I’m Madeleine, the Director and Designer of Oak Meadow. It all began at one of the most creative times of my life; I was pregnant with my first son, experimenting with natural dyes and days later, all his white newborn clothes were a rainbow of tie-dye.

 

Natural colour, conscious design and sustainable manufacturing are at the heart of Oak Meadow. It is a celebration of Mother Earth and an ode to the women and children who play, rest, dance and create in our clothes.

 

Oak Meadow’s formative years were spent on the road in our bus as we travelled from mountains to coast and embraced a simple, nomadic life. We slept beside the ocean most nights, salt air infiltrating our hearts and dreams.

 

The sun and salt became my biggest inspiration and so we made our way to Bali. Island living was grounding and clarifying; we unified as a family and I found my groove as a designer. I spent many days with the women and men who bring each design to life - the fabric dyers, pattern makers and seamstresses - and I gained a deeper insight into the complexity and beauty of the sustainable and fair trade manufacturing process.

 

I put my heart into each illustration, colour palette, fabric choice and design. Finding the best team to bring it all together in an ethical and sustainable way has been incredibly rewarding both personally and professionally. Indeed, it’s my greatest creative collaboration: creating small batch, feminine, floral, eco-friendly clothes with a group of people who have fast become family to me.

 

As a designer, I have consciously chosen to support sustainable and ethical manufacturing in Bali, Turkey and Peru. Subsequently, I create small collections of unique clothing and I encourage you to purchase with awareness, wear your Oak Meadow through the seasons, and wash gently so it lasts for years to come. We’re in the midst of a fashion revolution and I’m proud to be doing all I can to ensure you wear clothes that are created with the wellness of the earth in mind.

 

For now we’re back in Australia and we’ve settled into a sweet home in Byron Bay. Oak Meadow continues to grow but I’ll never forget the importance of staying true to myself and making the best environmental and ethical decisions for the planet, my staff and my customers.