Made With Purpose
With Amy Low, CEO of The Social Outfit, King Street Newtown
On the northern stretch of King Street, The Social Outfit is doing fashion differently. Founded in 2014, this social enterprise and ethical fashion label is built on a simple but powerful idea: creating first Australian jobs for refugee and new migrant women.
In their Newtown retail store and Marrickville workroom, women from across the globe are supported into meaningful, paid employment. Many of the clothes sold in store are designed in collaboration with refugee artists and made just minutes away, then proudly worn by customers who care about style and impact.
For CEO Amy Low, Newtown was the natural choice. “We needed to provide a safe, accessible place for refugee women to work. But just as important was finding a community that values creativity, compassion and ethical fashion. Newtown has always offered that.”
The Social Outfit’s store is more than a shop. It is a place of training, storytelling and transformation. “Our customers are patient and supportive,” Amy says. “They make our trainees feel at ease as they learn how to sell clothes in a new language, in a new culture. It is Australian culture at its best.”
That mutual care defines Newtown for Amy. “It has a heartbeat. It is welcoming to everyone. Our work is only possible because the people here embrace it.”
“This is how we see the world. Celebrating diversity and how it strengthens our community.”
There is joy too. From guessing gigs at the Enmore Theatre based on the outfits in the queue, to sunset dog-watching in Camperdown Memorial Rest Park, Amy says the neighbourhood offers moments of connection at every turn.
Their most Newtown piece? The Social Outfit’s community-designed prints, each one telling a story of resilience and creativity. “They are made in Marrickville, sold by refugee women in Newtown and worn proudly across the city. There are deep layers of emotion and meaning, but also celebration. That is what we love about this place.”
Ten years on, The Social Outfit remains a standout example of what happens when fashion, community and compassion meet.