The story so far…

“It all started in a rushed last minute attempt to whip up a birthday shirt for my dad. We used some local fabrics and put together the first Artisan shirt“- Balin, Founder & Director.

Espire began in 2014 after a last minute decision to hand make a unique shirt for a birthday present. Balin & his mother Jane combined their unique skill set to create a range of unique products that began taking shape at local markets in Bright. Balin had studied creative writing, I.T and environmental sciences at University whilst Jane had always worked in fashion had her own personal workroom in Bright, here is where the brand came to fruition. The word Espire comes from the combined words Aspire and Inspire- we used the vowel between A & I to combine the two. The name is a reflection of our brand to aspire to be better and inspire others to do the same.


The Store

After several markets and two local pop-up stores we opened our permanent store in 2016, right in the center of Bright. Within Espire the entire Family is involved- Balin as the founder and director with his mother Jane as sewing specialist and sister Angeline as the design lead (even Nana is involved with hand knitting beanies and jumpers!).

Our new store is more than just a retail space- it’s a place where you see the ideas evolve from paper, to sample, to finished product. And you can have a say in how that product is finished, such as the colors of tee shirt pockets to the finished lengths on dresses, all can be made for you! We believe that in 2020 clothing brands should know how to make products themselves and in the most ethical and sustainable ways possible.

Our Beliefs
We have a few ambitions that we reflected through our products–

1. In Espire its important that a purchased garment has the perfect fit and style for you. We allow customers to buy either off the shelf and then have that garment adjusted to them, sometimes the smallest adjustments make the perfect fit! This is why we believe in local manufacturing.
2. You don’t have to suit the garment, the garment has to suit you. All of our items come with options to the colors and styles you can choose. For example our hoodies can come in different necklines, colors and its up to you if you want a pocket!
3.  We believe in sustainability. From old patterns as wrapping paper to using organic cotton in our tees it is important to us to change the way clothing is designed, manufactured and sold to better suit the planet.