Clothing the Gaps is celebrating and centring First Nations Cultures through fashion
“Mob is at the heart of everything we do,” says Laura Thompson, a proud Gunditjmara woman and co-founder and CEO of Clothing the Gaps, a Bank Australia customer. “We're always asking ourselves: How can we elevate Mob? How can we be better? How can we create social change? And I think these are questions that all businesses should ask themselves.”
We’re sitting in Clothing the Gaps HQ, home to the brand’s distribution centre and shopfront, in Brunswick on Wurundjeri Country. The store is full of all sorts of clothing and accessories; tees, pants and jumpers spanning a full spectrum of kids-to-adults sizing, jigsaw puzzles, socks, hats, badges, posters and more.
The one thing each item has in common? Its purpose: to uplift and centre First Nations voices, causes and Culture. Think, tees with the ‘always was, always will be’ message in the shape of the Aboriginal flag, totes that honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as the rightful custodians of Country, and downloadable decolonised colouring-in maps that show the richness and diversity of the many First Nations groups that make up this land. Along with the ‘Ally Friendly’ range, there is also a ‘Mob Only’ range that allows First Nations people to celebrate their culture and identity.
The Community label’s ultimate goal is to unite Indigenous and non-Indigneous people, inviting them to wear their values and spark conversations that lead to real and lasting outcomes. “Fashion can absolutely drive social and political change,” says Sarah. “Just look at the ‘Free the Flag’ campaign, which saw the Aboriginal flag released from copyright restrictions.”
Since launching back in 2019, the brand has exploded in popularity – and even Ed Sheeran can’t get enough. “The brand has taken off in a way we never could have imagined,” says Sarah. “The Ed Sheeran thing was massive, but we’re just as proud to spot people wearing our stuff on the streets.”
In line with their personal values, it was important for Laura and Sarah to create a business model that was as ethical as possible. “We’re a social enterprise and B corp,” Sarah says, “which means we balance profit and purpose to the benefit of people, Community and Country.” Clothing the Gaps is also a signatory to the Indigenous Art Code, which commits to fair and ethical trade with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, and transparency in the promotion and sale of artwork, and was the first known Aboriginal business to hold an Ethical Clothing Australia accreditation.
Through its work, Clothing The Gaps is ensuring that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices are heard throughout the country on a daily basis. From Australia’s city streets to its rural communities, catwalks to brightly-lit stages (hi Ed!), the organisation doesn’t need to seek permission for its messages to spread far and wide. “There’s no difference to me between a t-shirt and a billboard,” says Sarah. “Through clothing, we’re able to take messages into a huge range of places, and that can help to change the way those spaces look and feel for people.” With their powerful and growing platform behind them, Clothing the Gaps is inviting everyone to use their voices, start conversations and take action in service of a better and fairer future for First Nations people in this country. “Everyone can be part of celebrating Aboriginal culture,” Laura says. “We invite all people to support Blak businesses and Aboriginal communities.”
You can buy merch with a message from the Clothing The Gaps store.
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