Ever wondered how your favourite fashion pieces are made? Meet the brand: EMU Australia and find out how your favourite shoes are made. Every day tons of clothes are travelling around the globe before they hit store shelves, passing through the hands of spinners, weavers, dyers, and sewers. Some of the brands, on the other hand, hand-cut and hand-craft their clothes, with each step of their manufacturing process strictly controlled and carefully documented. However, the final call is ours. We as consumers are the drivers of trends, and every time we buy something, we’re voting with our wallet. When we speak, brands listen.
Today I’m happy to introduce you to Hannah Stevenson, European Marketing Coordinator for EMU Australia, one of best shoe brands I’ve ever tried. She shared with me some insights on how your favourite shoes are made.
Tell us the story behind EMU Australia.
EMU Australia was first established in 1994 out of Australia’s Jacksons Tannery, which began in 1948. Jacksons was one of the original manufacturers of sheepskin boots. Sheepskin boots were first made popular in fashion through surfers in the 60s and 70s who used sheepskin boots as a quick way to warm up after cold surfs. That’s where EMU Australia began!
What is your favourite part about the brand?
My favourite part of the brand is EMU Australia’s motto: “Ever Natural”. This represents the desire for a natural style that thrives in the elements. At EMU Australia we say that nature is the greatest inventor; we’re just following her lead.
What is the main concept behind the brand?
Born from Australian coastal origins, EMU blends innovation with the finest natural materials and aims to deliver total comfort 365 days of the year. Our brand is based upon 4 pillars: Natural, innovative, comfortable, enduring and boundless. You’ll find that our pillars play a part in the creation of each and every product within our collection.
How do you select the materials you use?
We choose materials that are natural and innovative which also provide comfort and everlasting products. We use Australian sheepskin within our products, our 100% Australia sheepskin leaves you feeling like you’re walking on a cloud!
We also use Merino Wool because it’s soft, warm and naturally plush. It’s an entirely natural fibre so it aids breathability meaning our products are odour resistant.
Other materials used are leather and suede. We used the highest quality Australian leather, intentionally selected for its flawless beauty and soft feel.
Hannah Stevenson, European Marketing Coordinator for EMU Australia.
Where do you produce your footwear?
We handcraft an exclusive collection of the highest quality sheepskin boots, the EMU platinum collection, in our Australian workshop. Each pair is carefully hand-cut, moulded, stitched and trimmed to create the finest sheepskin footwear available. We are really proud at EMU to still hand-make our Platinum range in Australia.
What do you think about today's fashion?
I think fashion is really important in modern society, it allows people to express their personality through the way they dress.
What are the main trends in 2019?
Throughout the Spring/Summer 2019 season keep an eye out for bright coral, earthy metallic colours like rose gold, bronze and iridescent. In Fall/Winter 2019 we expect to see the hiking boot trend make a comeback, as well as studying.
What do you enjoy most about your profession?
As European Marketing Coordinator for EMU Australia, I really enjoy working with colleagues based all over the world. I especially love the story behind EMU and our brand pillars. I also enjoy working with shoes every day!
What do you find the most challenging part about working in the fashion industry?
The most challenging part is to stay current and predict future trends, this can be tricky sometimes but we always make it work at EMU Australia.
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This post is in collaboration with EMU Australia.
(c) The images used are property of @emuaustralia #emuaustralia
