Get Around These LGBTQIA+ Owned Australian Fashion Brands All Year Round
- Words by Peppermint
As Pride Month draws to a close and big fashion names begin to drain the rainbow colour from their logos, LGBTQIA+ owned brands across the country continue to effect change and support the community from the ground up.
We’re all becoming more savvy to “rainbow washing” when we see it, so one obvious way to support LGBTQIA+ folk, and ensure your allyship extends year round, is to spend your money with queer brands, instead of lining the pockets of those riding the bandwagon. Here are a few local LGBTQIA+ owned brands we love!
Gantharri
Peppermint fave Bobbi Lockyer – a Ngarluma, Kariyarra, Nyulnyul and Yawuru social justice campaigner who uses her platform as an artist, designer and photographer to raise awareness of social and Indigenous issues, including fighting for women and LGBTQIA+ rights – recently launched her label Gantharri. Meaning “Queen Bee” and “Grandmother” in Ngarluma language, Gantharri is an inclusive brand weaving together the threads of culture, Country and community.
Double Rainbouu
Double Rainbouu is a cult Aussie brand – designed for “beach baes and pool punks” – that flips that traditional Hawaiian shirt on its pineapple. The label eschews gendered clothing to create a unisex line “because the beach in Australia is such a huge aspect of everyone’s lives, it doesn’t just mean one thing… Double Rainbouu aims to reflect all of them, with a cheeky grin”.
Warmcore Clothing
After losing her job during Melbourne’s hard lockdown, Eleanor Hutchison turned her boredom into a fashion project and began to sell pieces to friends and family. Self-described as “an iso project that got way outta hand”, Warmcore Clothing’s focus on inclusivity shines just as bright as its punchy, colour-block designs.
ProudKind
Established in early 2017 by the unapologetically queer, trans/non-binary artist Luka Wild, ProudKind creates an ever-growing range of clothing and accessories that celebrate the LGBTIQA+ community and allies “with a sprinkle of glitter and feminism, of course”.
Erik Yvon
Training under iconic Australian labels Romance Was Born and Neo Dia, Erik Yvon launched his eponymous label in 2017 with a focus on sustainable and ethical production. Redefining outdated perceptions of the gender binary, his bold, transeasonal pieces are a dynamic fusion of colour, shape and texture – drawing inspiration from art, his everyday surroundings and origins in the island of Mauritius.
Rising Violet Press
Rising Violet Press is a queer-owned stationery and apparel business based in Melbourne. It was founded in late 2019 when owner and designer Bonnie decided to expand their greeting card business into an inclusive, one-stop shop for all things LGBTQIA+, pop culture and feminism!
Verbose
Openly bisexual Aussie legend Abbie Chatfield recently launched her own clothing label Verbose. The limited, five-piece collection, ranges in sizes from 6–26, and all items are shot on six different models ranging in these sizes. “Let’s be real, there’s nothing more frustrating than spotting a garment you love – only to find it represented on a model with a completely different frame to you,” the website reads. “Online shopping shouldn’t be a conundrum… And everybody deserves to feel at ease at checkout.” Yassss Abbie!
Genkstasy
The modern, non-binary streetwear of Genkstasy is born from creative director Evie Willsteed’s 15 years of sewing experience, and is all ethically and sustainably created in their 100% solar-powered studio in Northern New South Wales. Removing gender, not just as part of their design philosophy, but also in the way that their garments are expressed and communicated, Evie says it’s all “about finding a balance between the many facets of ourselves that create a whole”.
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Look, I don’t want to make anyone panic but IT’S DECEMBER!!! If you’re planning to give homemade gifts, you’re going to have to act fast. …
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🌻 The Paddington 🌻
This is a much-loved staple, created for Issue 50 in 2021. We love seeing the #PeppermintPaddingtonTop continually popping up in our feeds!
How stunning is our model Elon MelaninGoddessEfon – she told us it was one of the first times she had been asked to come to a shoot with her natural hair. 🌻
We worked with South African patternmaker Sarah Steenkamp of @FrenchNavyNow_ to create this wardrobe essential – the perfect puff-sleeve blouse. Raglan sleeves make it the ultimate beginner sew, plus the gorgeous back buttons let you add your own personal twist.
Pattern via the link in bio! 🪡
Photos: @KelleySheenan
Fabric: @Spoonflower
Model: MelaninGoddessEfon
“In the 1940’s, Norwegians made and wore red pointed hats with a tassel as a form of visual protest against Nazi occupation of their country. Within two years, the Nazis made these protest hats illegal and punishable by law to wear, make, or distribute. As purveyors of traditional craft, we felt it appropriate to revisit this design.”
