How Mela Purdie Became an Australian Fashion Favourite
Mela Purdie is an iconic Australian women’s fashion brand synonymous with effortless elegance and elevated everyday looks you can dress up or down with ease. Designer Mela Purdie started her self-named label in 2001 on a mission to make dressing easier, helping women build a versatile wardrobe that works for every season. Join us as we explore the brand identity, fabric choices, styling options, and individual pieces that make Mela Purdie an Australian fashion favourite.
Mela Purdie: Brand Overview
People love Mela Purdie in Australia and beyond because of its authentic, understated identity, offering wearable basics and statement pieces that don’t go out of style in just one season. Here are some of the foundational values behind the beloved brand:
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Wearability. While many designer fashion labels create clothing that stands out for its outlandish style and eye-catching colours, Mela Purdie takes an elegantly understated approach. The brand produces small-batch collections of high-quality clothes designed for everyday use without wearing out. Their pieces are comfortable and well-made - perfect wardrobe staples and go-to outfits on busy mornings.
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Australian-made. Mela Purdie is a proudly Australian-owned and run business, and they strive to source local labour and raw materials wherever possible. The Sydney-based brand prioritises ethical sourcing and manufacturing, supporting local industry and empowering independent retailers across the city. Supporting Mela Purdie helps grow local economies and distribute high-quality Australian products across the nation and the world.
- Simple luxury. Since its inception in 2001, Mela Purdie has consistently delivered premium clothing with a luxury look and feel to the Australian market. Today, you can find Mela Purdie in many online shopping portals with outstanding customer reviews for its consistent quality, sizing, and style. The brand uses high-quality fabric, zips, and buttons with excellent stitching that polishes even the most basic wardrobe essentials.
- Contemporary designs. Mela Purdie is a label for the modern woman, with clothes fit for busy lifestyles you can style for work and play for seamless all-day wear. Their contemporary designs prioritise versatility and flexibility - helping you build a capsule wardrobe that is always in style. The brand regularly refreshes its collection with new pieces that grow with you as your fashion needs evolve.
- Mindful fabric choices. Your outfit is only as good as its fabric, of which Mela Purdie uses only the best. Their smooth and breathable fabrics feel soft to the touch with the perfect drape for an effortless, lived-in look. Mela Purdie uses innovative materials and fabric blends that give them a competitive edge over many other fashion brands, helping them create long-lasting, durable, and comfortable clothing.
Mela Purdie’s Supreme Fabric Choices
Mela Purdie uses many innovative fabric blends that are often exclusive to the brand, combining high-end with high-performance fashion. Here are four textiles featured in their latest collection and how they can elevate a garment’s appearance and functionality:
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Microprene. This lightweight cotton blend is exclusive to Mela Purdie, comprised of 61% cotton, 35% polyamide, and 4% elastane. The fabric has high stretch for comfort and long-wearability, and is a popular material for relaxed-fit Mela Purdie cargo pants. Microprene is a French cotton blend that feels luxurious without extensive care requirements, and it’s perfect for wash-and-wear wardrobe favourites.
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Matte Jersey. Another Mela Purdie exclusive, Matte Jersey is a cosy knitted fabric of 92% viscose and 8% spandex. The spandex gives it stretch and elegant drape, perfect for slouchy but chic sweaters and winter blouses with soft silhouettes. The fabric is Australian-made, machine washable, and built to last - perfect for creating a timeless capsule wardrobe. Mela Purdie combines Matte Jersey and Microprene in their famous fondant dresses.
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Pongee. This dense Italian double-knit fabric blend is 97% polyamide and 3% elastane and has a structured feel with just enough stretch for comfortable wear. Mela Purdie often uses this rich textile to create delicate overcoats and jackets with dramatic silhouettes. Pongee feels elegant and luxurious and makes a durable, forever-favourite addition to your winter wardrobe.
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Mache. The brand achieves its iconic relaxed look and feel with this slouchy technical polyester - a super soft and tactile Japanese fabric with a large weave and luxurious drape. Mache is a fan favourite among travellers as it dries quickly and requires no ironing for the perfect off-duty look. Many Mela Purdie shirts and cosy capri pants feature this luxe, feminine fabric.
