MOTHER'S DAY RB SELLARS X IRIS & WOOL
EMILY RIGGS
Founder of Iris & Wool
This Mother’s Day, we’re celebrating the inspirational mums and mother figures in our lives.
Emily Riggs the founder and creative director of Iris & Wool believes everyone has their own story and their own sliding door moments. For her, it was receiving the life-changing news at age 10 that she had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma – at the very same time her mother was also fighting breast cancer. Her mum died a year later at the age of 43. She turned to fashion as a creative outlet – a way of dealing with her grief and loss of confidence at losing her hair from the treatment she was undergoing.
She founded Iris & Wool in 2019, named in honour of her mother’s favourite flower, with a percentage of every sale donated to the McGrath Foundation to provide ongoing support to people experiencing breast cancer. As a working mother of two children, Sam 4 and Lucy 19 months, her inspiration comes from living on her farm in Burra, South Australia.
“I look out my kitchen window to beautiful paddocks with sheep and lambs grazing along with my two horses; nature is a huge inspiration. Seeing my kids happy growing up on the farm allows me freedom to think beyond the mould for Iris & Wool.”
When establishing her brand, Emily was adamant she wanted to support wool farmers – her husband in particular, as a way of showcasing the fabulous qualities of the Australian Merino wool he produces.
“We’ve recently achieved the coveted and internationally-recognised Woolmark accreditation which is a huge highlight for our brand,” she says.
She goes on to explain that Iris & Wool is a lifestyle brand, passionately showcasing the journey from farm to fashion.
“It’s built on my foundational values of resilience, integrity and community, with a vision to be part of the global slow fashion movement, leading the future of sustainable fashion and putting Australian wool on the map.”
Having always believed in investing in quality pieces of clothing that are well made and have a low impact on the environment, Merino Wool was a perfect choice for Emily.
“Wool really is nature’s superpower” she says “As a natural fibre it’s biodegradeable and renewable, soft, breathable and thermoregulating; it’s the best fibre in the world.”
Of her collaboration with RB Sellars, Emily believes you need to share the same beliefs and values.
“It has been a dream to work alongside iconic RB Sellars during my third year of business,” she says. “It reassured me I am on the right track with what Iris & Wool offer and what we stand for.”
