Laura Hanna, the young woman behind Adelaide-based label STONE launched her latest collection REPEAT at an exclusive preview titled ‘STONE NIGHT‘ in an industrial car-park venue on Halifax Street which attracted Adelaide’s fashion elite. Featuring cool, bold and striking pieces, the collection is suited to any woman on a mission. We take five with the head designer to find out about how she started in fashion, her inspiration for the new collection and her ultimate ambitions.
Tell us a bit about your background in fashion and previous project Laura Jayne The Label.
I have always wanted to create something myself and that came in so many avenues such as making my own clothes, building a brand and creating a following. I started sewing when I was 14 years old making clothes for myself and friends. I then created my own fashion label, Laura Jayne The Label, on the side which was more of a hobby for me in my spare time. I fell in love with business side of things and wanted to build a brand that was a career and lifestyle for me rather than a hobby. So thats when I created STONE.
Laura Hanna, Stone Label Head Designer. Photo: Daniel Marks
What was the inspiration behind Repeat?
Each piece from Repeat really started with its own concepts that eventually came to be a 22 piece collection. I find my inspiration from looking at fabrics and materials and when I found this statement-making denim it all fell into place with the idea of using gold hardware and ties that wrap around the body.
How do you feel you have matured as a designer since being part of the 2014 AFF Emerging Designers competition to today?
There are so many things that have changed since our involvement in the Adelaide Fashion Festival 2014. We have created a whole new brand, STONE, and created two new collections. Our designs and style will always be evolving but we feel as though we have created a whole new aesthetic that includes a sleek and tailored style.
Stone Label
What is your most intimate ambition? (something you have always hoped to one day achieve or you have achieved before).
Our ultimate dream is to have STONE stores around the globe. We want people to have an experience rather than just another shop and we aim to hopefully achieve this one day.
What are you most looking forward to in the 2016 Adelaide Fashion Festival?
We are so excited to firstly showcase Repeat and to be along side so many other well- known and inspiring labels. Also working with mentors such as Chris Kontos and so many others, it really is a great learning experience and a chance to become better at what we do.
Stone Label hardware details
Who or what inspires you?
When we start to design for new seasons we love to get inspiration from fabrics. We usually spend a whole day looking through swatches from our fabric buying trips and seeing how and what we can use them for. Looking up photos of architecture and trend forecasting is also what inspires us.
Who is the STONE woman?
The STONE woman is passionate about wearing garments that are of the best quality. She would rather have 5 good quality timeless pieces than 20 pieces that will perish and only last one season. She lives her life simplistically and isn’t afraid to be bold in the way she dresses everyday and for social events.
Cheese, cheese and more cheese at the launch
What is unique about STONE?
We absolutely love what we do and we want STONE customers to not only just buy great products but experience the STONE culture that we are continuously building and expanding everyday and this is what differentiates us from the rest. The product is just as important as the customer.
What is a fabric you would like to experiment with or incorporate into a future collection?
We would love to work with leather one day but when we do something we want to do it well so possibly in the near future. We love fabrics that feel and look good as well as fabrics that are comfortable and flattering.
Inside the industrial setting for Stone Label launch night
Laura and her label STONE will showcase REPEAT on the runway at the 2016 Adelaide Fashion Festival.
