It’s no secret that ELK has become one of my favourite go to labels in the past few years.
Always a fan of design businesses that embrace slow fashion, I admire ELK’s commitment to producing true investment pieces that are made with quality and designed to build a woman’s wardrobe with not only aesthetics but also longevity in mind.
Founded by husband and wife Marnie Goding and Adam Koniaras in 2004 the Melbourne label has earned itself a impressive reputation within the Australian fashion landscape. Having a highly considered approach to design, through a level of product refinement, range curation and intellect that is innately their own.
Known for their sculptural accessories, hand-made leather pieces and artfully designed ready- to-wear collections it has become a must have label for women in search of colour and style. Their fabrics are of the highest quality and prints are colourful but sophisticated, ensuring they are timeless in their beauty.
Beyond their commitment to great design, ELK also have a strong ethical foundation. With a mission to design and manufacture well-considered products that support traditional trades and a circular economy, and that are made responsibly, with regard for people, animals and the environment.
And although many brands seem to make such statements fleetingly these days, ELK is a true leader in the practice of responsible innovation for the fashion industry.
Their transparency report is a comprehensive review of where, who and how they make their products. Ensuring customers can be sure their pieces are being produced sustainably and ethically.
Today it is my absolute pleasure to interview Marnie Goding, designer and cofounder of ELK. Below we discuss The labels journey, her inspirations, must have wardrobe pieces and the exciting projects ahead…
Can you tell us a little bit about yourselves, your background and what led you to launching ELK?
Elk was launched 18 years ago by my husband Adam and I. We both come from families that ran small business’, so it was in our DNA to do something of our own. He is a fine jeweller by trade and ran his own successful business however we saw an opportunity in the market for contemporary, handmade accessories in fashion and lifestyle stores and so Elk grew from this. We started with jewellery and then moved into leather goods, homewares and then apparel. We have grown carefully into the business we are today with retail, wholesale and online channels both in Australia and overseas.
How would you describe ELK The Label in 3 words?
Authentic, Australian, Identifiable
ELK is renowned for their sophisticated timeless pieces as well as elegant colourful patterns and prints. Can you give us some insight into your process and how you create your collections?
Each collection starts with a story or a narrative. We then develop or source prints which help to tell that story and guide design decisions including colour palettes, silhouettes and our campaign photography. Our concept at Elk is centred around wardrobe building. We strive to make classic, quality products that customers can buy and wear season after season and then build on by adding a new print, colour or silhouette. We have a very real approach too, making sure what we make is wearable.
One thing I love about ELK and your practices is your commitment to ethical production, sustainability and transparency. Can you tell us a little bit about why this is so important to you as a label?
Essentially, we live out our ideals. Our business has an impact on the
environment and the communities we work with, and we have a responsibility as owners and as a business to ensure any negative impact is limited or avoided.
Adam, our leadership team and I guide our processes with a level of consciousness. We question what, who, where and how our products are made. We go to lengths to trace our supply chain as far as we can and to work with and align ourselves with suppliers who share our ideals. It is important that we don’t lead people to think we have everything perfectly worked out or have all of the answers because we don’t – it’s a journey we are on, and this is where our annual transparency reports come in.
The reports openly detail all aspects of the business and our processes, lists our makers and serves as a guide as we work towards a series of goals that focus on people, product and planet. Ultimately, we hope to create a conversation and deeper awareness amongst consumers, other brands and through the fashion supply chain to the impact we have. We are sharing the story of a traditional fashion business in the process of transforming to one with a far lighter footprint and to one that can create opportunities and positive impacts for others.
What does a day in the office/ studio look like for you?
My role is varied working mostly alongside the creative teams and in ethics and sustainability. I love it because every day is very different. Meetings of course, design fittings, marketing and PR meetings, photoshoots and so many other great elements to be involved in. We have an incredible team, and my challenge is finding enough time to spend with everyone – especially as we grow.
What are some resources you use for inspiration?
We often look to art, referencing different mediums from the traditional to more obscure. Our latest collection Silver Screen for example was inspired by film and directors like Alfred Hitchcock from which we created our Vogel bird print. We live in a creatively rich community and find there is inspiration all around us. We also work with some international print designers to create surface prints sharing their creative ideas and a different perspective for us to translate into new products.
Tell us about some people in the industry who inspire you and why?
We are constantly inspired by the traditional artisans and fibre producers we work with. They are keeping skills alive that in parts of the World (Australia included) are disappearing. We are inspired by their capabilities and innovation and love working with them on new ideas. The fibre producers particularly are constantly pushing the boundaries of technique and ideas as they transition to a more sustainable way of working and to meet changing consumer demand. Many ideas for new products have come from being in their workshops and storerooms.
What would your dream project/collaboration be and who would you love to dress?
We would love to do a project with one of the wool farmers in Australia. We had planned on doing something sooner but then Covid put a hold on many of our bigger ideas. Building a relationship with some of our onshore producers would be wonderful in the near future – particularly in undyed darker wools….I love the natural tones that the growers produce. We would then love to link this project with someone like Isabel Lucas who is a advocate for all things Aussie and a champion for sustainability.
What are your top 5 wardrobe must haves?
Our core collection at Elk provides the foundations of an easy, wearable and stylish wardrobe and echoes my list of must haves. Linen, cotton and denim are all fibres that provide the best materials for mixing and matching. A great fitting pair of jeans, paper bag linen pants (in neutral colours), a white shirt (cotton or linen), a great basic knit and leather jacket like our Lader Jacket are my picks. With simple bases like these you can easily add accessories and transform an outfit from a day to night look too.
Where is your favourite place to shop in Melbourne?
I am a true Northsider and so you can find me in High Street Northcote, Gertrude Street Fitzroy, Smith Street and then Carlton. I buy a lot of second hand too so love a great vintage store. Our Elk retail stores are situated in areas we love to shop too. We much prefer the community feel and vibe of strip shops to the larger shopping centres…..it’s much more suited to our culture and customer.
What’s next for ELK?
We have so many great things going on! For the next 12 months we are focused on growing our store footprint and are excited to have just signed new leases which will open with a re designed retail concept. We have worked with local interior designer Sarah Reid from SR&O on the look and feel. All stores will be renovated, and each opening will adapt and reflect the community it is in. We want the stores to evoke a feeling of being at home, to feel welcoming for anyone that comes in. This is an exciting time for us as we expand our presence into areas where there is good growth for the business and for brand awareness.
Our other big project is B Corporation certification. We have been working on our application now for 2 years, it’s such an involved process and will serve as a legacy for the brand into the future. The certification is for businesses to meet the highest standards in social and environmental performance. We need to make sure as we grow that we have measures and guides in place to monitor our impact and guide decisions.
We are looking forward to a great year ahead!