How To Style Mela Purdie Clothing for Every Occasion
Mela Purdie is passionate about designing clothes that don’t wear you - they’re timeless, classic, elegant, and easy to incorporate into your existing rotation. Here are some ways to wear Mela Purdie’s pieces to elevate any look in every season of your life.
- Corporate chic. It’s easy to transition from a day at the office to dinner with friends with Mela Purdie’s chic and comfortable blouses and blazers. Their loose ruffled shirts work well tucked into pencil skirts for gorgeous workplace outfits. We love pairing their tailored double-breasted blazer with a printed silk scarf and tapered slacks you can swap out for skinny jeans on casual Friday.
- Weekend brunch dates. Every stylish woman needs a Mela Purdie dress to throw on for last-minute weekend plans alongside ballerina flats or sparkly sandals. The Mela Purdie collection is perfect for a romantic summer holiday at the beach or a classy luncheon with friends. Try their relaxed boat neck tee with your favourite pair of jeans for a classy but comfortable weekend look.
- Casual comfort. Mela Purdie is all about super-soft basics and slouchy cuts that feel extra cosy on a rainy day at home. Their compact track pants are perfect for cuddling up on the couch with a luxe knitted fabric that you’ll never want to take off. Pair them with a tank top and runners for a sporty twist, or add a denim jacket for a casually cool grabbing-groceries outfit.
- Out on the town. Spice up your girls’ night with Mela Purdie’s animal print collection that looks playful yet chic under a black blazer or coat, paired with heels and a designer handbag. The brand may be known for cosy basics and everyday looks, but their soft and comfortable blouses go a long way when paired with gold jewellery and chic up-dos.
- Effortless winter layering. As an Australian-owned fashion label, Mela Purdie understands the nuances of outfit layering for balmy winters and cold snaps in the summer. Their subtle lingerie tanks help keep the heat in under a loose blouse, while their elegant mid-length coats drape effortlessly over a lightweight jumper.
Our Favourite Pieces From Mela’s Collection
We are trusted Mela Purdie online stockists with a range of best-selling pieces available across Australia and New Zealand. The brand offers various staple pieces suited for every season - here are some of our favourites from the iconic fashion label:
- Mela Purdie pants. The fashion label makes comfortable, durable pants for everyday wear, including the stretchy, straight-leg Stride range that looks classy with a coat or cosy with a sweater. We also stock their casual compact track pants and super soft Nomad range - perfect for relaxing at home or packing in a suitcase. Mela Purdie’s slim-leg pants look chic under an oversized cardigan or printed summer blouse.
- Mela Purdie tops. We stock over 20 iconic styles from Mela Purdie’s classic collection, including floral, striped, and animal print blouses, tanks, slouchy long-sleeves, polos, and Harvard pocket shirts. All Mela Purdie’s tops are comfortable and loose-fitting, soft, stretchy, and made to last for years of easy elegance.
- Mela Purdie dresses. Mela Purdie is the queen of the long-sleeved maxi dresses, with relaxed silhouettes and soft, flowing fabrics that flatter any body shape. Our dress collection includes the iconic fondant dress with dropped shoulders and breezy fabric layering. We also stock the sophisticated souffle dress in crisp Harvard stripes and the comfortable classics Tri and Carafe.
- Mela Purdie Jackets. Choose from five styles suited for casual and dressy looks in our collection of black and neutral jackets and overcoats. Our Mela Purdie outerwear range includes a lightweight waterproof trench coat, double-breasted blazer, casual maxi-coat, super-soft wool cardigan, and statement Cape jacket.
Find a Mela Purdie Stockist Near You
We ship Mela Purdie from our Melbourne boutique anywhere in Australia and New Zealand, and our friendly fashion assistants would love to help you choose the best piece for your wardrobe. Browse our gallery to buy Mela Purdie online or contact us for more information.
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68 products
