Designer Tamika Sewell launched her brand Aurei Lúa in May, 2022, wanting to create something that showed sustainable fashion could be as beautiful as any other design.
“The main concept behind the brand really comes from a sustainability viewpoint. I really wanted to offer a fresh perspective and show that not all sustainable fashion is beachy linen clothing. It can be elegant, feminine, and vibrant without sacrificing sustainable elements,” explains Tamika.
“I grew up in a very creative household. My interest in fashion design really stemmed from growing up watching my mum make most of my dance costumes for me as a child. I began sewing quilts when I was around 10 and made my first piece of clothing at age 14 with the help of my grandma, who used to work as a seamstress.
“In 2019 I was accepted into the Whitehouse Institute of Design, from which I graduated in December 2021 with a Bachelor of Design (Fashion) and Graduate Certificate in Design. I officially launched the brand in May of 2022.
“Before studying fashion, I studied both economics and finance, and I currently still work part-time in the accounting industry. Having always worked closely with other businesses, this is what sparked my interest to eventually have my own.
“To start a business where I can be creative, do what I love and create some positive change seemed like the perfect option for me,” Tamika says.
While the process sounds simple, in reality Tamika had to deal with some legal issues surrounding the brand’s name.
“The name Aurei Lúa came about after a lot of research after finding out I couldn’t use my own name for the label due to trademark issues. I knew I wanted a name that was unique. Aurei means “golden” in Latin, and Lúa is a name derived from Luna (moon).
“Originally the brand was going to be called Tamika Joy, but we ran into lots of trademark issues with this name. I got a lawyer involved and we went over lots of different options until I found a name that I loved that is completely unique to us.
“This was one of the biggest and [most] costly hurdles we faced when creating the brand,” says Tamika.
Tamika says she is inspired by designers like Cecilie Bahnsen, Stella McCartney and Erdem Moralioglu: “However, I draw on all types of designers when creating new collections as it helps challenge me to create something outside the scope of my usual work.”
“We like to describe the brand’s aesthetic as ‘loose luxury’. Many of our designs feature effortlessly tailored silhouettes which portrays this sense of relaxed luxury. Hallmarks of our designs are soft tailoring, volume, texture, and attention to detail.
“All our pieces are made to order; therefore, we allow 1-6 weeks for the garment to be made before sending it off to its home. This enables us to only order fabric, fastenings, and other notions when an order is placed – reducing waste and avoiding the build-up of deadstock.
“We are also running an initiative called Return to Repurpose, where we give the customer the opportunity to return their loved Aurei Lúa garments to us so we can make sure they go into the correct waste streams.
“All aspects of our designing and manufacturing processes are done in-house. This means designing, print creation, pattern making, sampling, and manufacturing are all completed by myself in our Melbourne studio.
“It really is quite an intimate experience as each garment is with a single technician from start to finish. This means that we are also able to customise sizes and do custom designs for clients who are interested in these options.”
As for the future of Aurei Lúa, Tamika has plans to eventually have a store, even if it is only a temporary seasonal retail space.
“I will never take production outside of Australia, so expanding our team in Melbourne to keep up with the rising orders will be on the cards in the future.”
To shop the brand, go to aureilua.com, and follow the brand on Instagram at @aurei.lua.
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