KEA is a creative design apparel brand from Melbourne, built on years of making clothes properly.
We grew out of an established Australian business that's spent years making school uniforms and club sportswear. Clothes that get worn hard, washed constantly, and still have to look right at the end of the season. Kea takes that know-how out of the B2B world and into everyday wear with a creative edge. Streetwear-rooted, but not limited by it.
Why "KEA"
The kea is New Zealand's alpine parrot: bold, curious, colourful under the wings, and able to thrive just about anywhere. That's the spirit we want in every piece.
What we care about
Quality that lasts: Not fast, not disposable. Patterns, samples, production runs: we handle the lot ourselves. Flocking, garment washing, chenille appliqué, thread-painted embroidery: we'll tell you what went into each piece and how it was made.
Colour-forward, expressive design: We've got a point of view, but we don't do the same thing every season.
Genuine character: We open up our production setup to artists and designers, so good ideas actually get made. Our KEA x Possible series was created with artist Jason Bai.
Kea's design and product are led by Alicia, who's spent years behind the uniforms and sportswear side of the business. Working with factories, fabrics and patterns gave her the setup to make almost any idea real and KEA is where she lets the wilder ones out.
"I don't like boxes. One day it might be a loose hoodie printed with something from a dream; the next, cargo pants cut in a way you didn't see coming."
She's drawn to putting together things that don't seem to belong.
"Chinese frog buttons on an oversized denim jacket. Melbourne laneway graffiti colours on a silk shirt. I want people to feel like they're wearing something between an artwork and an attitude."
Ask her how she balances two very different worlds and she'll laugh. "Balance what? My left brain and right brain argue, get tired, then make up. Sportswear is the bones. Kea is the flesh. The bones need to be solid, the flesh gets to be a bit wild."
For Alicia, clothes have always been more than clothes. It is a way to express yourself, to heal a little, to connect. Her love of freedom, sport, a good challenge and the outdoors ends up stitched into everything she makes.
"There's still so much I want to learn. I just learn whatever the moment needs next."
