Sydney label Hagon Workroom is repurposing vintage fabrics into one-of-a-kind pieces
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SALLY GRIFFITHS FOR HAGON WORKROOM
WORDS BY IZZY WIGHT
“Classic, textured leisurewear.”
After moving back to Sydney from New York, designer and journalist Edwina Hagon was looking for a project to fill her time in lockdown. “I decided to get some tutoring so I could make clothes for myself and my friends,” she explains. But instead of ill-fitting shift dresses and tote bags to match (my home economics days have scarred me), Edwina began using discarded materials in fresh and resourceful ways.
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Crafted from vintage tablecloths sourced across the Australian East Coast, Edwina developed a small collection of genderless pieces, launched under the name Hagon Workroom. Think button-downs in ’70s seersucker, soft printed cotton and breezy linen – like a contemporary, fashion-forward iteration of the ‘party shirt’. Below, Edwina speaks on experimentation, music and traditional craft methods.
Tell us about you. What’s your fashion background?
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I studied fashion at Ultimo Tafe, just for a year, and then worked as a fashion assistant at a couple of Sydney labels. I also did a stint working as a stylist, which was fun – but making my own clothes was always the goal. I teamed up with a colleague from one of the labels [I had worked at] and we pretty quickly started designing together, eventually launching our own brand in 2009.
Despite some solid successes I’m still proud of today, by 2012, I was burnt out and made the difficult decision to fold the label. I went back to uni to do a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism and was lucky to get a job at Russh magazine. A couple of years later, I moved to New York and continued working for Russh as the lifestyle editor. I even got to interview a couple of my fashion icons – Jane Birkin and Chloe Sevigny!
How did the label get started? Talk us through the process and the challenges.
I’d just come back from New York and was unsure what was next career-wise. Something about moving home rekindled my love of clothing design and I decided to get some tutoring so I could make clothes for myself and my friends. The pattern-making side of things didn’t stick (I now have so much respect for the complexity of pattern-making!) but I fell in love with sewing.
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This is funny because when I had my label all those years ago, I was far too impatient to ever really learn how to construct a garment and therefore relied on others. By the time we went into lockdown last July, I’d learnt how to sew a couple of shirt styles and by October, I’d made about 25 shirts – all from vintage fabrics sourced online. I teamed up with the owners of Rainbow Studios in Darlinghurst for a launch event in their incredible space and by the following week, all the shirts had sold.
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?
Initially, it was nothing more than a creative project I could dive into while adjusting to life back in Sydney. I never planned for it to become my main focus, but once we got locked down, the process of handmaking clothing from such beautifully detailed, colourful, textured fabrics with so much history granted levity to a particularly difficult time.
I knew from then on I’d always make clothes, even if it ended up just being for myself. Now that the project has evolved into a brand – albeit a small one – the process and sentiment remain the same. Everything is handmade in my Elizabeth Bay workroom from antique, vintage and rescued fabrics. I enjoy the challenge of repurposing the materials I find into one-of-a-kind garments in a way that feels contemporary and relevant while at the same time, extending the lifespan of these materials.
Where did the name come from?
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Hagon is my last name. My great-grandfather had a tailoring business called Hagon Brothers and a few stores in the city. I decided to continue the tradition and keep the Hagon name alive in the clothing business.
Who knows, maybe one day I too will have a shop where I can offer bespoke tailoring and custom pieces. My aunt Judy also had a clothing business for decades. She lived on a property in Young and sold classic merino wool jumpers at the country shows.
How would you describe Hagon Workroom to someone who’s never seen it before?
One-of-a-kind garments lovingly and responsibly handmade in Sydney by repurposing antique, vintage and rescued fabrics into classic, textured leisurewear.
What are you most proud of in your work on your store?
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I’m proud that I’ve been able to learn a new skill that allows me to create unique clothing in a mindful and responsible way that respects the world around us.
Who do you think is most exciting in Australian/NZ fashion right now?
I love brands with a hands-on approach that incorporates traditional craft methods in the creative process. Some of the brands I’m excited about are Holly Ryan Jewellery, Shades Launay, and Rutt by Rachel Rutt, to name a few…
Go-to dinner party playlist?
I love making playlists and even have a segment on my website dedicated to music. My most recent playlist, Open Rhythms, is a mix of jazz, soul, and synth-pop – perfect dinner-party music.
Who is in your wardrobe right now?
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Lots of vintage and preloved pieces – Levi’s 550s, Gucci loafers and ’60s French workwear jackets. Also, Jungmaven tees are a go-to staple.
How can we buy one of your pieces?
Exclusively through my online store.
Anything else to add?
I’m currently developing new styles and experimenting with embroidery, applique and fabric dying, with the plan to release new one-off garments every few weeks. I’ll make announcements on Instagram and through the newsletter, so if you like you can follow me there.
Browse the Hagon Workroom collection here.
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