Crafters have often been at the heart of many protest movements, often serving as a powerful means of political expression. @NeedleAndSkein, a yarn store in Minnesota, are helping to mobilise the craftivists of the world with a ‘Melt The Ice’ knitting pattern created by @Yarn_Cult (with a crochet pattern too), as a way of peaceful protest.
The proceeds from the $5 pattern will go to local immigrant aid organisations – or you can donate without buying the pattern.
Raise those needles, folks – art and craft can change the world. 🧶
Link in bio for the pattern.
Images: @Gather_Fiber @NeedleAndSkein @a2ina2 @KyraGiggles Sandi.204 @WhatTracyMakes AllieKnitsAway Auntabwi2
#MeltTheIce #Craftivism #Knitting #CraftForChange
TWO WEEKS TO GO! 🤩
"The most important shift is moving from volume-led buying to value-led curation – choosing fewer, better products with strong ethics, considered production and meaningful stories. Retailers have real influence here: what you buy signals what you stand for. At Life Instyle, this means using the event to discover and invest in small-scale, planet-considerate brands that align with your values and your customer’s conscience. Consumers don’t need more things; they need better things, and retailers play a key role in selecting, contextualising, and championing why those products matter."
Only two more weeks until @Life_Instyle – Australia`s leading boutique retail trade show. If you own a store, don`t miss this event! Connect with designers, source exquisite – and mindful – products, and see firsthand why this is Australia’s go-to trade show for creatives and retailers alike. And it`s free! ✨️
Life Instyle – Sydney/Eora Country
14-17 February 2026
ICC, Darling Harbour
Photos: @Samsette
#LifeInstyle #SustainableShopping #SustainableShop #RetailTradeEvent
Calling all sewists! 📞
Have you made the Peppermint Waratah Wrap Dress yet? Call *1800 I NEED THIS NOW to get making!
This gorgeous green number was modelled (and made) by the fabulous Lisa of @Tricky.Pockets 🙌🏼
If you need a nudge, @ePrintOnline are offering Peppermint sewists a huge 🌟 30% off ALL A0 printing 🌟 when you purchase the Special Release Waratah Wrap Dress pattern – how generous is that?!
Head to the link in bio now 📞
*Not a real number in case that wasn`t clear 😂
#PeppermintWaratahWrapDress #PeppermintPatterns #SewingPattern #WrapDress #WrapDressPattern
8 Things to Know About January 26 - from @ClothingTheGaps:
Before you celebrate, take the time to learn the truth. January 26 is not a day of unity it’s a Day of Mourning and Survival for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
It marks the beginning of invasion, dispossession, and ongoing colonial violence. It’s time for truth-telling, not whitewashed history.
Stand in solidarity. Learn. Reflect. Act.
✊🏽 Blog written by Yorta Yorta woman Taneshia Atkinson.
🔗 Link in bio of @ClothingTheGaps to read the full blog
#ChangeTheDate #InvasionDay #SurvivalDay #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe #ClothingTheGaps
As the world careens towards AI seeping into our feeds, finds and even friend-zones, it`s becoming increasingly hard to ignore.
We just wanted to say that here at Peppermint, we are choosing to not print or publish AI-generated art, photos, words, videos or content.
Merriam-Webster’s human editors chose `slop` as the 2025 Word of the Year – they define it as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.” The problem is, as AI increases in quality, it`s becoming more and more difficult to ascertain what`s real and what`s not.
Let`s be clear here, AI absolutely has its place in science, in climate modelling, in medical breakthroughs, in many places... but not in replacing the work of artists, writers and creatives.
Can we guarantee that everything we publish is AI-free? Honestly, not really. We know we are not using it to create content, but we are also relying on the artists, makers and contributors we work with, as well as our advertisers, to supply imagery, artwork or words created by humans. AI features are also creeping into programs and apps too, making it difficult to navigate. But we will do our best to avoid it and make a stand for the artists and creatives who have had their work stolen and used to train AI machines, and those who are now losing work as they are replaced by this energy-sapping, environment-destroying magic wand.
Could using it help our productivity and bottom line? Sure. And as a small business in a difficult landscape, that`s a hard one to turn down. We know other publishers who use AI to write stories, create recipes, produce photo shoots... but this one is important to us.
`Touch grass` was also a Merriam-Webster Word of the Year. We`ll happily stick with that as a theme, thanks very much. 🌿
