DESIGNER REVIEW: dot&herbey
February 7th, 2010
It’s not everyday that overseas travel leads one to creating a fashion label, but that’s exactly what happened for Samantha Underwood, designer of the fashion label dot&herbey.
After noticing that women in Europe, particularly France, had a real knack for wearing gorgeous dresses in the day time, and not just for a special occasion, Samantha came back to Australia hoping to find something similar to wear.
But seeing that there was a lack of market designs her disappointment instead led to entrepreneurship and, using the experience she had gained while living in England working for an import/export business, she decided to fill the niche gap that she saw and design her own range of casual summer dresses instead.
That was in the year 2000, and since then Samantha’s designs have gone from paper to runway to successful sales. Not only was dot&herbey a finalist in the Mercedes Startup Show at the Spring Fashion Week in 2002, but in 2004 she opened up her own little boutique in the groovy suburb of St Kilda. Now not only does she sell from her own store, but she also wholesales her designs to other boutiques all around Australia.
So how did the name dot&herbey come about? Well this is a great story. You see dot&herbey is named after Samantha’s favourite Grandparents – Dot and Herbey.
Originally from the UK Samantha came to Australia when she was 6, and being the loving Grandparent’s that they were Dot and Herbey would come over from their native Yorkshire every few years for a visit. But it was Samantha’s Grandmother Dot and her positive and encouraging attitude that really allowed Samantha to tap into her dormant talents. Living by her Grandmother’s philosophy “never live with regrets”, Samantha managed to find the courage to quit her full time job as a juvenile justice worker and become a fashion designer instead.
And it just so happened that the year Samantha was in need of a label for her new designs was the year her Grandparents sadly passed away. So of course Samantha had no hesitation but to name her label after them. Not only does it seem a most fitting way to honour her Grandparent’s memory, but the name gives her designs and extra touch of vintage style as well.
So what kind of dresses does the label design? Well this is the other great thing. Samantha’s unique dresses are made from 100% cotton, wool and linen which are imported from countries such as Japan, the USA, Italy and France. And while the fabric itself is not of a vintage nature, many of the patterns are reproductions from the 40’s and 50’s; giving her dresses a real retro and vintage feel to them.
Of course dot&herbey also makes tops and pants to mix and match with the other labels that the store stocks, but it is her range of long lasting dresses that Samantha is mainly known for. And to top it all off Samantha is yet another wonderful local designer who has all of her garments made right here in Melbourne.
So do yourself a favour and get down to dot&herbey for a look at the exciting range of dresses in stock. While you are there you won’t be able to miss seeing the most wonderful large scale photo of Samantha with her Grandparents when she was a child. You will love it just as much as I did.
P.S The up and coming dot&herbey winter range is as equally exciting consisting of French tailored cropped jackets with sheepskin collars and little belts, post WW2 long woolen coats, and long sleeved woolen dresses brushed with flannel cotton.
dot&herbeyare located at 229 Barkly St, ST KILDA phone (03) 9593 6309 Web: http://www.dotandherbey.com Email: sam@dotandherbey.com Dot & Herbey also stocks: Hudson Jeans - www.hudsonjeans.com/ Birgit Holdinghausen - http://studioingot.com.au/BHC.html Only Midge leather accessories - http://www.onlymidge.com.au/ Fibre Red knitwear - http://www.fibrered.com.au/
February 12th, 2010 at 3:22 am
I’m so glad i stumbled across this article! I have been looking for clothing just like this, especially after my own trip to Paris a few years ago (my god those women know how to dress!) and now i know where to get a slice of Europe in Melbourne. Expect a visitor to St Kilda very soon…
Congratulations on your label - great story as well.
March 4th, 2010 at 2:51 am
Wow - i love that last dress, it’s sooooo cute - I want it!! Great review, I love them - keep them coming!