MEET PRINCIPALE SOCIETY

Join us as we interview business owners, designers and life-long friends, Abbey Prendergast and Madison Brown, about their clothing brand, PRINCIPALE SOCIETY.

PRINCIPALE SOCIETY

Not many brands can say they’re selling what Principale Society is. The start-up clothing brand located in the western suburbs of Melbourne is offering its closely knit clientele a way of life. Life-long friends turned business partners, Principale Society’s two designers, Madison Brown and Abbey Prendergast don’t necessarily possess the same personal aesthetic (the neutral, simple styling of Brown and the bolder, more colourful looks of Prendergast). However, it is clear they find a stunning middle ground evident in their work.

Principale Society is more than a job for Prendergast and Brown, they want their clothes to be the reason people find a way to be comfortable in their own skin. Prendergast and Brown remember sitting together in a park and lusting over a life lived in Italy, filled with happiness and “main-character” energy. They wondered how they could bring this to fruition, and how they could share this euphoria with the wider community.

“Is Principale Society a way of life, and are the clothes that you sell merchandise to this life style?”

Both designers agreed, sharing that being a brand that sells more than clothes is what makes Principale Society stand out from other local brands. It is hard to keep positive in the ever present Australian lockdown, and many new brands are emerging as people find ways to utilise their spare time. Staying relevant is a challenge for any brand but Principale Society believes that it is its connection with their clientele that makes them different.

“Any brand can sell basics”

But Principale Society is selling a philosophy.

Due to Principale Society’s ‘principals’ of life, the designers want to steer clear of single-wear items that have no meaning, and by using this to inspire their work, create timeless pieces that can be worn throughout people's lives. Prendergast and Brown saw a gap in the market for colourful comfort wear and jumpers, and with lockdown causing such a dip in mental health they wanted the clothes to tell a story. Both designers understand the global pressures of fast fashion and the negative repercussions this has on the environment. Prendergast remembers that at the time of Principale Society’s inception, she was fretting over her carbon footprint and was worried about the impact that starting a brand would have on the environment. So with this in mind, Prendergast and Brown ensured every item sold by Principale Society used materials sourced in Australia and supported local businesses in their embroidery. As they grow, they are always looking for more ways to reduce their carbon footprint and remain sustainable, even when already using environmentally friendly packaging and compostible sticky-tape and postage bags.

It wasn’t just the clients who went on a journey of self discovery through Principale Society. Both designers have said they learnt a lot about themselves and their friendship along the way. They find so much joy in working together, but they cannot deny a few disagreements were par for the course in getting the brand to where it is today.

As for the future, Principale Society is entering a new stage of life and with it, a new collection. Both Brown and Prendergast wouldn’t disclose what exactly we can expect from their next drop (or when), however they did let slip that their Summer Line will feature classic wardrobe essentials… with a unique twist.

Principale Society has begun a kindness scheme to bring some more love and appreciation into peoples lives. Go through the link below to view KINDNESS IS GOOD BUSINESS.

View PRINCIPALE SOCIETY

Editor-in-Chief Ethan Azzopardi