Liz Skorsis is an Australian womenswear label focused on tailoring through a feminine perspective. Known for its statement jackets, the brand works with limited-edition fabrics and produces in small runs, keeping each piece rare. Designed and made in Australia, the collections focus on fit, fabrication, and longevity.
You describe the brand as an ongoing conversation with fabric. What does that actually look like in your process?
Firstly, I love fabric. I have a sense for feeling and touching fabric, clothing, furniture, etc. From making something for myself to designing a collection, I start with a basis of what I wish to make or design. The real designing happens when I have fabric in front of me. I find that I’m guided into a design once I fall in love with a fabric. The weight, drop, fall, texture, grain, stretchability, color, and prints/patterns stir up visions, and from a piece of fabric I start to envision it as a garment. During this process, I will constantly be feeling, scrunching, and stretching the fabric. All these aspects play a role in defining the design ideal for the fabrication.
Your work flows between classic and contemporary. How do you define that balance?
What I consider classic in my designs are the fitted structures dated back to the 1950s. Merging these classical looks of shaping the female form with my own design features, and crafting them in limited-edition contemporary fabrics, is how I would define this classic-contemporary balance.
How has your background in pattern making shaped the way you approach design today?
Knowledge in both pattern making and couture has been pivotal in perfecting the way my designs fit the body and are constructed. I use my knowledge of fabric and pattern manipulation to be creative. This also enables clear direction for my pattern- maker. Being the designer, what you envision cannot always be explained. Having the knowledge to guide the pattern process brings these design visions to life.
Slow fashion is central to your label. How does that show up in your day-to-day decisions?
My local Melbourne-based fabric agents are all about minimizing waste. They visit fabric mills in Italy, France, Japan, and South Korea and only buy deadstock, meaning they purchase the last meter- age of fabric, which can be equivalent to 100–150 meters in total. This is ideal for my brand, as it restricts production to exclusive quantities with no ability for repeats. I’ve always loved the idea of wearing one-off or exclusive pieces, and this is a core value of the Liz Skorsis brand.
What’s one piece you’ve kept for years that still feels like you, and why?
One piece? I have many pieces that I have kept, and they all still feel like me. I have always adored quality, and this is how I have shopped through- out my whole adult life. My taste is still the same. I have noticed that when I love a piece, it’s a piece I will always love. I bought a mustard perforated leather jacket during one of my European trips 13 years ago. The color itself stands out; however, the design and quality are phenomenal and, to this day, it still looks and feels amazing to wear. Another piece I wish to mention is a leather skirt bought from a Beverly Hills boutique about five years ago. Every time I wear this piece, I receive compliments. Again, the quality and design are phenomenal, and it’s a standout piece that is amazing to wear.