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Melbourne’s Roopa Pemmaraju
The ethical fashion designer shares her life well-lived in Melbourne
Diaphanous candy pink gowns and a burnished orange midi dress somehow manage to fit right in next to structured velvet blazers, plaid wide-leg trousers and pleated asymmetrical skirts. It’s an unexpected marriage of styles, colours and fabrications, but for Roopa Pemmaraju, her postmodern, contemporary aesthetic just works.
The ethical fashion designer celebrates the power and strength of women in her latest readyto-wear autumn/winter 2019 collection, which looks to a mixed colour palette of pinks, blues and violets, floral and artistic prints, as well as handcrafted sequin embroideries and appliques.
Transcending every piece is Roopa’s commitment to its origin, with sustainability having been a core brand mission for the designer from the inception of her business. Roopa frequents her native India to source sustainable, natural silk and cotton from local artisans.
More than this, every collection aims to celebrate different cultures. Her most recent resort collection took inspiration from the people, colour, architecture and art of Nepal, visible in the use of contrasting patterns, colours and textures to tell a story of Everest proportions.
Roopa owes much of her success to this ethos; she made waves in the Australian fashion industry when her first collection launched in collaboration with aboriginal artists. “It was an eye-opener to understand the beautiful culture and meaning behind each artwork and the history of Australia,” Roopa says. “It was very organic, I have always worked with artisans and collaborating with aboriginal communities was an idea to continue my work and collaborations.”
Her hard work paid off, with David Jones stocking her entire first collection while her brand was still in its infancy.
That was seven years ago, but her ethos around working with fabric artisan remains. It’s a clap back to industrialisation, Roopa says, “where cheaper machine-produced goods replaced handmade products. While this may have been good for the merchants and businessmen engaged in this industrial practice, handicraft workers saw a near end to their trade.
“But thousands of machine-produced clothes with the same flawless design and print cannot be compared with the raw freshness, originality and effort put in by human hands. Buying handmade products not only offers a more personal touch to the product, but also contributes immeasurably to the artisan’s livelihood,” she says.
The epitome of the term ‘global citizen’, Roopa hails from India and borrows much of her design influence from saris, but her time in Australia and her travels to America are equally as influential on her design process.
Roopa spent 11 years in Melbourne, before relocating to New York to launch her brand to the US market. It’s a city she still holds dear to her heart. “I am very glad my brand is rooted in Melbourne, the most beautiful city in the world,” she says.
“I love Melbourne – it has shaped my brand in numerous ways. I have met so many talented artists, designers, seen amazing architectural landscapes and beautiful gardens in every corner of Melbourne,” Roopa says.
This melting pot of design, art and fashion is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Roopa’s love for the cultural capital of Australia. Roopa is strictly vegetarian, and enjoys experiencing the best of Melbourne’s everchanging culinary scene.
“Melbourne is awesome when it comes to restaurants and cafes – there are so many! I think being a tourist city it needs to cater to many different cultures and eating styles,” Roopa says. Discover the best of Melbourne’s gastronomic offerings according to Roopa below. Whether you’re in need of a spontaneous girls’ weekend, a romantic sojourn or a quick city break, getting to Melbourne is even easier with Virgin Australia. All Virgin Australia flights across the ditch include a hearty meal, drinks, 23kg of checked baggage and in-flight entertainment accessible on your own device. Fear of missing out? Stay connected to what’s happening on the ground with 15-minutes of complimentary in-flight WiFi available on selected aircraft. With Virgin Australia’s all-inclusive fare, there is no more stuffing a week’s worth of baggage into your carry-on, or racing to find a snack before heading to the gate. There’s really no excuse not to grab your nearest loved one and skip the country for sunnier shores this autumn.