Size-inclusive venture has fashion covered

It’s a dreary, drizzling morning when I walk into Timbermill Studios in Bulli, but Eliza Garton greets me with her huge smile and shows me around. 

“It’s swarming with creatives here,” the Illawarra designer, creative and maker says. “It’s such a nice community because everybody looks out for each other and just being amongst all sorts of different creatives is very cool. You can bounce ideas, you can be inspired by what’s going on.”

Not that she needs much inspiration. As we head into the studio that houses her fashion line Hot Chip The Label, I’m greeted by a couple of racks of unique pieces and a wall of reclaimed fabrics and I have to hold myself back from rifling through it all. 

The slow-fashion, size-inclusive label was launched in August 2024, and offers women’s clothing from sizes 6 through to 32, all designed and made there in her studio. And yes, ladies, most items have pockets!

It was pretty much inevitable that Eliza would end up surrounded by threads and fabrics. “Sewing has always been part of my life,” she explained. “I learned to sew with Mum and both grandmas so that’s pretty special.”

Before launching her label, Eliza had been making clothes for herself, and selling scrunchies and coin purses and had long been immersed in the online creative community.

“I make my own clothes and am just always getting compliments and comments from people and I thought, ‘You know what, it’s probably time’,” she said. “I’ve been in the creative community on social media for many years, buying, supporting other makers, buying their clothes … so I was already well and truly part of that community.”

The move into designing clothes for others felt almost inevitable. 

“I had a few design features that I wanted to incorporate in clothing that I wasn’t seeing, like more width in the arms, more width in the hips, clothes that fit.”

Launching as a size-inclusive brand was not negotiable.

“I’m all about acceptance and inclusivity, and I thought, well, I’m not going to limit myself with my clothing either because if somebody likes something, they should be able to have it.”

Hot Chip The Label offers both ready to wear along with customisable options. Customers come in, choose the style they’re after and work with Eliza to choose the perfect fabric (animal prints, I'm looking at you!). The fabrics themselves have their own stories to tell.

“I use vintage materials and reclaimed materials,'' Eliza said. “I’ve always got my eye out for fabric. And most pieces are bespoke because of that.” Eliza points out the gorgeous dress covered in various strawberry prints that started life as a doona cover and a tea towel. 

And while all the pieces are unique, at the label’s heart is a commitment to slow fashion and conscious consumption.

“As consumers we should care about where our clothing comes from because the manufacturing industry overseas is pretty rife with exploitation of workers and also of the environment”.

“I try to encourage people to be conscious shoppers. So I try not to tell people 'don’t buy from here, don’t buy from there'. I just try to get them to educate themselves a bit and think about what they’re buying and where it's coming from.”

Alongside the label, she runs sewing classes from her studio. Never touched a sewing machine before? Don’t even own one? No worries. There’s a beginner basics series for those who are complete novices – machines provided – followed by extension classes for those who are newbies but keen to learn how to whip up clothes and mend the ones they already have.

She offers group and private lessons, as well as alterations.

“I love sewing and I could talk about it day,” she laughed.

“I’m not for everyone and that’s okay, but people who do like this kind of thing, they have hit the jackpot.”

You can find Hot Chip The Label on Facebook and Instagram and at the Timbermill Studios, Molloy Street, Bulli

And shop online for clothes and workshops here