Carnation Club is a welcoming space to learn, create, and build a deeper relationship with your clothes.

The space is run by Holly Simpson, a designer and teacher who believes it’s time to stop buying new things and start caring for what we already have. It’s no secret that the global fashion system has devastating impacts on our planet’s environments and inhabitants. Holly started Carnation Club to take action and experiment with new systems through stitches and skill sharing.

The shop has everything you need to care for your clothing: a beautiful collection of quality tools and notions, carefully selected for making and mending. There are stitching kits to build skills and style, helping us connect to our belongings on a deeper level. You’ll also find handmade wares from local designers and craftspeople.

Carnation Club hosts regular small workshops focused on sewing, mending, and building practical skills. These sessions encourage connection, creativity, and a more sustainable approach to clothing. Seasonal workshops with special guests add further inspiration and opportunities for learning.

From her studio at the back of the shop, Holly creates classic clothing and practical textile goods using reclaimed fabrics and traditional dressmaking techniques. Her work aims to honour the resources of pre-existing garments and materials, creating pieces that wear well, feel effortless, and last a long time.

It’s a lovely little shop, classroom, and studio rolled into one, in Castlemaine on Djaara Country. Come and visit when you can.