If you’ve ever strolled through the Bank Arcade, then you’d be hard pressed to miss Keshet Design.
“Keshet means rainbow in Hebrew. I am a huge believer in colour and how wearing colour can make you feel.”
Melodie is the designer and creative force behind Keshet, a Tasmanian based fashion label.
“When I think rainbow, I think of inclusivity and diversity which are the two main foundation blocks from which Keshet was built.”
A vibrant space filled with light, Keshet’s Bank Arcade boutique is as colourful as it is inviting. Filled with bold prints, warm knits and funky accessories, the boutique is an explosion of colour and fun.
We sat down with Melodie, to hear more about the origins of the label which has become renowned for their distinctive and ground-breaking prints.
“I was a hairdresser prior to coming into fashion, here in Hobart. I would travel for long stints at a time, and I found myself travelling through India, where I fell in love with all the beautiful colours of the vintage saris.
“I began sourcing my own clothes and working with a tailor in India who would stitch for me. I have always been a colourful person and a sewer myself, but I couldn’t find anything in a Size 16 at the time that wasn’t black and white sacks.
“And I thought, ‘this isn’t cool!’ So, I started making my own stuff with a focus on comfortable and fashionable pieces to suit a wide-range of body types. We currently stock products that range from Size 8 to Size 24.”
Melodie first started selling her pieces at the Salamanca Market – a true market success story!
“In 2004 I sold out at my first Salamanca market. The response was just wild. And things just continued to grow from there…”
On her return from India in 2011, she spotted a vacant store in the Bank Arcade.
“The Bank Arcade was where I wanted to be – it’s so eclectic and full of creatives – it just has such a nice vibe.”
Keshet continues to go from strength to strength. With the growth of their online store, Keshet moved their Design Headquarters from the Hobart CBD out to Huntingfield. Here, a team of in-house creatives work closely with Melodie to design each season’s range of exclusive and unique prints. This is also where the dispatch team package and send out Keshet pieces to customers all around the world.
Melodie continues to travel regularly to India to source her own fabric and raw materials and also to work and connect with the local manufacturers. Keshet supports people both locally and globally, choosing to ethically manufacture Keshet pieces overseas in India, Thailand and Indonesia.
There is no wastage at Keshet, with fabric offcuts used to create accessories such as face masks, patchwork garments, hats, scarves and scrunchies.
So, what’s next for Keshet? “I want to continue to grow and expand our products, but I also just want to bring love and life to the world. I want to spread the love through something that to some might just seem like a material thing – but clothes can change the way you feel – and, in my case, they changed my life!”
You can find Keshet in Hobart’s Bank Arcade, at the Salamanca Market each Saturday or shop through their online store.
