Australian label On High Rotation is making versatile wardrobe staples for pregnancy and beyond
IMAGE VIA @ONHIGHROTATION_/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY IZZY WIGHT
“Our aim was, and still is, to shift the perception of traditional maternity wear.”
The phrase ‘maternity clothing’ typically isn’t associated with contemporary fashion. It conjures images of sweatpants, kaftans and old-school mumus – pieces worn to accommodate a growing belly and be neatly packed away after the baby is born. For women who already feel their identity slipping away during pregnancy, the prospect of donning leggings and empire-waist blouses for months might be a little depressing.
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Best friends Emily and Steph founded their label, On High Rotation, in an effort to change the perception of maternity fashion. Made in Melbourne, On High Rotation pieces are designed to fit seamlessly into your existing wardrobe “before, during and after the bump”. Below, Emily and Steph speak on personal style, redefining maternity clothing and juggling motherhood while building their own brand.
Tell us about you. What’s your fashion background?
We are Steph and Emily, best friends and Co-Founders of On High Rotation (OHR). We have known each other since high school and we both come from creative backgrounds. Our love for fashion and shopping has always been our common ground and to be able to create OHR together has been a dream.
How did the label get started? Talk us through the process and the challenges.
It wasn’t until we became mums that the idea of OHR came to fruition. During our pregnancies, we were consistently looking for pieces to wear throughout and beyond yet still resembled our style.
This is where we discovered a gap in the market and a great opportunity to redefine maternity wear. We thought it was super important to create pieces that work with our existing wardrobes and that can be worn for years to come, so this is why we decided to start!
It has been a really fun and exciting process. We were in the pregnancy/postpartum stages during the development of our collection and were able to wear our pieces throughout to ensure that we were creating exactly what was needed. We are dedicated to curating limited capsule collections intended to wear on high rotation, during and beyond the bump.
Being a new brand always comes with challenges and opportunities to learn. We work closely with our local manufacturer, experiencing all stages first-hand and learning throughout the process. We are lucky to have amazing industry support to ensure OHR is exactly what we envision.
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?
Our aim was and still is to shift the perception of traditional maternity wear and to let all the mums out there know they don’t have to lose their personal style during and after the pregnancy journey. We want women to feel empowered, confident and beautiful.
How would you describe your label to someone who’s never seen it before?
OHR creates timeless capsule pieces with feminine silhouettes that are elevated through the details. All of our pieces are made locally in Melbourne from buttery soft fabric that moves with your body. The pieces are also really easy to incorporate into existing wardrobes because they are designed to be relevant and versatile.
What are you most proud of in your work on your label?
We are proud to have built our brand while juggling motherhood. We started OHR during Emily’s second pregnancy and… [when] Steph just had baby number two. We are also proud to see our collection finally come together and the garments we have created. The Essential Pants have quickly become a staple in our brand.
What do you wish you knew when you started?
The wave of emotions of starting a new business. We have learnt that when things don’t go to plan, there’s always a solution and how you handle it is more important than the setback. Don’t be afraid to take the risk, it’s so worth it in the end!
Who is in your wardrobe right now?
We have been wearing our pieces on repeat and styling them with Camilla and Marc and Dion Lee. Both of our wardrobes include long-lasting, timeless and investment pieces.
How can we buy one of your pieces?
Through our website.
Anything else to add?
We are super excited about what’s next and can’t wait to show everyone what we’ve been working on!
Browse the On High Rotation collection here.
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