About Us
Stephanie has been designing clothing for women for over 20 years. Being a larger woman, Stephanie had great difficulty finding clothing that suited her body shape, classic designs that were easy wearing and made from good fabrics.
So, Stephanie started a fashion range called Absolutely Fabulous Fashion and sold through a party plan concept. This was very well received, and she was selling clothes throughout Australia with sales consults throughout the Country. Stephanie also began to design and manufacture a corporate uniform range for an Australian airline.
Life became hectic as she was also looking after her mother, who was quite ill and didn't want to put her in a nursing home. A decision had to be made to reduce the workload to better care for her mother. Since Stephanie is a hands-on person involved in all aspects of a business, she decided to focus only on the corporate uniform side of her business.
But, after many years and constantly running into clients who always said why don't you do your fashion range again as we miss your clothes and there is nothing like that around – some still had their Absolutely Fabulous Fashion clothes in their wardrobe!!!!
The urge (again):
After a few years of my mother's passing, I decided, why not!!! I always had it in my mind that I wanted to do another fashion range with the following essential ingredients (as in the original concept):
- Designed in Australia
- Manufactured in Australia
- Fabrics purchased in Australia.
- Easy-wearing designs and fabrics
- Designs that suit all body shapes and ages
- Fabrics that are comfortable, easy to maintain
- And where possible natural fibres.
What's in a name:
I decided to call my new fashion range Chak Essentials.
Why Chak? – Well, Chak is short for my mother's maiden name - actually, Chakalakis - but she and her brothers always called each other Chak! Also, Mum being a bit of a fashionista, always bought clothes from the Balcony Room in the David Jones department store.
Why Essentials? – Because this fashion range is essential wearing.
The brief:
After Covid, every woman I know wants clothing as comfortable as trackie pants but has style and is easy to maintain. I then asked them what they wanted in their wardrobe. The feedback was the same, easy wearing, comfortable clothing that was flattering, stylish, made of fabrics that felt good on and low maintenance! No ironing!!!
Back to work:
Now I have the essential ingredients, the name story and the brief to make a Chak Essentials fashion range. From this, I got to work, researched the fabrics and designed the fashion range to be essential wearing that my friends, including myself, would love to wear. Next, a visit to my local manufacturer, and I had a complete sample range to test.
The test:
Now that the collection was ready for showing and testing, I invited the same friends to view the range!! Once together and over for a few glasses of bubbles and, oh, while you are here, we are going to do a photo shoot, and I would love you to be a model - although a couple were a little shy at first - they found there alter egos and they were all amazing!
The feedback was terrific, and they all were not shy in wanting to take home what they had modelled that day! And that is what Chak Essentials is about! Stylish, comfortable designs for all body shapes and ages.