Poppy Lissiman to launch kaftans this summer, marking return to clothing design after decade in accessories

Star WA-born fashion designer Poppy Lissiman has revealed she’s planning a return to designing clothes a decade after switching to accessories. In an interview with STM, Lissiman said her eponymous label, which has developed a huge fanbase for its distinctive bags and sunglasses that includes Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Kendall Jenner and Justin Beiber, would release a line of kaftans this summer. She was also planning her first pop-up store in WA for six years in Fremantle next weekend (Dec 6-8), which would include some unreleased styles. Ten years ago, Lissiman changed her label to focus solely on selling accessories online, explaining that the pivotal decision was a “no brainer” because of the lower overheads and the fact bags and sunglasses were one-size and trans-seasonal. She admitted she was reluctant to do a full apparel range again but believed kaftans, as free-fitting garments, still aligned with her ethos. “The kaftans are the first of their kind for us,” she said. ““I personally love and wear a lot of kaftans. This is an area I’ve been thinking about going into a lot since only doing accessories for the 10 years . . . “They’re very much in line with a lot of our other pieces — bold, colourful and a little bit left of centre.” Lissiman took part in an STM shoot while in Perth from her base in Sydney. She moved back to Australia in August after more than two years living in Tokyo with husband Harrison Kennedy, which she described as “the best years of my life”. The pair soaked up every ounce of Tokyo life, from sourcing vintage kimonos and the best natural wine bars, to discovering techno dive bars and the best gyoza in Shibuya. Japan’s rich cultural scene was a great source of inspiration. “A lot of designers go to Japan for research and development trips and I can see why. I would spend a lot of time looking for vintage design books, going to libraries to review archives of old fashion and design magazines,” she said. “(When) we got back to Sydney it’s been non-stop. I’m missing Japan quite a lot in that sense,” she said, adding that she’s already planning her next trip back. “I like my own company and going inside my own little world.” Read the full story in STM