Fella Hamilton - Celebrating 50 years in Australian Fashion

Celebrating 50 years in Australian fashion, Melbourne-based womenswear manufacturer Fella Hamilton has grown from a wholesale business, supplying garments to the leading department stores of the day, to become one of Australia’s most iconic and successful fashion brands.

Founded in 1969 by the brand’s namesake, Fella Hamilton, the brand’s journey in the fashion industry began in a Brighton sauna where Fella Hamilton noticed a woman wearing a fabulous terry-towelling turban. Disappointed to learn it was from London and unavailable to purchase in Australia, Fella used her creativity and entrepreneurship to create a turban of her own - kick-starting Australia’s terry-towelling trend of the 1970s.

Opening its first stand-alone store in Hawthorn in 1987, Fella Hamilton now operates 33 retail stores around Australia, in addition to a successful mail-order department and online store.

Managing Director and son of Fella Hamilton, David Hamilton, said “This year Fella Hamilton is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and we have no plans to slow down. In recent years we have opened stores in NSW, SA, ACT and QLD, and have just opened our first store in TAS this year. We have also recently acquired a new label called Hedrena, which supports local farmers using 100% Australian Merino Wool.”

Fella Hamilton has stood the test of time in a highly competitive market by remaining true to Fella's dream of providing stylish high-quality Australian Made fashion, with a large portion of its range still manufactured locally.

“Our customers care about where they make their purchases. Supporting the local Australian economy is extremely important to them and us. In a world economy that’s filled with fast-churn products, especially in the fashion industry, the ability to buy Australian Made enables consumers to support the continuance of important skills in our local market. At the same time, they are supporting those that have made the products that they buy,” Mr Hamilton said. 

“Manufacturing in Australia also allows us to have a close eye on the entire production process, from cutting the garment to inspecting it before it gets sent to stores.  We value keeping jobs in Australia, and know our customer values Australian Made fashion.”

All of Fella Hamilton’s Australian Made products proudly display the Australian Made logo, making it easy for consumers to make educated purchase decisions.

“Using the Australian Made logo assists with our branding and reemphasises the message of one of our core values, to keep manufacturing as much as we can in Australia.  Our consistent use of the logo allows customers to easily recognise what products in our range are made in Australia, whether they’re purchasing in-store, online or on the phone,” Mr Hamilton said.

“By using the Australian Made logo we are proudly letting our customers know that they are helping to support jobs and industry in Australia, contributing to the overall well-being of the country. We feel that it’s a privilege to be able to display the Australian Made logo on our products because it’s a symbol that carries with it great respect from the Australian buying public. It’s a representation of quality, care and consideration.” 

The Australian Made logo is Australia's most trusted, recognised and widely used country of origin symbol, and is underpinned by a third-party accreditation system which ensures products that carry the logo are certified as ‘authentically Australian'.

You can find out more about Fella Hamilton’s Australian Made products here.