Yes, Sir

Meet the Sydney-based label changing the way we shop. If you’re not already, it’s time to follow

- Genevra Leek

IT WAS A VINTAGE SCARF UNEARTHED IN A HIDDEN-AWAY STORE in the village of Bellagio on Lake Como last summer that sent creative sparks flying for designers Nikki Campbell and Sophie Coote. Fast-forward to Paris and Fashion Week earlier this year and the resulting floral print had worked its way into soft jumpsuits, ruffled dresses and mini-skirts making up the FW18 collection for their label SIR. Upon first inspection, the fashion director of Barneys was placing an order for five stores, and by the end of the week SIR had increased in sales by 127 per cent.

Such is the appeal of the four-year-old brand, which has gained a cult following through a savvy backdoor approach to the fashion industry. Without formal design training, twenty-something friends Campbell and Coote have built their business outside of traditional avenues. They met while studying, Campbell, a communications degree, and Coote, commerce and finance, and an idea for an aspirational, accessible brand they themselves would want to shop soon turned into a business plan. “I guess we were at that point in time, we were both 24 years old, and we had everything to gain and nothing to lose. So we just went for it,” says Coote.