When we were approached on our very first job for Nikki Campbell and Sophie Coote's SIR, the first thing that came to mind was the fervent, intensely loyal fanbase the brand had already developed despite its young age. This was one of those rare, elusive things that every brand wants, but few ever achieve: hard-core, cult-like fans who were truly devoted. There was no way we weren’t going to use that – developing the cult of SIR became a strategic angle. And so began the evolving narrative of the SIR community: a series of campaigns that tried to imagine the world anew, bound by vows of sisterhood. This was SIR back then: feminine, romantic, and a bit witchy at times.

The second important thing to note was that SIR was at a moment of international expansion. Back in the day, most brands were trying hard to appear as European as possible. At a time when there was an international appetite for Australian brands and the ease of the Australian lifestyle, it made sense to give those audiences exactly what they wanted: a sense of something different, something they didn’t have in their own backyards. Enter the Australian landscape. 

Throughout the next years of collaboration, the SIR sisterhood became intertwined with ever more otherworldly locations. From this first campaign, captured in Kangaroo Valley to Kiama, Era Beach, Narooma and WA, the SIR community travelled through some of Australia’s most iconic and lesser-known destinations. As the brand evolved and adapted, so did the creative language — shedding some of the romantic innocence of its earlier days in favour of a sharper edge, a sexier bite, modern lines, and global inspirations. 

However, much like it’s taboo for a parent to admit favour for their firstborn, this debut campaign will always hold a special place for me.