INTERVIEW with BrisAsia Fashion Festival 2022 Designer - Luna + Sun
Photo above supplied by Luna And Sun
SD: Hi Teshani, for my readers who don’t know you yet, can you please introduce yourself?
TM: Hi everyone, I'm Teshani and I'm the founder of Luna and Sun. I was born in Sri Lanka and my family moved to Australia when I was three. What a lot of people don't know is that the fast fashion industry is a huge contributor to modern slavery and a lot of the women that are trapped in modern slavery are women of colour from Asian countries. This is something I'm very passionate about changing. I strongly believe no person or animal should suffer for clothing.
I've always wanted to start my own label and the more I learnt about the negative impact that the fast fashion industry had on people, the environment and animals the more it pushed me to want to start my own label which upheld my values. I wanted to make the label as close to 100% sustainable as possible.
Just after I launched Luna and Sun I also found out I was pregnant and becoming a mother has changed me in so many ways. I completely understand how other mothers feel after having a baby. Our bodies change and unfortunately a lot of the clothing out their doesn't accomodate this. This is why I'm creating clothing that isn't only sustainable, ethically made and cruelty free but made for comfort and suits a variety of shapes and sizes through pregnancy, breastfeeding and beyond.
Photo above supplied by Luna and Sun
SD: What should we expect at the BrisAsia Fashion Festival for your designs?
TM: I will be showcasing my most recent collection Ahimsa which is named after the ancient Indian principle of compassion for all living beings. I strongly believe the clothes we wear can be made without harming people, animals and made using natural fabrics that won't shed plastic microfibres into our oceans.
We also collaborated with Kendelle Skye who created some beautiful prints using hand drawn fine liner illustrations. Each motif was inspired by traditional Indian architecture, capturing the beautiful and ornate details through a combination of floral and geometric elements similar to what I grew up admiring on my mother and grandmothers beautiful sarees.
SD: What was the biggest inspiration behind your latest collection?
TM: Being pregnant and then becoming a mother was at the forefront of my mind when designing this collection. This is why all these items are made for comfort in beautiful linen and can be worn whilst pregnant and then after bub is born. Our dresses and blouses are also perfect for breastfeeding and are made to accomodate changes in our bodies as this is something so important to me. I believe clothing should be made to accomodate changes in our bodies and make us feel beautiful no matter our shape or size.
SD: What helps you get in the zone when you’re designing?
TM: Alone time to clear my head has helped as it's been so hard to do with a little one. I have been working on my new maternity collection for about a year now and it's taken a little longer than other collections as I've been juggling being a new mum. But I try not to put too much pressure on myself as I think it's important not to rush things especially as I want to test my items on several new mums as possible prior to launching.
SD: When did you first realise you wanted to pursue a career as a designer?
TM: I've always really loved fashion and I studied fashion design but as I was also juggling full-time work I wasn't able to finish my fashion design course. It was always a dream of mine to start my own label. It was after learning more about the effects fast fashion was having on people, the environment and animals that gave me the extra motivation I needed to start my label as I really wanted to make a change.
SD: What was your biggest fear when going out and starting your own line?
TM: I think like most people starting a business for the first time was very scary and I had a big fear of failure. I feel I've learnt so much over the last 2 years and there is definitely mistakes I've made but it's all taught me so much. I feel so lucky to have such an amazing community of people who have supported us from the start and continue to support us today that's why I'm still here today growing and improving our business. I'm also starting a new second hand clothing business very soon too which I'm very excited about.
SD: Does fashion design run in your family?
TM: Fashion design doesn't run in my family but both my mum and grandmother are incredibly talented at making clothing and sewing. Even today my mum uses my leftover fabric to make items for my daughter. My mum and grandma have influenced me so much and I think my love of fashion comes from them both. My mum and dad are both also small business owners and I think it runs in my blood.
Tickets are selling fast. If you want to see Luna And Sun on the runway, get your BrisAsia Fashion Festival tickets here
BrisAsia Fashion Festival Website: https://fashionfestivalqueensland.com.au/whats-on-ticketing-1
BrisAsia Fashion Festival Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizgoldingstylist
BrisAsia Fashion Festival Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brisasia_festival_fashion/
Luna And Sun’s Social Media Presence:
Website: http://www.lunaandsun.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lunaandsunthelabel
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/luna_and_sun_label/
Photo above supplied by Luna And Sun