Emiroux is the local label making playful pieces out of deadstock fabrics
Image via @emiroux_/Instagram
Words by Emma Roberts
“The more time I’ve spent on Emiroux and the more I create, the more I want this to be a full-time job for me.”
Western Australian-based designer Aimee Le Roux discovered a love of sewing at age 10 when she found her mum’s abandoned sewing machine. She quickly became obsessed with making her own clothing and accessories, and after studying fashion she launched her label Emiroux and began selling creations on Instagram and Depop.
An avid op shopper – her wardrobe is comprised almost entirely of secondhand clothing and her own creations – she tries to make her pieces out of secondhand and deadstock fabrics wherever possible.
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Emiroux’s latest collection has seen the designer stepping away from the customer-influenced pieces that proved popular on Depop and Instagram and instead creating clothing that she herself loves. Her pieces have an air of whimsical femininity with their ballooned sleeves, lace, ribbons and gingham, and when Aimee started sharing them on TikTok, the label quickly found a loyal customer base. Below, she shares the journey so far.
Tell us about you. What’s your fashion background?
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I first started sewing when I was around 10 after finding my mum’s abandoned sewing machine and just fell in love with being able to create whatever clothes and accessories I wanted. After I finished high school I went straight to TAFE to study a diploma in fashion, which I finished last year. I have always been creative for as long as I can remember and really enjoy being able to come up with ideas and then just create them. I started off selling on Depop and Instagram which then led me to opening my website.
How did the label get started? Talk us through the process and the challenges.
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Like many people, I started selling on Depop just doing made-to-order bags, sets and other random pieces I decided to create. After a while, I decided it was probably better to just open up my own website and create a brand. One of the more challenging things was actually coming up with a name, once I figured that out, which took longer than you’d think, I opened up a website and went from there. I used Instagram to advertise and have recently started on TikTok.
What were you trying to achieve from the project at the time? How has this evolved and what are you trying to communicate through the brand now?
When I first began Emiroux it was essentially just a side job to make a bit of extra money while studying at TAFE, I’ve always known I wanted to do something in the fashion industry, so the more time I’ve spent on Emiroux and the more I create, the more I want this to be a full-time job for me. I really want Emiroux to become more than just a basic clothing brand and I’d love to see it evolve into something more, as time goes on.
Where did the name come from?
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My name is Aimee Le Roux, and my last name is French so my mum actually thought it could be cool to see what ‘Aimee’ was in French and it was Emi. So Emiroux is essentially my name in French.
What are you most proud of in your work on your label?
Something I’m so proud of is how far I’ve come in terms of finding my own style. When I first created my brand almost two years ago it was very trend-driven and I was just creating things that I knew would sell. This year, however, I have really found more of my style and have started creating items I love and would wear. This was hard at first because I knew my audience probably wasn’t going to buy many of these items as they were very different to what I was selling previously. Through TikTok, I was able to reach the right audience for my style and it feels amazing!
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Another thing I’m proud of is how I’ve created a brand which is as sustainable as possible! Wherever I can, I source secondhand fabrics whether this be at op shops or [Facebook] Marketplace. I love sourcing these not only because they’re super unique but because it’s more sustainable than buying them from a fabric store. I also love sourcing deadstock fabrics which again is more sustainable than buying new. All of my scrap fabrics are saved and used for other projects. Everything you see from Emiroux is currently all made by hand by myself in Western Australia with ethical practices. This is something that is so important to me and I wish was seen more often.
What do you wish you knew when you started?
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I wish I knew that it’s okay to make things that I love that are not necessarily going to be everyone’s cup of tea and that there is an audience for these things… I just need to reach them. Another thing is TikTok!!! I wish I had just been consistent with it from the start because it really does make a huge difference!
What about the Australian fashion industry needs to change?
I think big mass-producing brands need to stop! There are so many online Australian brands that not only steal small businesses’ designs but then mass produce these in such unsustainable ways but also are then sometimes advertising a ‘sustainable’ range which is just greenwashing their buyers. I think big brands like these need to change.
Who is in your wardrobe right now?
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Mostly my own brand as well as secondhand pieces. I rarely buy any clothing that’s brand new anymore because most of the time the items I’m looking for are usually at an op shop. This doesn’t only save me money but it’s so much better than supporting the fast fashion brands that are everywhere.
How can we buy one of your pieces?
Through my website emiroux.com. I also am always open to doing custom orders, whether that be a custom colour or size in an already stocked item or something completely different from what I sell. I’m always open to doing these custom orders, and these can be requested through my Instagram DMs.
To shop Emiroux’s collection, head here.
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