Sometimes life has a way of surprising you in the most unexpected, even extraordinary, ways. For Lynda Gardener, JayJay, and the team at Importante Australia, that surprise came the day after what was meant to be their new campaign shoot. Every piece of the carefully curated collection – months of work, crafts(wo)manship, and painstaking detail and artisanal slow fashion was gone. Stolen overnight.
Melbourne, September 2025, and the city felt just a little heavier that day. Every texture, fold, and fibre they had chosen with care had disappeared. At first, there was shock, disbelief, and a profound sense of loss. But sometimes, it’s in those moments of sudden upheaval that the most human stories begin to unfold.
Threads, the collaboration born from a shared belief that fashion can carry feeling, was never just about garments. It was about connection, the hand behind the stitch, and the love and tradition imbued in every seam. The project brought together six European artisan labels, each with its own story. Sanctamuerte’s contemporary Italian tailoring. La Bottega di Brunella’s Positano linens. Inkolives’ supple southern Italian leather. Pesci Che Volano’s sculptural bronze and silver. Len & Spolka’s soft plant-dyed Polish linens. And Stapf’s heritage Austrian wool. Every piece told a story of craftsmanship, sustainability, and time-honoured tradition.
When the collection vanished, it felt like a story itself had been stolen. Nevertheless, it was that very loss that became the spark for something new.
Giuliana Vitiello, founder of Importante Australia, recalls that after sharing the news on Instagram, the response was overwhelming. Messages poured in from clients, friends, and a wider community of fashion lovers who understood that Threads had always been about people. Not just clothing. Words of kindness, encouragement, and unwavering support reminded them that creativity, friendship, and community are resilient forces.
As a result of the outpouring of care, the team was inspired to begin again. Not to replicate what they had lost, but to reclaim their story. And so, soon after, “A Walk in Melbourne” (main feature image) was born: a second campaign shoot that captured the city’s laneways, cafes, and quiet corners with fresh energy, playfulness, and gratitude.
Threads was always about more than matching clothes. It was about how pieces breathe together, how textures layer, and how instinct and intuition create something effortless yet intentional. Stylist Lynda Gardener and creative JayJay embraced the freedom to play – mixing linen with leather, wool with bronze, simplicity with instinct – to show how slow-fashion European labels can form a collection that feels lived-in, real, and deeply personal.
“You can feel the hands that made it – the hours, the love, the tradition. That energy lives in the piece,” JayJay reflects. It’s a sentiment that runs through every seam and fibre of Threads. Now made even more poignant by the journey it took to come to life.
What began as loss transformed into a celebration of friendship, resilience, and creativity. It was a reminder that the real beauty of fashion lies not just in what we wear, but in the people who show up for each other. “It was never just about clothes – it’s about people showing up for each other. That’s the real beauty,” JayJay says. And indeed, it was the people – the community, the artisans, the collaborators – that became the lifeblood of Threads.
The second shoot unfolded with spontaneity and freedom. Lynda Gardener notes, “When things don’t go as planned, that’s when creativity really starts. This shoot had that kind of freedom – spontaneous, real, and full of energy.” Giuliana adds that every step of the process reaffirmed her belief that fashion can be a medium of connection, a way to weave stories of resilience, renewal, and friendship into something tangible and beautiful.
Returning to the city with new samples and fresh energy, the team discovered something extraordinary. The loss, which initially felt devastating, had cleared space for a deeper narrative – one about collaboration, trust, and shared creativity. Consequently, every cafe corner, cobbled laneway, and sunlit street became part of the story, reflecting the heart of Melbourne as much as the soul of Threads.
Lynda Gardener, whose work spans interiors, fashion, and styling projects, brings a timeless, textural sensibility to Threads. Her approach, combined with JayJay’s instinctive layering and sense of proportion, shapes a collection that feels effortless yet intentional, serving as a living testament to the power of shared creativity. “When creativity is shared, it never stops. It changes form, it travels, it keeps moving – just like we did that day,” JayJay notes.
Threads today stands as a testament to resilience, artistry, and community. What could have been the end of a story became a new beginning. A reminder that handmade things carry meaning far beyond their materials. Each fold, stitch, and patina holds the energy of those who created it and the spirit of a community that believes in the power of slow fashion and human connection.
From sheer shock to celebration, Threads reminds us that creativity often shines brightest when life doesn’t go to plan. Ultimately, friendship stitches the story, resilience colours it, and the beauty of things made by hand enriches it. And in every photograph, every folded garment, every shared moment, the collection now carries not just fashion, but the heart and soul of those who brought it to life.
In the end, Threads is more than a collection – it is a story of renewal, of Melbourne, of artisans, and of people who believe in showing up for each other. Above all, It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most unexpected turns lead to the most extraordinary stories.
