Meet Oroton, The Australian Brand That You (And Social Media) Will Fall In Love With

You might not have heard of Oroton but in Australia, it’s a household name that brings to mind a very particular handbag. ‘We’ve all grown up with Oroton,’ says Sophie Holt, the brand’s creative director, ‘It’s one of the oldest designer brands with a long and respected history. Everyone remembers the iconic shimmering mesh bags in silver and gold.’ Someone who owned such a bag was the designer’s grandmother, Dame Zara Holt, a fashion designer herself who, by all accounts, had a fabulous wardrobe and was a real arbiter of taste. ‘My grandmother has always been a great influence on me. A woman of great style, she had a high-end luxury boutique in the ‘60s called Magg, which housed beautiful dresses that she would pair with an Oroton metallic mesh bag,’ says Holt. Style clearly runs in this family (Pippa Holt, the editor-turned-designer who founded Pippa Holt Kaftans, is her sister).

Holt arrived last year, tasked with reviving a brand that was saved from voluntary administration in 2017 by a buyout worth millions. What she’s managed to do is respin its aesthetic into something that her customer - searching for wear-forever pieces that always have a point of difference - will gravitate towards, the kind of customer who shops at places like Catherine Quin, Rejina Pyo and TOVE.

The first thing you'll notice - besides the price, which hits that mid-market sweet spot - about the latest collection is the colour, a palette-cleansing scoop of soft pinks and peaches against marine greens and terracottas. Colour is something of an ‘obsession’ for Holt. ‘It’s my thing and is the starting point to every collection that we design for Oroton.’ Her creamy twist on lemon is particularly delicious on the cotton-linen blazer and the top-handle shoulder bag. ‘Lemon is the new neutral and matches back with everything in the collection,’ she says.

Famous for its leather goods, the handbags are something special. The styles sure to fly as soon as they hit social media are the Evelyn, a super sleek shoulder bag that has a folder’s slender silhouette, the Klara, which combines the best features of a bucket and a tote, and the Lilia, a cross-body pouch that comes with a cute drawstring closure.

And then it’s all about the cut of the clothes. Inspired by the idea of a vintage traveller, Holt has delivered utility shapes, soft suiting and sun-faded stripes on pieces that you could easily build a capsule wardrobe out of. ‘I think like so many during these strange times, we have been reflecting on special moments, and the nostalgia of holidays in the sun and what it means to go slow,’ she says.

As someone who’s based between two cities, Sydney, the home of Oroton HQ, and Melbourne, the pandemic has hit hard. ‘Picking colours, fabrics and leathers over Zoom is not ideal for a creative!’ This entire period has been an enormous challenge as initially all the brand’s bricks and mortar stores shut up shop, but luckily its website has been a saving grace as customers have retreated online. ‘It has been very challenging, but our online sales have been phenomenal. We are looking to reopen our final stores in Melbourne in a couple of weeks’ time so will be back to a Covid-19 new normal.’

For those seeking feel-good fashion - and something that makes you feel sun-filled even on the most miserable autumn day - Oroton is your new best friend.