When sisters Julie and Tracey van Ingen launched their fashion brand Shortlist on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2015, they were really doing it for themselves.
“We have always loved creating, our Mother taught us to sew and knit, and encouraged us from a young age to make our own clothes,” explains Tracey.
“We both studied fashion design, followed by exciting careers in the fashion industry for many years. [Then] we recognised a void in the market for easy to wear outfits that transcend age.
“Outfits that are still trend relevant but with wardrobe longevity. Our ranges are about personal style rather than fad trends,” says Tracey.
Julie explains that they decided to launch their own brand after Tracey was made redundant from a senior fashion industry role she had held for 17 years. After realising that her years of experience made her over-qualified for just about every other role available, something needed to be done.
“Our name comes from the dictionary definition of ‘shortlist’: SHORTLIST: (noun) A list of preferable items that have been selected for final consideration.
“We aim to create an edit of styles that make outfit decisions easy … our ethos is to create a SHORTLIST of outfit solutions.”
The sisters opened the Shortlist shop in October, 2015, in Geelong West and have been going strong ever since.
“Whilst on a trip to Bali we came up with the concept of starting our own label. We realised that many brands do not understand the needs of women. So, we identified a need, used our industry skills to source a supplier base, established our brand ethos then created our first range,” shares Julie.
“Our goal was to design affordable, well made, comfortable, contemporary clothing in beautiful to wear natural fibres whilst supporting small female led businesses in Bali.
“As we both have a background in fashion design, the production of our initial collection was relatively straightforward. The only real issue was getting the brand out there and known once we had launched. This took some time and opening our own store has helped our following enormously.”
THE SHORTLIST STYLE
Inspired by their customers, the sisters aim to listen to their needs and then “layer in the trends”.
“Australian labels and designers, in fashion, interiors and art also inspire us… Our country has an amazing pool of talented creators,” says Tracey.
According to the pair, the Shortlist style is “affordable, well made, comfortable, contemporary clothing in beautiful to wear natural fibres”.
“We believe in user led design. Our customers are at the centre of our world. We hope to make looking good and being comfortable an easy choice. We are about fashion without the fuss,” Julie says.
“Each Shortlist collection is created for timeless style, comfort and exceptional quality. Simple shapes and enduring styles with thoughtful details offer a seasonless aesthetic that transcends fashion trends and age.”
SUSTAINABILITY & ETHICS AT SHORTLIST
“The first step of our design process is to start with our fabrics, natural fibres such as organic cotton/bamboo, linens and silks. The quality of our fabrics and classic styling ensures our garments will be long lasting in our customers’ wardrobes,” Tracey says.
“We also source dead stock, existing fabrics leftover at the fabric suppliers, which helps to reduce the environmental impact of making new fabric. We only produce small batches and limited quantities to ensure that there is no disposable excess.
“We are committed to delivering non mass produced clothing and all collections are lovingly and ethically made by small female-led businesses on the beautiful island of Bali. We support the people we work alongside to ensure they are well compensated financially and respected culturally.”
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT
Julie and Tracey say their future plans include keeping the brand current and relevant for their customers, while also “continuing to evolve and grow the brand”.
Sisters at work: Tracey [left] and Julie
You can shop Shortlist online at https://shortlistshop.com.au/, or visit their lovely shop at 200A Pakington St, Geelong West, 3218, Victoria, Australia. Open: Monday & Tuesday 10am – 4pm; Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 10am – 5pm; and Saturday 10am – 4pm. You can also follow the brand at @shortlistshop.
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