Skin and Threads

The first lesson of Luxury and Lifestyle 101? Anything you can do, French women can do better.

And sure, Europeans might be genetically programmed to be incapable of losing a set of keys or getting food stuck in their teeth. But they don’t hold the sole rights to casual elegance.

Quite the opposite, if Skin and Threads have anything to say about it. The Melbourne brand has just opened its first store in Sydney, bringing their ethical, luxurious ethos to a warm slice of The Strand Arcade.

Forget je ne sais quoi, for starters. Designers Penelope Cohen and Emma Gathercole are pretty open about what goes into their garments. 100% natural fabrics like fine merino knits and organic cotton, transformed into refreshingly wearable staples.

They’re pretty much the dream employees of your wardrobe – each works magnificently on its own, but also increases the effectiveness of what you already own.

Neither ‘ethical fashion’ nor ‘foundation garments’ have ever sounded so chic.