Photography by Rita McNeill, words by Ellen Tirant
REFLECTION
An image; representation; counterpart
A thought occurring in consideration or meditation
Welcome to the first instalment of Reflection; a brand new collection of limited edition ethical clothing pieces, kickstarting a new way forward for Dorsu. Featuring most loved elements from past collections and produced in fresh, muted colours, each item suits both warm and cool weather, forming a seasonless, versatile and reliable wardrobe.
After the release of our last collection, Purpose, we reflected on how we do things at Dorsu. We had struggled with the production and release process due to fabric supply, the pressure of turnaround time, under-producing items and fear of death-by-excessive-inventory, the common cause of many fashion labels’ demise.
We took time. We reviewed the way we design, produce and release our ranges and realised while we were busy striving to be a 'clothing company' we were forgetting that we hold an incredible advantage in producing on site. We unpacked our processes, deciding to strip back our releases and stop working to conventional seasons. By letting go of industry pressure to design extensive ranges, we are able to move away from the traditional system we are trying to change.
Our strength lies in our unique model; our branding and production teams work side by side, even if, at times, an ocean separates them. We design, manufacture and sell as one cohesive crew. We have a strong community and want to hold honest dialogue with our customers to show the steps of developing each release: fabric sourcing, design, production and sale.
Going against the grain, Dorsu redefines what is considered ‘normal’ when it comes to fashion production and consumption, prioritising sustainability, quality and ethical practices above all else.
We’ll now be releasing 2-4 new pieces every 8 weeks, rather than much larger collections, multiple times a year. Designed, produced and prepared for sale in a structured cycle, this process is our way; our strength and our advantage. This allows us to slow down, which is already fundamental to our ethos! These items will be produced in colours and fabrics that are available to us at the time, short production runs that are essentially limited edition.
These conscious releases are not driven by a desire to build hype purely for consumption or to rapidly force beautifully made garments into clearance sales. This approach allows us to be intentional, responsive and adaptable.
Each release will be curated to sit alongside the previous and upcoming designs. Paired with our all-year-round core collection, these garments will become feature pieces in a wardrobe that people can style across seasons, in diverse ways for various occasions.
Heavy focus will be placed on customer engagement through our website and social media. This feedback will contribute to our ongoing design plans for following releases. We’re opening up to customers, offering not only ethical clothing, but an experience where you feel informed and involved. We want to be known as the company that shows you what is happening behind the scenes and the team that listens.
Similar to the experience that our in-store customers have when shopping in our production studio, we want our online crew to see the backstory of how your clothing is made and contribute to its creation. For this approach to shatter the status quo and redefine fashion as we know it, we need to hear your thoughts. The more reviews and comments we receive, the more we are able to design exactly what you are looking for in basics.
Email us, DM us, call us! We want to hear from you, we want to work with you!
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