Made for the dreamers and the drifters, our story begins back in Namaqualand, South Africa, where I grew up as a child.
I love that nostalgic feeling I get when I think back to those care-free days, playing in the wild west streets of a small diamond mining town, set against mountain-sized sand dunes blowing into the ocean.
Fast-forward several years, and I found myself working (slaving) for a number of large fashion houses. I wasn’t happy, and I needed to re-discover my love for design and textiles.
So, I did what every true wanderer would do; sold everything, packed a backpack and set off on the adventure of a lifetime.
My travels took me all around the world and for 18 months I spent my days mostly surfing, eating local and immersing myself in new and beautiful cultures.
Until one day, whilst exploring the back streets of Nicaragua, a picturesque town in the beating heart of Central America, my solo-adventure turned into somewhat of a love story.
Here I met the love of my life on his travels, after making sure we both enjoyed rum, the beach and the same books in equal parts.
We couldn’t fight the universe for crossing our paths, so we relocated to Australia and started a life together in Byron Bay, where I’m surrounded by new inspiration every single day.
There’s just something so special about our magical little home; where hippies live alongside surfers and time slows down entirely.
So, to answer your question of where it all began…Dreamers & Drifters was born out of a colourful mismatch of bohemian dreams, whirlwind romance, crazy adventures, and the authentic beauty of Byron Bay’s people and culture.
It was so important to me to build something of substance; a brand that offers classic shapes that won’t date in 3 months, so you can keep wearing your favourite styles into the next season, next year, and beyond.
What’s more, I strongly believe that sustainability and ethical practices should come as standard in any business, not just the fashion industry, which is why D&D was founded on the principles.
I design everything myself in my small studio now based on the NSW South Coast and aim to sprinkle a little bit of that wild west energy into each and every collection.
We only operate out of completely ethical and safe-to-work factories, that I personally visit regularly and sit with the sewing team to work on new designs.
Every garment is handmade with love and care, and I strive to only use the softest, natural fabrics that are easy-to-wear and designed with the future in mind.
My goal is to try touch that ‘timeless’ feeling of a nostalgic memory through my designs.
I was once told that I’m too sentimental (it was actually directed as an insult), but I love that I am, because I feel that being sentimental means I care about the little things; those tiny details that make a garment so special.
Making clothes completes me. I love the feeling of fabric, imagining the possibilities of a small piece of cotton, developing a new design out of something I found in a dusty textile shop…
Fitting, tucking, pinning and unpicking until it’s transformed into something completely new, something unique.
I want to share that passion with you.
I want you to feel like anything is possible. That you may drift a while, that you may fall in love, and that your wildest dreams may not be so wild after all.
With love, Verity x
