Our Field Guide

Our field guide. For the responsible hearts. A resource we hope can be a source of inspiration and information. In starting Flaura we dreamt of creating a business that was more heart than head. We are not driven by trends, we are driven by the pursuit of an innate style that defies age and time.

Once a month we want to share with you our journey, our lessons, our adventures, our style and anything else we can dream up. Being a slow fashion business, we take a little longer to do things the right way and our hope is that you enjoy following along with our story and maybe learn a bit about yourself along the way.

Early mornings in the studio are our favourite. Light creeping through the windows, birds chirping and the space calm and cool. As Chapter One arrives, we are excited to share these moments of inspiration, style and beauty.

love,

flaura x.

How flaura was found

For almost her entire life, founder Laura Davis has found flow behind a sewing machine, expressing herself through unique style and being in nature. She has memories of some of the very first things she made at a young age. Ever since she was a little girl she would rework jeans that were too big and turn them into handbags. She would use scraps of fabric that she found in the sewing cupboard to make patchwork skirts and be delighted that this item of clothing was created by her own hands. She had taken something that didnt have much life or purpose and utilised it to make a functioning (questionably stylish) outfit. Over the years her style would change. Constantly op-shopping and refreshing her wardrobe with vintage pieces she loved colour and print but was also drawn to a classic piece that showed no sign of growing out of style.

At 17, Laura left her home on the Gold Coast to move to Sydney to study Fashion Design. It was really the only path that felt true for her at that time. Moving to the big city felt exciting, new and inspiring. At the time, she thought she would never make it back to sunny Queensland. She thought that she would become this city girl working for some designer and her life would grow from there. How wrong she was. Even though she excelled in her degree and mastered her craft to the best of her ability, there was something that did not flow whilst living in Sydney. Laura had grown up surrounded by nature; growing up on a leafy property in the hinterland meant that her connection to the environment around her was very strong. After completing her degree she moved back home worn out, uninspired and disconnected.

The dreams she once thought were true for her, were never her dreams to fulfil. She reflected on her childhood. Playing in the gardens, picking flowers, collecting stones and seashells. Life is simple when we move at the pace of nature. When we watch how the leaves change and the way a flower blooms it makes all of the problems that we seem so intent on just fall away. After moving back to the Gold Coast, Laura went on to work for popular Queensland retailers. Learning about the industry first hand was something she felt she needed to understand manufacturing on a larger scale. After a few years in the fast fashion industry she was heart broken. Devastated by the impact that the clothing industry is having on the planet and the people who call it their home. Being exposed to only a few small businesses on the coast of Australia she could imagine the impact on a worldwide scale.

No brand or business out there is 100% perfect. They are all rather imperfect actually, but imperfect actions toward building a positive future fashion industry is better than no action at all. After her experience in the fast fashion industry Laura was diminished physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. She could no longer contribute and be part of an industry that she did not align with. So she left to go find herself again.

She now had all the time in the world to heal, to care for herself and connect with nature again. This was the first opportunity since she had moved to Sydney six years prior to actually stop and reconnect. This was her moment to find her flow again and to heal. She had not realised how far from the path she had wandered and it saddened her to think she had become so lost. She decided to do a yoga teacher training which became a space for healing, learning and clarity to arrive. At this point she was simply searching for her truth. She had spent the last six years trying to find her way, to find the business, the job, the career, the location that inspired her, that made her feel like she was contributing to something important. She learnt to love herself again and to find flow. She learnt that when we are open and receptive and relaxed our life unfolds for us. With resistance we struggle.

This concept of flow brought her back to her childhood. Sewing on her machine for hours until she was called upstair for dinner. Rearranging her bedroom and wardrobe to rediscover her style over and over again. There is something effortless about children and the way they see life. They do not doubt themselves or criticise. They just flow.

She dreamt about a business of her own that would give her the space to express what she has to offer the world. The concepts she believes in and the practices and products that bring more flow to life. For years she has dreamt of building a brand that would inspire others to minimise their wardrobe and change the way people consume fashion. She dreamt of a clothing range that was like a uniform. Effortless style, effortless wear and maximum comfort. She started to pay attention to her favourite pieces in her wardrobe. What she would gravitate towards wearing. What was it made from, how did it make her feel. Noticing the pieces that helped her to feel connected to nature and the garments that helped her find her flow.

Clothing over centuries has changed dramatically but it has only been in recent years that the rate at which we consume and the quality of our clothing have increased and decreased respectively. We used to have garments that were worn time and time again, were mended when they tore and adjusted when they no longer fit well. We didn't buy new clothes every week or throw items away after wearing them once. We have become wasteful and focus too much on fleeting trends that only cause the planet and respectively ourselves a great deal of harm.

This is why Flaura was founded. It has been dreamt about for years. Waiting for the right time to come into existence. Flaura is a collection of pieces designed and made to last for years to come. We design clothing that is intergenerational. Fashion is not meant to be challenging - our clothing should make us feel good. Clothing should be effortless so we have more time to live our lives and find flow in the everyday. We are happier, more open and brighter when we feel good about our appearance, when we are comfortable and when we feel connected to the rhythms of nature. It is in our nature. To flow and flourish. Our clothing simply allows the truth of who we are to be seen.

Heal me if I break, find me if you lose me, pass me on if you get sick of me, but most importantly care for me & love me. In return we promise to love you back.