So, who made your clothes? That’s the question local Empire Rose designer and owner Kathryn Cizeika is asking. Kathryn and several local womenswear designers weigh in on this global issue and what their brands are doing in this space. 

“Like many others, I believe fast fashion comes at a greater cost than the price-tag on the garment. There is a huge environmental and human cost at the heart of fast fashion, but it's heartening to see that consumers are becoming more educated on the matter and the industry processes are being exposed,” says Kathryn Cizeika who is entering her 22nd year of Empire Rose.

“Over the last five years I've seen a noticeable shift in the way we view and talk about fast fashion; we still have a long way to go, but it's a start.” 

Kathryn manufactures her Empire Rose designs in-house at her North Fremantle studio, where her talented team of artisan machinists and seamstresses are based. Kathryn says that not only does producing locally enable her to always have an ethical, sustainable practice, but it keeps the industry alive by creating job opportunities for young people in the fashion industry.