Designer Spotlight: Graine

Australian accessory labels that offer a unique and great quality product have been difficult to come by in the past... However, I have recently noticed a few new players to the accessories game, and one label, Graine, definitely caught my eye. Their minimalist designs have a hint of quirky that essentially creates a functional and fashionable piece that is distinctively Graine. 

What makes me love Graine even more is the fact that each piece is made from 100% leather and handmade right here in Australia.... AND the price point is totally affordable too... What's not to love?!

The Fashion Patriot caught up with Graine designer, Anna, to discuss Graine's future, her addictions and her Graine must-have. Read it after the jump! 

P.S. How amazing is the Just South of the River clutch?? (above)

How would you describe your personal style?

I change my personal style a bit …too much sometimes for my bank balance! I buy what I love that I am drawn to.  I probably own far too much black! I can never go past nail polish. I think if you asked any of my friends that would be the one main constant to my personal style, a fun bold nail colour.

Where are your favourite shopping destinations?

I love Gertrude Street and Brunswick Street. I think they are iconic Melbourne shopping areas that never disappoint      

Who is your style crush?

Alexa Chung, She always looks effortlessly flawless! 

What can't you live without in summer?

Sunshine and a holiday on the horizon

What inspired you to start Graine?

It’s something that I have been thinking about for a while. We felt there was a gap in the market for good quality, unique, Australian made leather accessories. When we couldn’t find anything that filled this space that wasn’t mass produced we decided to give it a go ourselves.

Why did you choose the name 'Graine'?

The name is a reference to leather grain. Since our products are all focused on leather it was a reference back to this but also the play on words of going “against the grain” and being a bit left of centre of society. There is an extra ‘ e’ on the end as a slight quirk

Who is the person you design for?

The Graine shopper is someone looking for great quality locally made unique designs that are not mass produced. It’s nice to know sometimes you can walk down the street and not bump into someone with the same bag as you. Our products are for male or female. Our debut collection is quite androgynous and minimalistic and is not gender specific.

What do you carry in your Graine bag that you cannot leave the house without?

Lucas Pawpaw, I swear it’s addictive!

What differentiates Graine from any other accessories label?

We have tried to create something high quality, unique, made in Australia that is not mass produced. I think it’s important when you are purchasing to try and support Australian made product. With our pricing we have also tried to reduce costs by only selling through our on-line store www.graine.com.au .This means the customer can receive the best pricing possible for something one of a kind.  The fact that only a very small amount of each design are made and each product is made from a different section of the leather, so no two pieces will be the same is also another nice point of difference.

What is the most rewarding thing about having your own label?

Getting to see your ideas and designs eventuate into something physical is very rewarding. You can spend so long behind the scenes working on a range that it is very rewarding to have something physical that people are excited about. Social media can be fantastic for people voicing positive opinions.  We have really tried to embrace this with the launch of the Graine. Our products are only available online and we have only marketed it through social and online mediums. We think good quality product should speak for itself.

What has been your proudest moment since your launch?

The response to the label has blown me away and make me very proud. Just to see someone with one of our pieces is a great sense of achievement

How do you find inspiration for your collections? 

I have a very organic approach to designing. A lot of the inspiration for our first range came from the materials and then the designs organically grew from there. If you have lovely materials you don’t need over the top tricks and twists to make the product look great. I love blurring gender lines, you can see in our debut range the designs can be quite androgynous and are not limited to one particular gender. 

What is your favourite piece from the collection? Why?

I love the Festival Hall of Dreams bag (above). I never leave the house without it! It’s the perfect size and is a simplistic design that suits most outfits/occasions. If it was allowed a second….i would say the Meet Me at Degraves Clutch. The colour just peachy is really sweet and perfect as a trans-seasonal colour that is not black.  Its back pocket detailing is also very unique and can be very handy!

Where do you see Graine in 5 years?
An iconic Australian label, a label people know and recognise with a strong following of customers

I would love to expand into other accessories - scarves, jewellery and belts in future ranges.

We are very passionate about the label being marketed through online mediums and only available online so at the moment we don’t have aspirations for a stand alone store.

Check out Graine's full collection at graine.com.au!