ESPIRE began as a way for Balin to help get his mother Jane back on her feet. The idea sprung to him after together they made a last minute shirt as a present for his father the night before his birthday.
From a young age sewing and cutting fabrics was second nature for Balin. Boxes of fabrics as high as the ceiling with hidden pins in the carpet was a normal thing to look out for when learning to walk. His toddler clothes were made by Jane and Nana would always hand knit whatever was needed for the season.
Jane operated her own clothing label, ICEWAVE, before having children. It's DNA from the late 80's early 90's can be seen within every product within ESPIRE. Many of the main creations are evolved from the original patterns that Jane created.
Many years later whilst on University break, Balin helped work with Jane to create a last minute shirt for his father on the eve of his birthday. This sparked the idea for Espire. In the time since ICEWAVE, Jane had moved on, focusing on having 4 children and suffering also from several strokes and Cancer.
ESPIRE became an opportunity for Balin to work with his mother and help get her back on her feet and back into the world of design. They begun with no money and remnants messily spread across Janes workroom, which was filled to the brim with decades of her ideas, creations and fabrics.
They started small, using the local market to begin to grow their ideas. Jane was leading the charge on design, pulling from her decades of experience, Balin was in the midst of studying environmental science & IT, so utalising those skills to build the brand to be a sustainable, circular business model.
After a few years of markets and pop-up stores, next came the store, where the ideas really took shape.
Many years later whilst on University break, Balin helped work with Jane to create a last minute shirt for his father on the eve of his birthday. This sparked the idea for Espire. In the time since ICEWAVE, Jane had moved on, focusing on having 4 children and suffering also from several strokes and Cancer.
ESPIRE became an opportunity for Balin to work with his mother and help get her back on her feet and back into the world of design. They begun with no money and remnants messily spread across Janes workroom, which was filled to the brim with decades of her ideas, creations and fabrics.
Tragically, in April 2025 after nearly 10 years of building out the brand, Jane passed away very suddenly from a stroke. She spent her last day in ESPIRE, arguing on the phone for hours with a company in Melbourne about how they should change their entire business to localise it.
This passion, fire and determination that she and Balin shared was a special connection, an unbreakable bond that caused the whirlwind of ideas and creativity that is ESPIRE.
For now, Balin has continued to work with his mothers legacy, knowing that her ideas, designs and passion live on in each product we make today.
Love you mum x
A note she wrote on the wall in the store just before she passed.
