TIFFANY DULIEGE

Fashion designer Carley Rose shared her collection, her challenges and her history with me when we bonded over coffee and talks of our fur babies.

Having a passion for sustainability and a creative mind, Carley beautifully incorporates modern and elegant designs for women of all ages, and to top it off, she makes them sustainably!

I love trying to solve provlems, which is why I so enjoy the challenge of making fashion sustainable (and a big challenge it is!)

Carley’s passion for fashion started from as early as she could remember. While most of us keep changing our answers throughout the years when we’re asked “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Carley’s answer had always been, “I’m going to be a fashion designer.” This is because fashion connects all of Carley’s interests that brings her joy in life; drawing, creating with her hands, clothing, having something tangible to show for all the work she’s put in, and to create something that others can appreciate.

Her awareness for environmental issues and sustainability concepts began in high school when she started learning the impacts of the fashion industry on the environment. She decided if she wanted to pursue a career in fashion, she had to do it in a way that did not destroy the environment,

Inspired by the beauty of the natural world and concerned by environmental exploitations, the story behind Carley’s designs lie deeper than the stitches and fabrics apparent to the human eye. Behind each piece of beautiful clothing is an underlying sustainability and/or humanitarian issues.

“I think it’s important to have a deeper message as a designer.”

“My latest collection Semi Precious, which touched on Australia’s mining history, tells both good and bad stories. The aesthetic inspiration was, unsurprisingly, precious gemstones and metals.”

Biggest highlight of her life? Having singer Dami Im wear one of her designs.

“She looked just breathtaking in the navy silk velvet gown and I was thrilled to have her wear it.”

Moving into her second year of business and having done a few runway shows under her belt (like Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia a.ka. MBFWA), Carley wants to move into more intimate focus on her customers.

“I’d love to offer some more functional pieces for the sophisticated woman who cares about what she wears, where it is made and who by. I’m thinking of more ways to get really creative with the styles and I’m looking forward to working with some new techniques, like screen printing and dyeing.”

Carley currently resides in Central Coast, with her husband Sam, and fur baby Peppa, a mini lop bunny.