Meet Tild, the unisex streetwear label founded by two Melbourne sisters
Photography by Zebe Haupt
WORDS BY CAIT EMMA BURKE
“Seeing our pieces worn in the flesh is always a pinch-me moment.”
Sibling relationships can be fraught with challenges, particularly if you go into business together. For many of us, that would introduce a whole new array of stresses and difficulties. But in the case of Melbourne sisters Tilly and Lucy Comb, it’s been “a bonus that they can undertake this journey together”.
United by their mutual love of streetwear and vintage fashion, the sisters combined their fashion industry knowledge – spanning design, business development and marketing – to take Tild, a Melbourne-based streetwear label originally founded by Tilly, to the next level.
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Initially offering just a range of accessories, the label has now expanded into apparel, offering jackets, hoodies, trackpants and singlets emblazoned with vibrant prints and playful graphics. Below, the duo tells us about the journey of their label so far and why their community of customers is what they’re most proud of.
Tell us about you. What’s your fashion background?
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We are Tilly and Lucy, the sister duo behind Tild, a Melbourne-based streetwear brand that showcases our mutual love for streetwear and vintage fashion. Growing up, we both always knew we wanted to follow a creative path, so now it’s just a bonus that we can undertake this journey together. Tilly pursued a Bachelor of Fashion Design with Honours at RMIT, including an exchange at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York where she honed her focus on menswear.
On the other hand, Lucy completed a double degree in design and business at Monash University, majoring in communication design and marketing. With this mix of design expertise and business skills, we have been able to drive the innovative spirit behind Tild.
How did the label get started? Talk us through the process and the challenges.
Tild began its journey in 2021 when Tilly was working full-time at a fashion agency and decided to start her own brand. It was through her experience at the agency that she learned the ins and outs of the fashion industry and offshore production. This hands-on exposure equipped her with the skills to build Tild from the ground up.
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In 2022, Tilly made the decision to focus on Tild full-time. Lucy joined in 2023 after working with a few other small Melbourne-based businesses, gaining experience in accessories and clothing for several years and she’s now transitioned to full-time this year.
Running Tild has been a continuous learning experience for both of us. We find we wear many hats and are often switching roles multiple times a day, which has taught us a lot about the industry and ourselves, from design and production to marketing and sales. Each challenge has strengthened our brand.
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?
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Initially, we started Tild to produce affordable, high-quality streetwear that was inclusive and available in Australia. We often found ourselves ordering from international streetwear designers due to a lack of local options. From the beginning, we aimed to make fashion inclusive and accessible to everyone, regardless of gender. This belief is why our products are designed to be unisex, offering versatile styles that align with our customers’ lifestyles and values.
Tilly initially began the line with just accessories, but over the years, we have worked towards expanding our product line. This has included taking risks by trialling new techniques, materials and mediums to better cater to our audience’s needs.
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We honestly would be nowhere without our customers – we’ve learned so much from them and have discovered that a large portion of our customer base is often wearing our products to festivals and music events. Listening to our customers has been pivotal, and we’ve even created a Close Friends list on Instagram to closely communicate with a smaller group.
How would you describe your label to someone who’s never seen it before?
A streetwear brand that produces carefully stylised pieces designed to transform your mundane ’fits into attention-grabbing ’fits.
What are you most proud of in your work on your label?
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Definitely the community we have created. Hearing from and interacting with our customers is incredibly special and something we will always treasure. Seeing our pieces worn in the flesh is always a pinch-me moment, but it’s even better when we get to have awesome conversations with the people supporting our brand. These connections and [the] support from our community mean the world to us and keep us motivated to keep growing Tild.
Who do you think is the most exciting in Australian fashion right now?
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Entire Studios. Their impact on the streetwear world at the moment is noticeable and very inspiring for us. In particular, the way they present their garments as stylised outfits makes it a one-stop shop, which we love.
Dream Australian collaborators?
As much as we love fashion collaborations, at the moment, we have more of a desire to collaborate with creatives from different industries to bring a unique twist to Tild. We love the art produced by the extremely talented Gelbell girls and we have also always thought it would be extremely cool to collaborate with a funky wine bar.
How can we buy one of your pieces?
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All of our drops go live through our website. If you live in Melbourne, we also stock our range at Market 755 over in Camberwell!
Anything else to add?
We’re excited to announce we are hosting our very first pop-up at A-N Studio at 415 Brunswick Street in Fitzroy on July 6 from 10am to 4pm, where we will be launching five new products as well as selling some of our other stock.
You can explore Tild’s range here.
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