Recap: Clothing The Gaps x Homie 'Tee Party' @ Collingwood Yards
Clothing The Gaps and HoMie are throwing a Tee Party! Image: Laura Carrick
We’re so excited to be joining the legends at Clothing the Gaps AND HoMie for their collaborative Melbourne Fashion Festival event ‘Tee Party’ at Collingwood Yards on Saturday, March 4.
Two social enterprises AND purpose-driven streetwear brands operating on Wurundjeri Country, we’ve been massive fans of both crews and their work for a while. Teaming up for the first time, the ‘Tee Party’ event will launch their new collab collection of up-cycled tees: ‘Together on Purpose’. While the collection details are still pretty secretive, we thought we’d take the opportunity to share a bit more about these two epic brands.
Who are Clothing The Gaps?
Beginning as an Aboriginal community-health startup back in 2018, Clothing The Gaps (CTG) is the brainchild of two health professionals - Laura Thompson (Gunditjmara) and Sarah Sheridan (non-Indigenous). Anchored in a desire to influence positive behavioural change in the realms of health and wellbeing, they seamlessly evolved into a clothing brand using fashion as a vehicle for their message.
As far as their creative approach, Laura and Sarah explain that each item begins as a conversation:
“Our ‘merch with a message’ is grown from the conversations happening in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities and it is these conversations that are the foundation of what we do at Clothing The Gaps. Our biggest influences are these mob yarns and movements, not fashion trends.”
A certified B-Corp organisation, CTG are focused on championing culture and identity by elevating Aboriginal voices. As such, the team use their platform to raise awareness for a range of First Nations causes.
They were instrumental in the #FreeTheFlag campaign for over two and a half years that saw the Aboriginal flag finally returned to the public domain. Launching the ‘Pride Not Profit’ petition, they gathered the support of over 150,000 people and 18 AFL clubs, hosted a series of engagement sessions, designed the ‘Free The Flag’ logo and a bespoke merch line to drive awareness and funding.
Laura and Sarah are the health professionals turned streetwear icons at Clothing The Gaps.
Who are HoMie?
Much like CTG, HoMie are using fashion to drive social change. Standing for Homelessness of Melbourne incorporated enterprise - HoMie use 100% of their profits to support young people experiencing homelessness and hardship.
HoMie use their platform to empower young people and de-stigmatise homelessness. According to CEO Nick Pierce, there are some common misconceptions that HoMie are committed to challenging:
“Lack of affordable housing & domestic/family violence are by far the most common reasons as to why people find themselves in this situation - which is a contrast to the assumption that it’s all related to substance & alcohol abuse.”
Through partnership with a bunch of companies, educators and via their own internal placements, HoMie have built a pathway program designed to engage homeless youth, providing them with the skills, confidence and experiences to be more work-ready and better prepared for their future.
HoMie are committed to sustainable production. Not only do they donate new stock to young people affected by homelessness, but they also recycle seasonal stock, excess materials, op-shop pieces and other second hand garments to create REBORN items as part of an ongoing collection.
HoMie use 100% of their profits to support young people experiencing homelessness and hardship.
The collaboration
According to Laura and Sarah and Nick, the two brands have been mates from day 1, bonding over their shared values, comparative journeys and approaches to business. ‘Together on Purpose’ is a celebration of this friendship and each brand’s commitment to creating ethical products, supporting community AND driving conversation.
Join us and both crews on Wurundjeri Country at ‘Tee Party’ on March 4 to get first dibs on the new line and raise a beer to this epic meeting of mates. With live performances from a bunch of local and First Nations talent, this ain’t one to be missed.
Profits from ticket and drink sales are going to each of the brand’s initiatives. Click here to grab your ticket and learn more about Clothing The Gaps and HoMie at the below links:
Learn more about Clothing The Gaps
Learn more about HoMie
