Braddon Tailors is the collaborative effort of Canberra-based designers dedicated to producing high quality, made-to-measure garments for the style-savvy individual. Using luxurious and unique materials, sourced from the best mills around the world, individually drawn patterns for each new garment, refined manufacturing techniques.

Q. Thinking back on 2013, what goals have you achieved that you are most proud of?
2013 was a big year for Braddon Tailors. We achieved so many goals—from improving and broadening our range of made-to-measure garments, to being in the position to develop our first ready-to-wear collection for Fashfest.

We focused on sourcing not only the highest quality fabrics, but also fabrics with individuality and personality, along with establishing relationships with international manufacturers of the highest standards.

Those two things, in particular, have meant we have been able to improve our offerings to Canberrans and be in a position to provide made-to-measure and ready-to-wear collections nationally and internationally.

Q. What is on the agenda for Braddon Tailors in 2014?
We have some big plans for 2014, including participating in Fashfest. Also, we will be launching our second label—Cotter’s Crossing—which will see us design less structured offerings of a ready-to-wear collection. We are planning on launching this new label in time for the Spring-Summer 2014–15 collections hit the stores.

We have also been working, driven by Tarun’s passion, towards developing our own denim lines. We have access to some amazing Japanese and American denims, and are working with manufacturers to put the final touches on a ready-to-wear range and made-to-measure jeans.

Q. What does it mean to you to be participating as a designer in FASHFEST 2014?
Fashfest 2014 is the launching point for us as a serious label. While we have focused for the past few years on consolidating our business, and how we do things, we’re now in a position to get out there and promote ourselves.

Fashfest 2014, and all the wonderful people behind the scenes, allow us take this next step as a label and to learn how best to meet the needs of a growing client base.

A few just for fun
Q. If I could travel anywhere, it would be:
Pip – I would love to travel to the Patagonia region of Argentina or to one of the Eastern European countries. because I have a simmering passion for snow skiing so if I had the chance one day I would love to head over to
Tarun – If I could travel to places that historically have had anything to do with the rise of denim, travelling to these places would be heaven. Over the past couple of years I have targeted my study and research around the evolution of past and present denim and tailoring manufacturing. I believe to reach my end goal of being able to create and be apart of the next evolution in garment manufacture you must understand the technique, method and reasoning of past manufacturing trends.

Amsterdam in the Netherlands has become a focal point of innovation in garment design and manufacture over the past 10 years. Many veterans of denim manufacture from countries like Japan and the USA, are now travelling the Netherlands to immerse themselves in the new ideas surrounding denim. Being able to visit and learn in countries like Japan, America and especially the Netherlands that has been able to position its self in such forward denim design, would be a huge step forward in the development and advancement of my own skills and designs.

Q. My heaven on earth is:
Pip – Having the chance to just stop and relax in a coffee shop on a Saturday morning with a paper and some friends. Am pretty much non-stop for the rest of the time, so having that little bit of down time occasionally is brilliant.

Q. If I could have one thing in the whole world it would be:
Tarun – A collaborative space in Canberra that not only sets out to collaborate with other designers and manufactures but also invigorate the idea of self-sufficiency and skill development. Instead of saying ‘there is nothing in Canberra!’ inspire and provide Canberran’s with the opportunities to DIY. This space could launch Canberra into a new manufacturing hub, working towards a sustainable and self-sufficient market supplying and providing further training to help local designers find local manufactures.

Q. My favourite designer:
Pip – To be honest I don’t necessarily have one favourite designer; so many people out there doing great stuff. Probably the designer I have the closest affinity to in the style of clothes I like to create is Thom Brown.
Tarun – My favorite designer of the past 10 years is Pierre Morisset. Pierre was able to recreate the denim jean in a way that lead many others to follow. His design for G-Star was able to make G-Star the international force it is today. G-star’s success has lead to 1 in every 3 people in Amsterdam owning a pair of his Elwood 5620 jeans. I have always found these type of numbers amazing.

Q. The greatest risk I ever took:
Pip – Biggest risk would be when I left a good, steady job in the Public Service to go back to uni to study in a completely new area for me.
Tarun – Leaving full time work to studying again in an industry that is renown for businesses going belly up. I hope that with big enough dreams and a loud enough voice I will be able to create a successful career for myself.

This will be Braddon Tailors first appearance at Fashfest. Click here to grab your tickets before they sell out!

Fashfest 29 April to 3 May
Canberra Airport
Tickets: www.fashfest.com.au