossible," she wrote. "I’m someone who doesn’t take no for an answer, who finds solutions instead of dwelling on problems, and who will always challenge doing things the way they’ve been done if they can be done better."
— Words by Christopher Kelly