Louise Markey started her eponymous label in 2008 after completing a master\u2019s degree at the prestigious Central Saint Martins in London. It remained a side project for years while Markey worked as a designer for other brands, including Burberry. But when she was made redundant (\u201cand found out I was pregnant on the same day\u201d), the project moved into another gear. <\/p>\n
Now, nearly two decades later, the Australian-born, London-based designer is opening her first international store in Sydney<\/a>, where she grew up. \u201cIt feels like a homecoming,\u201d Markey says. \u201cWe have a small but loyal cohort of customers [here], but growing the label in Australia feels like the early days of growing LF Markey in east London.\u201d<\/p>\n Opening on King Street in Newtown, in what Markey hopes should be two months, the store will feature the label\u2019s collection of workwear-inspired clothing designed for busy, creative women. <\/p>\n Dressed in baggy grey jeans and a well-worn T-shirt, Markey shows us into her London studio at Netil House, right by London Fields in Hackney. \u201cWe\u2019ve just made the finishing touches for [this year\u2019s collection],\u201d she says, flicking through a rail of pieces: bright cobalt trousers, a tailored trench coat, a heavy cotton T-shirt with thick white and green stripes.<\/p>\n Drawing inspiration from the likes of Bauhaus, Helen Frankenthaler and nature, Markey now does most of the design work at her home studio in Stroud, where she moved after 20 years in east London. \u201cI\u2019m on a bit of an \u201980s tip at the moment,\u201d she says, gesturing to the shoulders on a shirt. <\/p>\n Focusing on bold prints, big colour and function, LF Markey as we know it was born. Something about the vision resonated with Londoners and, by homing in on core styles \u2013 like the Danny boilersuit<\/a>, chore coat and various wide-legged trouser silhouettes \u2013 Markey cemented the brand\u2019s success. <\/p>\n \u201cThese are pieces designed to be worn every day \u2013 a staple part of somebody\u2019s wardrobe that they\u2019ll pull out without thinking,\u201d she says. \u201cIt speaks to the way I dress personally. I wear things until they\u2019re dead and I have to repair them. I\u2019d like to get to a point where clothes can just be fully composted.\u201d <\/p>\n In that same ethos, LF Markey clothes are seasonless, use non-toxic dyes and are free from synthetic fibres. They also have a weight and durability that feeds into the timeless aesthetic, using cotton drill and canvas fabrics, and feature workwear-style details like double stitching and cotton webbing. <\/p>\n In 2019 Markey opened her store on Dalston Lane in east London. \u201cThat was a major turning point for us \u2013 we were able to show people our world,\u201d she says. That same year, Markey launched sister brand Meadows. In contrast to the utility and colour blocks of her namesake line, it was all florals, embroidery and prairie-style blouses. \u201cThat\u2019s how I was dressing at the time: ultra femme. I was into Victoriana, folklore and paganism,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t want to dilute the DNA of this brand in any way, and things grew super quickly. But it also meant growing the team massively, and it was just too much for me in the end: four kids and two labels.\u201d <\/p>\n She wound down Meadows in September 2024 and refocused on LF Markey. Up next, menswear will also be reintroduced due to popular demand. And then there\u2019s the business back home.<\/p>\n LF Markey is set to open at 569 King Street, Newtown, this winter.<\/p>\n This article was first published in Broadsheet London<\/a> and has been updated for the Australian audience.<\/p>\n