Geelong based fashion brand Jade and May is the go-to choice for anyone looking for well-made, comfortable casual wear in natural fabrics. Although begun originally as a sleepwear brand, Jade and May has now transitioned into stylish leisurewear.
“Jade and May offers comfortable, easy pieces that are ethically produced. Pieces to wear for relaxed days or a good night’s sleep,” explains the brand’s founder and designer Carlie O’Loughlin.
HOW IT BEGAN …
During a trip to Hoi An, Vietnam, Carlie had some garments custom made and loved the fact that she could get exactly what she wanted made for her.
“I saw more in it and before long my husband and I found ourselves poolside brainstorming business names and finally, hitting the streets looking for a maker and fabric supplier to create the beginning of what Jade and May is today,” says Carlie (pictured below left).
“The brand name actually came from a mix of my, and my daughter’s middle names.
“We launched at the end of 2018 with a couple of pieces at a local market in Geelong, then moved online before moving into our first retail store in Geelong at the end of 2019.
“Despite Covid lockdowns and the chaos the years have brought, Jade and May has grown. Taking over a second space next door in 2020 to double the existing retail floor space, allowing room for the growing collections and brands stocked within the store.”
Carlie laughingly calls herself a “designer in the making”: “My background is actually in corporate travel but I was on maternity leave and needed a change and this was it.”
WOMEN INSPIRED
According to Carlie, Jade and May is inspired by “anyone who wears what they love. I love anyone who follows their own style rather than a trend”.
All of the label’s garments are designed by Carlie and produced in a female family owned and operated factory in Bali.
“The female owner has created a safe and well run workplace for around 30 staff. Jade and May is fortunate to work with them,” says Carlie.
Jade and May are also supporters of the Offspring Project, which has created a safe space for women and children who have been victims of human trafficking in Kolkata, India. The project helps the women to learn new skills for future employment and also offers training in life and money skills alongside health check ups. The women create special products that are then sold through Jade and May.
Alongside the focus on supporting female workers, Carlie says that the brand also supports using more sustainable fabrics and fabrications: “At Jade and May we use natural fibres that are better for you and better for the planet.”
Carlie also wants to grow her brand in a more sustainable way, gradually “creating more ranges across all of our collections – the sleepwear, apparel and homewares”.
“Team Jade and May is made up of some pretty special people who love what they do. And we think it’s that reason alone that makes our customers love Jade and May.”
You can shop Jade and May online at www.jadeandmay.com.au/collections/jade-and-may, or visit the store at 17a Rutland St, Newtown, Geelong, VIC 3220 from 10am-4pm, Tuesday to Saturday. You can also follow the brand at @jadeandmay
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