Conception...
Fingal was established by Rie Berks in 2016 in Kyoto, Japan. However, it was originally conceived when Rie first travelled in Australia in 2002 and she visited a place called Fingal Beach in New South Wales. The seed was sewn. When she returned to Australia in 2005, she was tremendously moved and inspired by the atmosphere of the markets and festivals. This experience motivated her so much that she felt destined to make her own clothing and set up her own brand.
Experience...
After she graduated from her fashion design course in 2002, she was soon engaged with the fashion industry. Firstly, as a shop assistant at the New York brand and as a design assistant at a fashion design office. After she travelled Asia and was full of ideas, she settled in Kyoto and started passionately making clothes and selling them at artisan markets and festivals in Japan. She was also tempted back to Australia again to sell her clothes on the street and at markets. In 2009, she formed a solid connection with a business partner in India. Her partner and his team manufacture the garments according to her design.
Off grid life...
Now, she lives in England with her husband and children and they enjoy living canal life on their boat. Their life on the boat is completely off grid. Her sewing machine is powered via solar panels, which means the original Fingal designs are created by glorious sunshine. Also, she is a mother of two and she gets continual inspiration from them, giving her an opportunity to make clothes which are comfortable to wear and enjoyable to coordinate with.