Scarlet & Sam Is Your New Aussie Wardrobe Staple
We speak to founder Scarlet Robertson to find out more about the brand’s journey so far.
If you’ve come across a scrunched T-shirt or a reversible bomber jacket on your Instagram feed, you’re likely familiar with Scarlet & Sam. Born from one custom crochet top and an overwhelming response online, the Aussie wardrobe staple has garnered an impressive community of fashion fans across the globe.
Known for signature styles like the Capsule Bomber and the Juicy Wedge, Scarlet & Sam is a brand that takes wardrobe basics to the next level through thoughtfully considered details and subtle tweaks.
As the brand gears up for its Aussie winter, we caught up with founder Scarlet Robertson to find out more about the story behind Scarlet & Sam, its best-selling styles and its strategy for going global.
Read on for the full interview.
Tell me a bit about the decision to start Scarlet & Sam. What was the catalyst for you?
Before Scarlet & Sam, I spent several years running an online vintage business. I had spent years sourcing pieces, studying silhouettes and understanding what people kept coming back to. During lockdown, I had a crochet top handmade for my birthday by a girl named Sam, whom I’d connected with on Instagram. When I shared it online, the response was overwhelming. People kept asking where they could buy it, so we decided to produce a small collection together. That collection ended up becoming the foundation of Scarlet & Sam.
What’s the story behind the name?
The name comes from that first chapter of the business. Sam was the maker behind our original crochet collection. As the brand evolved beyond crochet into ready-to-wear, Sam stepped away, and I continued building the business into what it is today. Although Sam is no longer in the business, the name feels like it has a natural pairing and is personal yet not overly precious.
Where does some of your inspiration come from?
A lot of it comes from vintage, travel, people-watching and pieces I naturally want to wear myself. I’m often inspired by the way people style things in real life – especially women who mix vintage, independent brands and unexpected pieces together. Most of our best-selling pieces haven’t come from chasing trends – they’ve come from creating products that I genuinely wanted to wear myself.
As an independent brand, it feels quite important to have signature styles that people recognize you for and keep coming back for. What would you say are some of Scarlet & Sam’s signatures?
From 2023 to 2025, we were probably best known for our Juicy Wedges, Capsule Bomber and our Scrunched styles – particularly the Scrunched Tee and Scrunched Shirt. More recently, our Capsule Pants, Signature Belted Jeans, Noa Wedges, and 90s Low Rise Jeans have become some of our most recognisable pieces.
I think that’s something I’m really proud of. Rather than relying on one hero product, we’ve gradually built a collection of signature styles that customers come back for year after year.
What are some of the criteria or must-haves for an S&S piece?
The biggest one is that I have to genuinely want to wear it myself. If I don’t reach for it, I don’t expect our customer to either. It has to feel wearable, but still special. I always want the product to have a point of difference, whether that’s the fabric, fit, shape, colour or a detail you might not notice straight away.
The goal is to create pieces that feel easy to wear, but still make you feel like you’ve found something a little bit different.
In the last year or so, it feels like Aussie brands have become so much more popular. Why do you think that is?
I think Australian brands have a really strong sense of ease. There’s often a practicality and relaxedness to the way we dress, but it still feels considered. I also think the global customer is becoming more open to discovering independent brands through Instagram, TikTok and word of mouth, rather than only shopping from big international labels.
What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in having such a growing global audience?
One of the biggest challenges has been learning how to build a global brand with a very lean team. There are fewer than five of us, so we’re constantly thinking about how our product, marketing and operations can work for customers all over the world.
In the early days, we could focus almost entirely on the Australian market and its seasons. Now we’re designing collections, creating content and planning launches for customers across different climates, time zones and markets, which definitely adds another layer of complexity. Operations have evolved a lot too. As our international customer base has grown, we’ve had to continue improving everything from shipping through to inventory planning. It’s still a work in progress, but it’s an exciting challenge and one we’re constantly refining as the business grows.
How would you describe the Aussie style? How does it differ from other places you’ve visited?
I think Australian style feels relaxed, undone and quite practical, but still cool. There’s less formality here, which I love. People don’t look like they’ve spent hours getting dressed, even when they have. Compared to some places overseas, Australian women often dress in a way that feels very lifestyle-led. Pieces need to work hard – they have to be comfortable, easy to style and suitable for real life.
Finally, what are some of the plans and future goals for the brand?
We’re really excited about continuing to grow internationally through our direct-to-consumer model. We’ve experimented with things like pop-ups and retail, but we’ve realised that Scarlet & Sam works best online. It allows us to stay connected to our customers worldwide while operating as a lean, agile team.
We’ll continue expanding into new categories, exploring brand collaborations that feel like a genuine fit, and hopefully hosting more events in different cities so we can meet more of our community in person. More than anything though, we want to grow at our own pace. We’ve built the business with a small team, and we genuinely love operating that way. It gives us the flexibility to stay hands-on, move quickly and keep making decisions with our customers at the centre.
As exciting as growth is, protecting what makes Scarlet & Sam feel like Scarlet & Sam will always come first. We’d much rather build something that lasts than chase growth for the sake of it.
