JANUARY
I squeezed in a cheeky trip to QLD to visit Dad over the break and then Jan was allll about getting our Celeste photoshoot ticked off. We had our AW 22’ Celeste collection photoshoot in Daylesford (it was really really HOT). We photographed our Play and Kids + Baby range at The Station House and the main range at The Barn. Covid was still heavily looming and rapid antigens were pretty much impossible to find. It was a *miracle* we got through this shoot unscathed... because the rest of the team back at HQ were dropping like flies from the spicy cough. The office team continued to work from home for the next little while. Being separated from the warehouse team was not exactly the start to the year we envisioned… we were all missing being together!
FEBRUARY
We conquered our first apparel studio shoot - Jazz, Justin and Mim modelled our Celeste range to absolute perfection. We also welcomed Nadia our new Wholesale Account Manager + Emma, our new Textile Designer and Ally, our Customer Service Specialist… the team was growinggg! And we kinda went viral for our #BeyonceDropChallenge - watch it here if you you're up for a LOL.
MARCH
APRIL
Our unofficial work uniform was decided and man did we live in the new loungewear throughout the entirety of 2022. We celebrated Easter, ate oodles of hot cross buns at HQ across the month of April and showered you in seriously cute Easter content of my little ones and my niece Nelly. AND my twin sis AKA: Our Design Production Manager Jem, welcomed her baby boy Sully to the world… we were instantly smitten. It felt kinda' weird not having Jem at HQ and I was missing having her around.
MAY
Our team workshop in May - implementing our core values as a biz + reflecting on our inclusion and diversity training, will go down in history as one of my favourite days *ever*. We got really vulnerable, we laughed and we cried. This was such a turning point for our team and it really allowed us to get to know each other... to the core. We continued to work through our inclusion and diversity training as a team (one of the best decisions I’ve ever made for this business) and we were making some pretty incredible progress. That we'll continue to work on, forever. A special mention to Winitha Bonney, an Inclusion Expert, who worked with us across the year to implement our inclusion + diversity goals within all areas of the business. She is one special human and a wealth of knowledge.
JUNE
I enlisted the help of the ahhh-mazing One Day Pa team to get my life together! Hello extreme tidiness and goodbye clutter, I was feeling like a new woman. Between the One Day Pa revamp + all my Celeste goodies, my house was feeling FRESH! Read our journal interview with the Founder of One Day Pa here for all her best tips on organisation. I also spent a few blissful weeks with the fam in beautiful Singapore. We stayed at the same hotel for the entire time and I'm pretty sure they thought we'd moved in. Would highly recommend the Shangri-La for your next family vacay! And then back at home, the landscaping project with ID Landscaping was in full swing.
JULY
We were lucky enough to interview 8 First Nations creatives for NAIDOC week 2022 and their insight, stories and wisdom blew us away. I will cherish these conversations forever - read them all here. AND we spent nine days in Daylesford shooting our beautiful Fleur SS’ 22 collection (our biggest range ever) at the stunning Poet's Lodge. It was freeeeezing cold but boy did we make some magic there.
AUGUST
Lotsa milestones in August! We got to meet our General Manager Erin’s puppy Matilda, we also spent lots of time getting to know her Mum Wendy who was visiting from U.S.A. Wendy, if you're reading this, we ADORE you! Thanks for bringing so much joy to our office. And we had our Fête photoshoot at the MOST stunning location - Room + Board for two (very rainy) days in Daylesford. We also began packing for our big move to our new HQ. Eeeek. There was lotsss to do but we were making progress and getting super pumped for our new digs.
September
And on the 15th of September… we set Fleur FREE! And naturally took our team of superstars out to celebrate. How good is Mexican food? September was a MASSIVE month for the business and pretty damn hectic. Between a collection launch, warehouse sale and packing up our HQ for the big move? It was all hands on deck. On the 26th of September, we said our final goodbyes to 20 Corporate Blvd, Bayswater… and moved around the corner! It was the end of an era and the start of something new for Sage x Clare.
October
As the warehouse team got settled in their new home, the office team began working at a co-working space (where they will be working until Jan). By far the biggest milestone of October and the entire year for me, was welcoming my sweet baby girl Poppy Fleur. And just like that, we were a family of five! After a particularly gruelling pregnancy, I was ecstatic to finally have her in my arms. And equally grateful for the village of support around us during this time. Also, my interview with Australian Birth Stories was released, where I spoke very openly about my IVF journey - listen here. I was super chuffed to be featured as it's one of my all-time favourite podcasts. Oh, and we launched our holiday collection - Fête. Boy did you love this range and especially, those now famous advent calendars! The new resin range was a hit too.
November
Being long-time lovers of Fazeek, we were oh-so excited to bring you an exciting Insta giveaway with this wonderful brand last month! And after MONTHS of freezing cold weather, I was well and truly ready for summer. We also had a HA-UGE Black Friday Sale take place and y’all shopped up a storm. And lastly, Sage x Clare turned nine years old. Whatta' a milestone!
December
And that brings us to December! The warehouse team is busy, busy, busy getting out all your beautiful orders before the break and we’re still on a high from our fabulous Chrissie party at The Brunswick Mess Hall last week. It was such a gorgeous venue and even better company - shoutout to our Wholesale & Account Manger Nadia for organising this. I love this team, with my whole heart.
Catch ya later 2022! It’s been a pleasure. Thanks for all your love and support, we can't thank you enough.
With a whole lotta love xx
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