Since 1991

  • Toorallie is a modern Australian fashion brand which stands for undeniable quality, woven into purposeful pieces designed with generations of ambition, practical spirit, and a modern attitude.

     

    Established as a fashion label in 1991, Toorallie (pronounced ‘two-rally’) is backgrounded by a 200-year legacy of specialist knitwear knowledge. Co-Directed by Simon and Steve Smith [pictured below], twin brothers who descend from the founders of the visionary merino sheep stud of the same name in 1825, rural New South Wales (NSW).

  • Growing up on the Toorallie farm in Bombala, NSW, Simon and Steve’s resilience was characteristic of their parents’ tireless efforts to produce, spin, and knit their own wool. The Smith family worked exhaustively across their three Toorallie sheep stations where they initially produced quality wool, before evolving into a knitwear mill and fashion brand in 1991.

Evolution

  • Immersing themselves in every facet of the business from the late 90's, it was increasingly apparent to Simon and Steve that Toorallie needed to evolve. Times were tough, and as a result, the Toorallie knitting mill in Canberra moved towards a devastating closure.

     

    Australian manufacturing became uncompetitive as offshore production rose to develop high quality garments, with increased efficiency, at competitive cost. The industry landscape was drastically different from the brand’s inception in 1991.

  • Driven by a determination to sustain their family's legacy, Simon and Steve secured their parents' trademark and rebuilt Toorallie in Melbourne.

     

    Today, Toorallie is designed in Melbourne. Merino Wool is selected from Australian farms and must meet the exacting criteria of the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) certification, before specialist factories in Guangdong Province and Shanghai, China, twist each yarn into technically innovative and purposeful garments. 

     

    The first label, Bombala 1991-1994 next to our current label, Melbourne 2023.

      Lasting Purpose

      • Simon and Steve Smith rebuilt Toorallie with the enduring integrity of the Merino Wool fibre at its heart, informed by the undercurrent of perseverance that characterises their family's historied past.

      • Every garment is made of Australian Merino Wool. Through spirited innovation and determination we shape Merino Wool’s natural potential into beautifully useful garments with present-day practicality. Toorallie stands for uncompromising quality spun into garments of technical conviction, longevity, and refinement.