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 Redefining outdated perceptions of the gender binary, his bold, transeasonal pieces are a dynamic fusion of colour, shape and texture – drawing inspiration from art, his everyday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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NEW PATTERN ALERT 🎉
She’s giving comfort, she’s giving style, she’s giving palate-cleansing sewing. There’s nothing quite like an easy breezy dress that’s not only a dream to wear but a delight to sew, and the NEW Peppermint Myrtle Shift Dress delivers!
Cute, classic and cool with a touch of retro: the Myrtle Shift Dress is a beginner-friendly make with sleek lines and elegant curves. Bust darts are in play for shaping and spacious pockets to hold all your treasures. Top-stitching detail around the neck and armholes invites creative contrast threads and the keyhole loop closure at the back neck begs for a feature button (or a tie closure!).
Myrtle cuts above the knee with options to customise the length. Don’t think she’s reserved for hot weather either: try a heavier-weight fabric to turn your Myrtle into a pinafore-style garment for layering.
For our fabrics we chose two from @Karmme_Apparel – the bold Rottnest Stripes in a lightweight, soft-drape cotton, and the quality linen in the handpainted Mexico Collection. Karmme also stocks darling tassels so we popped a hot pink one on as a closure!
The love child of Imby Langenbach, Karmme Apparel (fittingly pronounced ‘calm’), is a haven of boho apparel sewing patterns alongside complementary fabrics steeped in tradition with modern iterations from Jaipur, India. Hand block-printed and digitally printed soft cottons produced by Indian artisans showcase rich colours and designs from Imby’s travels, perfect for showing off me-made masterpieces.
Our dresses were superbly stitched by our sewing manager @Laura_The_Maker, and modelled magnificently by Shannon @Pins_And_Tonic and Serah @SerahSews. And that perfect pink wall was courtesy of the good folk at @ShareTheDignityAustralia, an organisation that aims to bring dignity to women, girls and those who menstruate who are experiencing homelessness, domestic violence and period poverty.
Get making the Myrtle – the only question is, can you stop at just one?
Link in bio 🪡
Photos: @KelleySheenan
Sewist: @Laura_The_Maker
Patternmaker: @GarmentaApparel
Models: @SerahSews and @Pins_And_Tonic
Fabric: @Karmme_Apparel
#PeppermintMyrtleShiftDress #PeppermintPatterns
Connection 🫶🏻
Such great ideas from @GrowWithColby:
“A common theme I noticed in 2025:
Everyone is craving more connection.
Use these friend nights to make it happen in 2026.
Send this to the people you want to do these with.”
#Connection #Friends #Community
No bull - these pants are the cat`s (or cow`s) pyjamas...
Jenny from @RhubarbSundays:
And they are done! My @PeppermintMagazine #PeppermintFernPleatedPants made using a gorgeous fabric from @IndyBindyFabrics! I absolutely love this fabric! It’s soft and drapes beautifully. And the best thing about it is that, from a distance, it looks like an abstract print and then you look closer and theres a curious bull looking right at you. 🤣🤣 🐄 🐮
Really happy with the end product. They are very comfy! I didn’t make many changes to the pattern. Just a touch more room in the rise and a little bit off the waist. I’ll post some closeups of the details tomorrow when I actually take them off. 🤣 "
Grab the pattern from the link in bio!
#PeppermintPatterns #IMakeMyOwnClothes #ClothesThatFeelLikePyjamas #SewersGonnaSew
Missed issue 64 at the newsagent?
Grab a digital copy from our website and read it whenever you like. 📱💻️
Link in bio! 💜
#PeppermintMagazine #YouBelongHere
🌤 Festival forecast: high creativity, with a strong chance of radical hope on the horizon.
If you’ve been craving a little colour in your calendar, consider this your sign. This May, the Sunshine Coast’s much-loved Horizon Festival is celebrating ten years of art, imagination and joyful gathering, returning from 1–10 May on Kabi Kabi and Jinibara Country.
For ten glorious days, beaches, streets, galleries and unexpected corners of the coast become places to wander, wonder and play. There’s music drifting on the sea breeze, performances that make you feel things, art you can step inside, and plenty of moments where you’re invited to join in rather than just watch. With 35+ events across the region (many of them free), expect live music, First Nations gatherings, immersive dance, family-friendly fun, writers’ talks, artist markets and more. At its heart, @HorizonArtFest is a celebration of people, place and shared imagination, honouring the first artists and storytellers, while making space for new voices and bold ideas.
Then there’s ‘Radical Hope Machine 2’: an immersive exhibition at Caloundra’s new Library+ that will fuse textiles, technology and storytelling. Featuring textile artist @Shaye_Hardisty, award-winning author Peter Carnavas and artist Sarah Winter, this series of events explores what hope looks, feels and sounds like to the Sunshine Coast community in response to the question: ‘how to solve the world’s wicked problems?’ We spoke with Shaye about tech vs textiles, magical garments and tiny joys.
Read more at the link in bio!
Photos: @HorizonArtFest
#HorizonFestival SunshineCoastEvents
Style, sass and simplicity: Miss Myrtle is almost here! 💕
Lay your peepers on the new Peppermint Myrtle Shift Dress – this sensational sewing pattern is going to be winging its way to subscribers inboxes this Sunday 1st March at 11am, so if you`re not a subscriber already, you know what to do!
We created this pattern with the support of @Karmme_Apparel – and how gorgeous are those fabrics! The love child of Imby Langenbach, Karmme Apparel (fittingly pronounced ‘calm’), is a haven of boho apparel sewing patterns alongside fabrics steeped in traditions with modern iterations from Jaipur, India.
Modelled magnificently by Shannon @Pins_And_Tonic and Serah @SerahSews, the Myrtle Shift Dress is a beginner-friendly make with sleek lines and elegant curves. You won’t be able to stop at just one!
Subscribers – keep an eye on your inbox on Sunday for your exclusive download code. Everyone else - subscribe now before Sunday so you don`t miss out!
Launch date: 5th March 💕
Link in bio 💕
Pink wall courtesy of the good folk at @ShareTheDignityAustralia, an organisation that aims to bring dignity to women, girls and those who menstruate who are experiencing homelessness, domestic violence and period poverty. 💕
Sewing and instructions: @Laura_The_Maker
Photos: @KelleySheenan
#PeppermintMagazine #PeppermintPatterns #PeppermintMyrtleShiftDress
