Fashion has always had the power to uplift, restore, and transform. Through our partnership with Thread Together, we’ve seen how Australian brands are using that power to create access to clothing for women who need it most. This piece spotlights one of those moments - DISSH’s recent styling event - and invites our merchant community to consider how they, too, can help expand this circle of care.
THE REALITY OF ACCESS
The experience of walking into a store and choosing something new to wear is something most of us rarely think twice about. It’s a small but meaningful part of everyday life - a way we mark change, celebrate milestones, or simply reconnect with ourselves.
Yet in an industry that produces more clothing than ever before, access to something new remains out of reach for many. For women experiencing crisis, homelessness or displacement, clothing is rarely a matter of choice; it’s whatever is immediately available. Many arrive at crisis accommodation with only the clothes they’re wearing, while others are navigating cost-of-living pressures that make even basic essentials feel out of reach.
THREAD TOGETHER’S MODEL: TURNING EXCESS INTO DIGNITY
This is where Thread Together’s work becomes transformative. The Australian not-for-profit partners with leading fashion brands to redirect excess, brand-new clothing to people who need it most. What would otherwise go to waste becomes a pathway to dignity, confidence, and care.
But their impact now extends far beyond redistribution. Through collaborations with retailers, Thread Together is reimagining how physical store environments can become places of belonging, inviting people into beautiful spaces that honour choice, comfort, and community.
“By bringing this experience into retail spaces, we’re restoring choice and dignity - giving people the chance to browse, try on and choose clothing that helps them feel seen, valued and empowered.”
Anthony Chesler, CEO, Thread Together
WHEN ACCESS BECOMES EXPERIENCE
One brand leading this shift is DISSH. In October, the Australian womenswear label opened its Armadale flagship boutique after hours for an intimate styling event with Thread Together — a space designed exclusively for women rebuilding their lives after hardship.
The event transformed the store into a space of care and connection. Guests were greeted by soft lighting, fresh flowers, and curated racks of new-season pieces hand-selected by the DISSH team. Stylists offered one-on-one guidance, helping each woman find outfits that reflected her individuality, not her circumstance, and made her feel confident, comfortable, and seen.
“I can’t stop smiling from ear to ear. I would normally never be able to buy these clothes.”
The impact was immediate and profound.
“I feel so special, like I could fly to the moon.”
“I can’t stop smiling from ear to ear. I would normally never be able to buy these clothes.”
Case worker Victoria described the evening as “a beautiful and rare opportunity to see these incredibly special moments, with people you have supported through such challenging times coming out the other side… they all have their light and spirit back.”
For DISSH, this partnership reflects a belief that fashion should empower every woman to feel her best, whether she’s stepping into a boardroom or taking the first steps toward rebuilding her sense of self.
“This event was about more than clothes. It was about giving women who have faced hardship a space where they feel seen, valued and genuinely supported. Clothing can be a powerful way to reconnect with confidence, and we wanted every woman to leave feeling special from the inside out. This event is one of the ways we put our values into action - supporting our community and empowering women”
DISSH Representative
TRANSFORMING ACCESS INTO BELONGING
Thread Together has taught us that fashion has an extraordinary ability to shape how people feel. For women rebuilding their lives, access to new clothing isn’t about appearance; it’s about participation. A new outfit can mean readiness for a new chapter, confidence at a community event, or simply the comfort of feeling like yourself again.
As one woman expressed, “Thank you for all your love, care and support for women who have been through struggles in life… and most importantly, thank you for believing in us.”
Retailers understand how to create beauty, confidence, and community. When those same skills are redirected toward inclusion, the result is deeply human and deeply effective.
For the women who walk through those boutique doors, the impact goes beyond the garments they take home. It’s the moment they realise they deserve to be there, to browse, to choose, and to be served with care and respect, just like any other customer. It’s an experience that affirms belonging and reminds them that fashion, at its best, is about equality of access - the right to feel confident and seen.
A NEW MODEL FOR FASHION’S FUTURE
Thread Together’s model continues to grow, and its success depends on collective participation. Every partnership, whether it be a styling event, a stock donation, or a day of volunteering, expands the circle of access and demonstrates how business can be a force for inclusion.
For Afterpay merchants, this is an invitation to rethink what purpose can look like in your world: to see your stores not only as points of sale, but as platforms for dignity, connection, and community. Every touchpoint, from design to delivery, holds the potential to create belonging for someone who has been excluded from it.
Together, Afterpay, Thread Together, and brands like DISSH are showing that when innovation meets compassion, everyone benefits.
If your brand would like to learn more about partnering with Thread Together, visit threadtogether.org.
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