Evangelia Cassis is the founder, designer, and operator of Australian fashion label Eva Cassis. Focusing on sustainable practises and carefully considered design, Eva has created a label synonymous with quality. We caught up after The Big Design Market in December to chat about running her own label, and what drives her passion.
Hi Eva, how are you?
Great thank you!
Tell us a bit about yourself. When did you start designing and making clothes?
Designing & sewing has always been a passion of mine, which I started experimenting with from an early age. After studying an advanced diploma in Fashion Design at East Sydney Technical College, I launched myself into retail where I was learning about buying, selling & visual merchandising. I really enjoyed the roles I had working for the likes of Collette Dinnigan & Prada.
In 2011 I decided I was ready to do something different, something I had always dreamed of doing. I started researching and planning, so then in February 2012 Eva Cassis the label was officially launched at Kirribilli Markets.
Your brand focuses on sustainability. How do you view sustainability, and how important is it to the fashion industry?
Sustainability is super important and can be referenced in many aspects of running a business. Most people reference eco friendly products; I believe in trading ethically whether people can see the sustainability aspects or not.
Offering organic fibres is not always possible, so when we can't offer these, we use fabrics from reputable sources that we know will have a lower chemical rating & lower impact than the standard fabrics used across the industry. We also often look for and work with recycled materials.
All our local & international craftsman are paid fairly, and we strive to reduce waste products ending up in landfills. We are constantly striving to find better, more efficient and sustainable practices to incorporate in to the business.
I think I read a fact once that the fashion industry was the second largest contributor to pollution after oil. How could we not try to improve ourselves constantly after reading that?
What inspires your designs?
Anything & everything can absolutely spark an idea!
I find myself working backwards though because I have too many ideas & I don’t know what to do with them all! Generally what I find pleasing to the eye is simplicity so I’m constantly stripping back my ideas to get them just right.
What do you love about what you do?
I love so many things about what I do, but being able to express myself creatively with absolute freedom is a biggy! I get to structure my own days & set my own goals. My team is a joy to work with & I have wonderful customers which are more like friends. I also get to see the joy people get out of something I have created, it’s an amazing feeling! I really do pinch myself daily to see if it’s real, I feel really lucky!
Can you give us an insight into a day in the life of Eva Cassis?
Generally I’m up early to pre wash garments, answer emails & pay invoices whilst drinking my morning coffee. Multitasking in my day is essential!
Before I head to the studio I post my orders & pop in to see my seamstress. She looks after special orders & production. At the studio I try to break my day up in a few parts. I have to contribute to production everyday otherwise the workload can become overwhelming.
We make all the jewelry & limited edition ranges in house so there’s always a lot going on. Usually you can find me sorting wood for our jewelry or drilling & polishing before it all gets put together. I also try & do a lot of the fabric cutting for my garments so I can manage the wastage more effectively.
The afternoons are spent wrapping orders & then I head home with a new batch of garments to be pre washed for orders & usually loads more emails to answer.
To say my days are full is an understatement, but I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else.
What's your design process like?
My favourite thing to do is work on new designs; I try work on this every day. It can take anywhere from a few days to a couple of years to develop something I am happy with.
It starts from sketching and planning, and moves on to pattern making, sewing tualles then onto making constant adjustments to reach perfection. My obsessive side really comes out throughout this process!
What’s next for your label?
We are launching Eva Cassis homewares in February. This is a brand new product line for us that has been in the works for almost 2 years now. We developed a range of soft furnishings from recycled fabric offcuts. Using luxurious fabrics in a neutral palette to create reversible cushion covers, wall art & throws to cozy up any home! We’re so excited to finally share this range & hope people love it as much as we do!
How exciting! We’ll be sure to keep our eyes peeled for the launch. Thanks for chatting to us.
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