Warm Bestowed Layers.. the 'Camille' Cardi

New 'Bestowed' styles for the cooler local weather, have been added to Rant's ongoing pure cotton range.

In our locally milled stretch organic cotton, the first new style is the CAMILLE cardigan. Both in a crop or long version, are also available in black & olive. With a cute concealed press stud enclosure with cotton tape trim, add to your new and existing 'Bestowed' pieces.

Available here... or click on any image below.

See our June Newsletter for more info here... also

Warm Bestowed Layers.. the 'Mahala' Coat

Launched in the Australian summer of 2011, styles from our pure cotton label 'Bestowed' are proving instant wardrobe favourites.

Our superfine cotton we have milled in Melbourne, Australia is currently available in a range of tops, shrugs and scarves. So soft against your skin, this lightweight fabric has a lovely drape and handle.

When thinking about the best way to wear pure cotton in the cooler months, the first thing that came to mind for Sarah was working out how to wear more of this divine fabric.

The result was the MAHALA Coat.

With 7m of the superfine cotton, it is a double layer coat that is still very lightweight.

So soft against your skin...

Like all 'Bestowed' garments it has been prewashed in pure rainwater, and because it has the 2 layers of cotton this creates an interesting effect around the pockets and hem, which has been slightly gathered. It was also designed to have a slight assymetry, adding to the drapey silhouette.

While heavier coats may be only pulled out of your wardrobe a limited amount of times, particularly here in Brisbane, you will find the MAHALA a truly transeasonal piece that will be worn over and over.

With 2 cotton ties at the side seams, it can simply hang and be allowed to drape open or cross one of the ties over and secure to the tie in the opposite side seam.

Coming in both a black or indigo colour, Sarah has been wearing her MAHALA over the organic cotton LISETTE dress and bamboo jersey BENITA Leggings from the Rant range this week.

Any of our dresses are particularly nice layered up with the MAHALA.

Complete the outfit with one of our LOOPY scarves or check out our Jewellery section, as the HALO and STRAND necklaces are also made from this beautiful superfine cotton.

Keep an eye out on the 'Bestowed' section of our store, as we have new stock of our SWIVEL tops coming in next, available in a range of colours, and the first styles in our new stretch organic cotton that has been milled exclusively for us in Melbourne also.

What is Fair & Ethical ?

There are a growing number of organisations around the world working towards a more fair & ethical industry for the hard working sewers in the global apparel industry.

Image courtesy of nicefashion.orgTo try and make sense of all these initatives around the world to make fashion more sustainable, I recently wrote an article for the UK online magazine Urban Times. It talks about how our industry is taking on standards and codes to validate the 'eco' claims being made by fashion labels.

One of the more innovative organisations is 'NICE' (Nordic Initative, Clean & Ethical) who are working with the United Nations on some new initatives.

Read the article on Urban Times here...

Be the change

- Jason

Happy holidays!

It has been a HUGE year here at Rant. New stockists, new organic cotton label 'Bestowed' launched, new jewellery range developed with designer Sharon McCarthy under the 'Collaborate' label, along with the beginnings of a new online experience with the Rant store.

So much to be grateful for and we wanted to send a BIG thanks to our new customers we've been hearing from recently and a equally BIG thankyou to our regular 'Ranters'. You, along with our valued stockists who have supported us since the beginning, have enabled us to continue doing what we love.

The feedback we have been receiving has been lovely and one of our beautiful customers was happy for us to quote her email that sums up the feedback we have received nicely.

"Everything I ordered is absolutely perfect. It is hard ordering online even though I am familiar with your designs and styles. I realise now that the description, details and sizing info that you give on the website is spot on. The 'bestowed' cotton is so light & comfy on and the Sami pants feel great. I really can't believe how good everything feels on, packing the suitcase is going to be a breeze."

People who understand Sarah's designs are becoming familiar with our new online experience. After a little bit of tweaking throughout the year, it's great to have such positive feedback, as we launch into a new era.

So as the 8th year of Rant is closing, we take great pleasure in seeing the concept of Australian sustainable fashion flourishing. While we are officially on holidays until the 3rd of Jan, we will be checking emails over the holidays, so feel free to contact Sarah or myself if you have any questions.

Thankyou again and have a very happy holidays!

Jason & Sarah

A holiday to Vietnam and Cambodia

Today i was able to test Bestowed in a real life situation.

My friend Julie and her family are going on a holiday to Vietnam and Cambodia for 19 days. She loves to eat food from the street stalls and get involved in the local culture, so the clothes have to be able be worn in all situations. We went thru the styles and narrowed them down as she wanted to only have carry on luggage with enough weight left to take a book.  

As it is going to be very hot, we went for dresses mostly with a couple of pants to wear under the dresses or on their own with tops. The quirk shrug offers the option for coverage if needed to visit temples or on the plane when it is always cold. White garments were out (except one singlet top) so dark colours were picked but not all black. All the garments are comfortable enough to be slept in, exercise in, dine out and be easy care.

There were 3 items of Rant Clothing that we added to the luggage from her existing wardrobe; a Levitate dress in cotton (can be a dress or skirt), a Chirpy flared top to add some pattern as it is a cute printed viscose, and a charcoal Greta singlet in bamboo jersey. Bamboo as well as our organic cotton are the perfect fibres for the tropics.

The Bestowed pieces were an Onida dress (grape colour), Lisette dress (black), Dita dress (charcoal), Elfrida pants (black), Marvel pant (grape)Lucinda singlet and the must have Quirk shrug 3/4 sleeve black    ( more of these will be in stock very soon).

As well as her Greta singlet she took two Celia singlets, one black, one white (these are not available yet but are racer back singlets in organic cotton jersey, she has our samples to use and test run for us).Any of the 'epidermal layers'in Rant will also work with all these mix and match outfits to give even more options .

This all fitted in one of our Rant Clothing cotton carry bags and weighed about 2kg. Plenty of room for some walking shoes, sandals and toiletries.

This is the first of many holiday wardrobe blogs i plan to do. Feel free to contact me if you need help planning the best garments to take away with you. I enjoy planning wardrobes when i have a real person and situation in mind.

Cheers - Sarah