Meet the founder of a local label changing up the way bespoke fashion is created and delivered

When Michelle Donohoe challenged the status quo of the fashion industry by experimenting with a concept that combines the bespoke model with a traditional retail model, she hit on a sustainable solution that not only helps the planet but also offers women the chance to get creative and add unique pieces that last for years to their wardrobe.

We were excited to hear from Michelle that the DONOHOE Bespoke Range is now available at Sandy Short Style in Bowral, so sat down with Michelle at her studio in Bowral to talk through the concept and her career in fashion!

1 :: Have you always been interested in fashion?

Definitely.

A lot of that came from my grandmothers and aunts who were always so beautifully dressed. They had beautiful clothes and always made an effort to dress up.

2 :: But the first phase of your career was in IT.

Yes, I actually have a very creative mind and that curiosity led me into an IT career.

People might not think you need a creative mind for IT but I was always questioning the way software systems would work and that sort of thing, so while fashion and IT seem poles apart, you do need creativity and curiosity to excel in both, and I’ve been in the IT industry for 25 years.

3 :: And it was you being unable to find clothing you wanted to wear in your corporate career that led you down the fashion label path, is that right?

I always like to buy investment pieces, not fast fashion that you throw out the next season or is off-trend within months.

I have a mantra…

“If you follow fashion, you won’t always look good. But if you look good, you’ll always be fashionable.”

I just wanted beautiful quality, classic clothing and I couldn’t find it! So, I started drawing my own designs and sewing them, before studying fashion design for three years at Whitehouse Institute of Design in Sydney.

I was getting fantastic feedback from not only colleagues at work but also people stopping me in the street, asking me where I got the clothes I was wearing or saying that’s a beautiful outfit! That gave me the confidence to start my own label.

4 :: When did you start the DONOHOE label?

I started it in about the year 2000 and there have been various incarnations of the label since. We started as a private client business before moving to a small retail model from our warehouse in Newtown where we sold retail and wholesale.

And now we’re in the Southern Highlands and experimenting with a very exciting model called Donohoe Bespoke.

5 :: Yes, tell us more about that. We LOVE this concept!

I created the Donohoe Bespoke Range for three main reasons.

The first was trying to shake up the model the industry works with, to suit us instead of the other way round.

We were sitting on our back deck in High Range in 2017 and chatting through the challenge of bringing a bespoke model to a retail model. How could we combine the two?

While creating the style of garment was simple, it was a bit more difficult to price the garment when offering a number of fabric options.

So, we hit on the idea of categorising the fabric into three areas – Classic, Premium and Luxe. That made it easier for us AND the customer.

The second reason I wanted to create something bespoke is because I’m passionate about sustainability. There is so much wastage in the fashion industry and I think it’s important we buy classic pieces that last so we can help lessen the impact on the environment.

And finally, I love handing over the creative side of deciding what to wear to the customer. This approach allows the customer to create the look and play with the fabrics and colours, and almost design the outfit themselves.

6 :: How does the process work? 

The Donohoe Bespoke Range is available at Sandy Short Style in Bowral.

Customers come in and select which garment they would like – it may be a blouse, dress or pants.

Then they choose from a selection of beautiful, high quality and unique fabrics. We have Italian silks and European wools that look stunning and feel amazing but also last.

Quality is the number one priority for me. If it’s not perfect, I won’t retail it. Even if it has the slightest imperfection, I’ll get it remade.

7 :: And you wear all your own designs too, don’t you?

Yes, I do. I think the only thing I have in my wardrobe that isn’t from DONOHOE are my pairs of jeans!

8 :: Oooh, we would LOVE to have a look in your wardrobe. We bet it’s amazing!

Well the thing is, it’s very full because I can’t throw anything out.

Everything is so beautiful and of such good quality, so when I DO try and cull some of my wardrobe, I can’t!!

9 :: That’s a good problem to have! Tell us about your move to the Highlands.

We bought a place here in 2009 and just loved it so much that we moved here full time in 2013.

It’s always been a dream of mine to live in the Southern Highlands.

And it’s actually opened us up to more opportunities. We had a customer who said to us, you must meet Sandy Short, a retailer in Bowral – she’ll love what you are doing.

We met Sandy and she was very interested in the label and the experience we were offering to customers so now we offer the Donohoe Bespoke Range at Sandy Short Style in Bowral!

10 :: We’d imagine there would be plenty of Southern Highlands women interested in selecting something of such high quality for themselves, and being involved in the design process too.

The flexibility we offer appeals to a younger clientele in their twenties right through to someone in their eighties.

Anyone looking for beautiful, high-end quality clothes will find that with us.

And you’d be guaranteed to not see anyone else in your outfit if you’re walking down Bong Bong Street or going to a party in the Highlands!

We’re all Australian made too. There are two wonderful local makers [they’re sisters] who make our clothes. We’re very close to them, they’ve been with us for 25 years!

11 :: We’re going to get a little jealous now but tell us about your trips to Europe.

I go to a trade show in Milan every year and while it’s a wonderfully creative process, it’s also very daunting. We’re talking football fields of fabrics!

We’ll meet with suppliers too and go through thousands of fabrics and have to make a decision right then and there and place your order, so it can be a little stressful.

I have two main suppliers in Italy. I’m probably one of their smaller clients but they treat me like I’m their biggest, and are so open and generous.

We regularly refresh the fabric range, and tweak the designs so every time a customer walks into Sandy Short Style, they’ll see something different.

12 :: Finally, what would your advice be to anyone wanting to get into the fashion industry?

My fashion career has not been glamorous. It’s 99% hard work with some disappointment and frustration thrown in but if you really are passionate about what you do – which I am – you get up, do it again but this time you do it differently and smarter.

Love it! Thanks Michelle! What a treat having the DONOHOE Bespoke Range available for us locals to create, design and order our very own beautiful piece at Sandy Short Style.

Guys, we absolutely loved looking through all the garments and fabric options when we visited Michelle at Sandy Short Style recently. The fabrics are like nothing we’ve seen before – so unique and they feel stunning!

For more information about DONOHOE, head to the label’s website here and to experience the DONOHOE Bespoke Range for yourself, head into Sandy Short Style in Bowral. It’s absolutely worth it.

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