The Smithers Story

How Smithers began

Australia has a swimwear culture all its own. From Speedos to bikinis, swimwear is part of life here. I wanted Smithers to carry that tradition forward, while bringing something of myself to it.

I came to swimwear by way of the Northern Rivers, the outback and a copper mine. I finished school in Cobar and later built a career in financial services and digital marketing. None of it pointed neatly towards fashion, but the creative part of me was looking for somewhere to go.

Moving to Sydney in 2016 opened up more than a new postcode. I wanted to discover the city, its people and places, and a little more of myself along the way. Smithers grew out of that willingness to try something different.

At first, I had more curiosity than experience. I asked questions and surrounded myself with people who knew their craft. My mum’s background in fashion and interior design gave me someone to turn to. Gradually, an idea became something I could hold in my hands.

Even the name carries a little of home: Smith + bathers. Smithers. A family name, made into something new.

Family gave me a starting point. But Smithers also became a journey of my own, taking on something unfamiliar and building it in a way that felt true to me.

The stories behind the swimwear

Sport runs deep in that story. My grandfather captained the Geelong Cats in the AFL; my sister Jessica is a Paralympian and multiple-time Australian swimming champion. My dad ran marathons, and I now have thirteen finishes of my own. Across generations, sport has given our family plenty to be proud of.

It has taken me places, too. I’ve attended seven Olympic and Paralympic Games, including Rio 2016, where I worked within the digital media team. Olympia and Sportsmanship bring that part of my life into the collections.

Other designs return to places that have stayed with me. Prince looks back to Grafton, where the jacarandas turn the streets purple each spring. That same purple has found a place in Incognito. Sometimes a colour is enough to take you somewhere.

These personal connections are where the designs begin, but they’re not where their stories have to end.

Australian made, owned and operated

Smithers is 100% owned and operated in Sydney, with everything sourced and made here. That matters to me. The Australian connection isn’t only in the inspiration; it’s in the work, the makers and the decisions behind each pair.

You don’t have to share my story to find something of yourself in Smithers.

Some days you might want something understated; other days, a little more colour. Both should feel like you.