OHARA

It was only a few short weeks ago when whilst strolling along Paddington my gf took me into this chic little pop up boutique called OHARA. Having heard about the brand from the fashion circuit and given that my gf knows one of the designers I was instantly attracted to the ambience that arose from the moment you walked into the store.
Amongst the modern setting of paintings, rows of lavish garments not to mention shoes, bags & accessories in colours that pop, I met sisters Kash and Clare O’Hara, the designers of their namesake brand. I particularly loved the large OHARA block letters present throughout the store, they stood out which is the perfect way to describe the labels designs.

OHARA was incepted in 2007 and has since captured the attention of the media and fashion industry alike. With a loyal clientele and celebrity following OHARA focuses on beautiful and modern silhouettes to create sexy looks without being provocative giving women style, confidence and class! Amongst their celebrity fan base are Dannii Minogue, Jackie O, Kate Ritchie, Kate Mac, Lizzy Lovette, US celeb Electra Avellan and singers Mya & Chloe Wang. Rest assured though, you dont have to be a celeb to wear the the brand. OHARA provides luxurious fabrics and quality craftsmanship at  affordable prices without compromising their quality.

In 2008 the duo first showcased at Rosemount Australia Fashion Festival and to say they left a mark is an understatement as the next year they were invited to show again. It was this time around where the industry started to really notice the OHARA brand.
The talented sisters were awarded winners of the 2011 Australian Wool Fashion Awards and runners up of the award in 2010; runners up in the Best Fashion Accessory Designer Award at the 2009 Fashion Palette; and a finalist in the 2010 Australian FTV online Designer Awards.
More recently, OHARA were selected as one of Australia’s best emerging talent to show their ‘Moonlight’ collection in New York as part of G’Day USA in January 2011.

With the duo's love of fashion emerging from a young age, the girls have fond childhood memories of sewing at grandma’s to styling each other and playing dress up with mums clothes then modelling them for the family. It wasnt until 2006 though, when the girls devoted some of their time to work as volunteers with Education for Life (EFL), Kenya, where they lived in Kariobangi, one of the slums in Nairobi, and were surrounded by extreme poverty and disease. They did all types of work in schools, orphanages, clothing sewing rooms and on the streets but at night they had a lot of free time on their hands so they used this time to start to work on ideas for their business and their fashion label. The time spent abroad made the girls realise how lucky they were to be brought up in Australia and it was here they decided to turn their dreams into a reality and start the OHARA brand along with helping their friends in Kenya and at Education for Life where OHARA donates 5% of profits each year.
So without further ado here is a short showcase of some of the garments OHARA has to offer. All the pieces made me feel so feminine and elegant, and the fabrics felt absolutely divine against my skin..

OHARA ‘Planet’ wool cape
OHARA Floppy Wool felt hat

Mackenzie Mode- ‘Alice in Wonderland’ dress in yellow dots print

OHARA 'Miss Monaco' Silk Dress in Electric Blue & White
OHARA ‘Beehive’ bracelet in navy stripe

OHARA 'Moonlight Reflection' Silk Dress in Black & White
Coco Liberace ‘Rich Bitch’ necklace.

Mackenzie Mode- ‘Stepford wife’ dress in Monarchs print

OHARA 'Visible Light' Silk top in White & Black
OHARA 'Lunar' Ponte Tights in Black & Silver
Mrs Rogers Leather & Snakeskin Heels in Aqua

OHARA 'Space' Ponte Dress' in White & Black
Naomi Levi ‘Graduated’ patent leather belt

OHARA 'Moon Craters' Silk Jacket in Black & White

Be sure to pop into the boutique in Oxford Street, Paddington where the girls are friendly and eager to help you or alternatively you can visit them online at http://www.oharadesigns.com/