Radical Yes x Collective Closets Collaboration

Radical Yes x Collective Closets Collaboration

We’re all about the value of the sisterhood. As women-led businesses with women-led principles, we understand that empowerment is only possible if we choose to lift each other up. This collaboration embodies exactly that – a collective consciousness and authentic sisterhood, built on our values and our terms.

Melbourne (Naarm) - based brands Radical Yes, founded by Kerryn Moscicki and Collective Closets; founded by sister duo Fatuma and Laurinda Ndenzako, have come together to bring you a collaboration of our two worlds. As women, we’re mobile, active and conscious. We’re small business owners, mothers and active members of our communities, working to bring awareness to topics like sustainability, diversity and female empowerment.

Together, we’ve made your new everyday essential – designed in space, made on earth. A trusty over-the-shoulder-and-go bag in the signature Radical Yes design, with a little Collective Closets flair. This fabric comes from Ruiru, a community just north of Kenya’s capital that has been carefully weaving the shuka cloth since 1979. Adorning the shoulders of the Masai tribe for generations, the vibrant colours signify bravery, strength and unity.

Kerryn created the Radical Yes brand for people who live their lives consciously – for the bag is a reimagining of the well-loved North Star Clutch style – dreamed up in an ongoing exploration of unique, limited edition handbags. As always, we’ve created these bags with intention. It’s made for a full life, crafted for you by a sisterhood formed on social values, ethical principles and mutual empowerment. We hope you love it as much as we do.

- Laurinda & Fatuma Ndenzako. Collective Closets.

We spoke to Laurinda from Collective Closets about the collaboration, the story behind their unique fabrics and more. Watch the video here...

Collective Closets x Radical Yes Q+ A

This is Collective Closets’ second collaboration with Radical Yes. What inspired you to do another Radical Yes x Collective Closets collab?

It was such a no brainer and if anything so long overdue since our last collab back in 2016! The inspiration for us to link our brands together again really stems from a mutual respect for one another, from not just the perspective of the synergy between our brands but also our own core values as women led businesses.

We’ve grown so much as a brand and business women that the timing just felt right to collaborate once again. We were super proud of our last collaboration with Radical Yes- with the evolution of who we are now as a brand it was really exciting to talk about a collaboration, in terms of seeing the growth of where we both are all these years on, the community both brands have built and the excitement of fusing our creative worlds together.

We’re really blessed that both our worlds collided all those years ago. This collaboration is truly the definition of togetherness, foreverness means nothing less than happiness.

The collection is called ‘Togetherness, Foreverness’. What does the name mean? What does it mean to you?

We’re all about the value of the sisterhood. As women-led businesses with women-led principles, we understand that empowerment is only possible if we choose to lift each other up. This collaboration embodies exactly that – a collective consciousness and authentic sisterhood, built on our values and our terms.

This collaboration is a celebration of the power and strength that comes with being unified as women. Surrounding ourselves with strong women, supporting small businesses run by your fellow sisters.

What has been the biggest thing you’ve learnt owning a small business, particularly over the last year?

There have been so many valuable lessons that we’ve learnt over the last year! Despite it being such a roller coaster of a year we feel like we’re slowly settling into this new normal. The current pandemic has really forced us to pivot (more than ever before) and learn how to take everyday as it comes!

From staff restructures, closing our doors to our shop on and off over the last year, production halts, logistical nightmares, revising how we connect with our customers predominantly on-line and continuing to forge and maintain a genuine connection with our community was sometimes tough.

Big lessons that are a continued work in progress.

What size Radical Yes x Collective Closets North Star is your fave - the mini or the clutch?

Fatuma: I’m leaning towards the North Star Mini- but such a hard decision to make! This is definitely going to be my go to bag for nights out, when I don’t need to carry everything with me! The perfect carry all for dinner dates with hubby and night outs with the girls.

Laurinda: I’m leaning a little more towards the North Start clutch, “Go BIG or go home” ey! I tend to want to carry my entire life around so this is the perfect sized carry all! The best thing is that they are deceivingly really roomy- As well as running a small business I’m also a mum on the go- my days go from needing to carry diapers and pacifiers to fabric samples.

Credits: Photos by Michaela Barca. Model Jasmin Amma at Chadwick Models. Make Up by Annie Rose. All garments Collective Closets. Shoes from Radical Yes. Interview by Emma Rumble for Radical Yes.