“non-european”™ is an ethically-oriented South African fashion brand pioneered and exclusively designed by Tarien Malherbe. Her range of contemporary daywear articulates a fresh South African spirit that is at the same time nostalgic and timeless. Malherbe aims to make wearers feel comfortable and confident and thus her designs are known for their strong focus on cut and fit as well as inherent elegance.
The brand’s designs are reminiscent of times passed and all items have a classic feel whilst still aligning with current international trends.All Tarien Malherbe “non-european”™ products are produced in-house by a team of talented ladies who strive to provide quality-conscious customers with only best local designs. This dynamic team aims to re-invent classic garment styles, making the items a crucial facet of any wearer's wardrobe.
From the inception of her career, Malherbe had a strong desire to use her design skills to start an ethically-oriented fashion brand with the main focus of empowering people through sustainable job creation. Utilising her team’s creative talents is fundamental to Malherbe who endeavours to empower local designers and help them embrace their creative ability as a means of income-generation. “We want to create a work environment where a sense of hope is instilled in our employees and where we can empower and motivate them to produce quality products that bring joy to the wearer both in and out of season”, says Malherbe.
Malherbe graduated from the Elizabeth Galloway Academy of Fashion Design in 2007. At the time she had received various accolades from the design fraternity and went on to present her mayleaf and “non-european”™ collections on various national platforms.
In 2008, Malherbe was offered mentorship and financial support by the Elizabeth Galloway Academy in order to establish her own clothing production business that would satisfy the growing demand for her unique and sophisticated designs. By 2010, Malherbe had her own team of committed ladies working on the brand. Christine Paulse was the first seamstress to join the team in 2008 with Mildred Keeble shortly thereafter. These two ladies are the brainpower behind most of the “non-european”™ garments. Their combined expertise and precision in their field is the key to brand’s success. Chandre Solomons (head finisher and trainee production manager), Jennifer Koopman (cutter), Brigitte Jacobs (seamstress) and Joanie Fortuin (trainee finisher) make up the rest of the team. The group spend much of their time ensuring that “non-european”™ clothing items are of an exceptional quality.
All-in-all, the Tarien Malherbe “non-european”™ brand strives to provide quality-conscious customers with ethically produced women’s and men’s apparel that is an elegant expression of our South African heritage.
