Le Stripe was founded in 2016 by Melanie Clements,having worked in the fashion industry for over 25 years and in reaction to the mass production and consequent waste that she had witnessed while working for bigger brands. The desire was to create a brand where she was connected to the makers and to seek out local manufacturers here in Melbourne. The aim was to produce small amounts of clothing, that are made in an ethical and sustainable way, treating the people who made them with the utmost respect and all sharing fairly in the profits. Above all else, Melanie wanted to make small exclusive runs that sold out and consquently broke the viscous cycle of producing too much, sales and mark downs and in some cases land fill.