Isabella Charles (Brand)
| Isabella Charles | |
|---|---|
| |
| Established | 2020 |
| Years Active | 2020-present |
| Parent Company | Independent |
| Website | https://www.isabella-charles.com/ |
Isabella Charles (Brand) is a fashion brand founded in 2020 by Isabella Charles. Based in Brisbane, Australia, it is known for its monochromatic looks, and gothic overtones.
Background
The Isabella Charles brand is a dark and unconventional take on modern avant-garde fashion. The brand's mission is to produce handmade garments with a distinctive edge, utilising sustainable materials and practices in all facets of the design process.[1]
Being an Australian based brand on the opposite fashion calendar to most of the world, doing one collection per year allows the brand to focus on cross seasonal pieces that can appeal to both the Australian and international market.[1]
History
The first collection was made in 2020, with her graduation collection being released in 2021.
During the early 2020's, Charles moved abroad and worked in the industry for several other brands. She realised that within the current state of the industry, she'd rather pursue her own creative vision. After spending time working in Berlin circa 2022-2023, she relocated home to fulfil those visions. The brand's first commercial collection was released in January 2025.
The brand has worked artists such as the American experimental rock band, Xiu Xiu, for their Mono 53 performance, and Jae and Gus from Boy Harsher for their Dark Mofo performance.[1]
Isabella Charles collaborated with fellow Australian brand, Neuterlab, in September 2025 for a t-shirt with a kangaroo leather detail.[2]
Style
The brand produces small scaled batches of garments, which are all made to order, adhering to the brand's sustainability values. When a piece is purchased, measurements are requested, and patterns and the subsequent garments are made accordingly for the client. They primarily use deadstock fabrics, prioritising materials with distinctive character, and using majority natural fibres. A consistent favourite material that the brand works with is kangaroo leather. The brand is able to source from and support a local Australian supplier, who also has strong sustainable values, in which they are able to obtain the most interesting “flawed” skins, which give the leather garments a more distinctive quality, meaning each garment will be unique to each other.[1]
Themes
The brand focuses a lot on exploring and embracing the macabre and bizarre. Each collection extends the brand's vision, rather than pivoting, allowing it to dig into different concepts in a non linear manner, whilst simultaneously delving into similar ideologies.[1] The brand also embraces gothicism, and various religious aspects whilst drawing inspiration from the likes of nuns, and priests.[3]
Motifs
Elements of bodily distortion carry heavily throughout the collections. Embracing the raw materials and utilising aspects of this to create for instance, hems designed to fray with wear, and change uniquely with the wearer. Natural fibres and embracing the natural characteristics of them, such as scarred leather.[1]
Notable Products
The Anointed Cap and Vindicated Cap, inspired by nun headwear, have been popular pieces, as have the various leather and hair accessories, and garments, such as the Temptress Halter and Rattenkönig Earrings.
Charles herself chose to highlight these pieces, as they are not the most “wearable” garments, but they exemplify the brand identity and allow the wearer to introduce aspects of the avant-garde into their own style.[1]
Collections
Charles has designed and created five collections to date. Two of Charles' collections have been inspired by Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy (Inferno&Purgatorio), with a third collection based on the book (Paradiso) is planned.[3]
| Title | Season | Date | Location | Looks | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOLITUDE | 2020 | Australia | 9 | ||
| INFERNO | 2021 | Australia | 6 | Graduate collection. The first collection inspired by The Divine Comedy. | |
| EPHEMERAL | 2022 | Brisbane Fashion Week | Australia | 10 | |
| REFORMATION | 2024 | Australia | 22 | ||
| PURGATORIO | 2025 | Australia | 24 | The second collection inspired by The Divine Comedy. |
Creative Directors
| Name | Tenure |
|---|---|
| Isabella Charles | 2020-present |
| Add creative directors and their tenure here. |
CEOs
| Name | Tenure |
|---|---|
| Isabella Charles | 2020-present |
| Add CEOs and their tenure here. |