Katharina lou is a 2020-born sustainable one-woman show with an emphasis on bold colour and big shapes
about
My brand started with a mission to create environmentally responsible and ethically produced pieces for women who want to stand out and make a statement, but also care about their own impact on the planet.
how it began
Katharina Lou is something I’ve dreamt about coming to life since I was a little girl. At age 11 my grandmother taught me how to use a sewing machine and from then I haven’t stopped. Growing up I have always loved colour and print, BIG shapes and making a statement with my clothing. I still love it now and am always finding myself overdressed (but loving it). Being able to make other women feel beautiful in my designs and inspire them to wear whatever the FK they want is a dream to me.
customers engagement
Being transparent about my process and connecting with my audience is an integral part of my design practice. My creative processes are shared as much as the final product is; to highlight the love and craftsmanship that goes into the making of clothing.
The over saturated and fast paced fashion industry has stripped a lot of meaning away from why we create clothes and why people dress the way they do, I hope through my brand my audience is able to see the skill that goes into creating fashion and the value/power their clothing holds.
emotional connection to the brand
I spend a lot of time creating each garment from start to finish, the process of designing, patternmaking, cutting, stitching, pressing and packing can take up to 5 hours for a single piece, so I do feel an emotional connection to each order I create as its what I spend most of my time doing, and what I love doing most. It's truly a labor of love for me and I hope every customer feels this through the clothing when they put on their KATHARINA LOU piece!
Image by @eloiseajones
Aspirations
I am currently working with a female-run studio based in Bangalore, India to have my original designs block printed onto the fabric for my next collection.
These artisans have been practicing the handcraft of block printing for over 50 years so I am very excited to launch this collaboration to highlight and celebrate the craftsmanship behind creating textiles and fashion.
When these fabrics are ready they will be sent to my studio in Melbourne where I will sew each item handmade-to-order, the collection will hopefully be launching this summer!
Photography by @eloiseajones