Fuelled by her love of fashion and luxurious clothing pieces, Bronte Annis-Brown has recently opened the fashion hire store, Eastend Wardrobe. The Hunter St storefront is a self-described leap of faith, founded with the purpose of promoting circular and sustainable fashion practices and making luxury pieces accessible.

The Wollombi-born PDHPE teacher, who now calls Newcastle home, was eager to bring more fashion experiences to the city. And, as a point of difference, the store is open Fridays and Saturdays for walk-in, no-appointment-needed hire.

“The whole concept behind it [Eastend Wardrobe] is the hire. I’ve hired clothing for a few years now, but mainly from online places in Sydney. Since I’m a bit of a last-minute person, I’ve found, that with a work schedule, it’s hard to squeeze in an appointment, especially if you have just found out you need to get an outfit.

“Here, you can try the clothing on so it fits and is not wasteful. I wanted to offer the service where, on Fridays and Saturdays, you can just walk in and browse. People often know what they like, so it takes the pressure off making an appointment.”

For those desiring extra style help or no-interruptions browsing, the store is also open by appointment on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

As visible in the store’s interior, Eastend Wardrobe’s neutral, classy aesthetic shines through. Designed and renovated by herself and partner, Garreth Tilse; rose gold fixtures, pared-back tones and breezy curtains are a highlight. Small pops of green are also littered throughout the space.

“I wanted a neutral background so the dresses can speak for themselves. I also love the pop of green to represent our sustainability.”

Priding herself on her circular fashion ethos, Eastend Wardrobe extends the lifeline of clothing that, in other circumstances, may only be worn once. With high-end pieces on offer, the business also makes luxury clothing and accessories accessible to the general public – a highlight of the fashion hire format.

“I have so many dresses in my wardrobe that I’ve only worn once or twice… It [the business] makes beautiful designer pieces accessible to everyone.”

As for their collection itself, Eastend’s selection reflects Annis-Brown’s personal style and neutral interior aesthetic. To appeal to a wider audience (alongside dresses), blazers, pantsuits, bags, and vintage pieces are also on offer.

Hire pieces are sourced from brands such as Aje, Bec and Bridge, Viktoria and Woods and Matteau. Considering their fresh launch, these pieces are still growing and open to customer suggestion.

“I’m really open to feedback and changing things. I want to be really flexible and open to brand suggestions and sizes.”

This mindset also applies to clothing styles. Depending on suggestions, Annis-Brown has expressed interest in expanding to work-wear, belt, and jewellery hire, as inspired by ‘everyday’ clothing hire businesses present on the international market.

With her business now up and running, the store owner is eager to see where this venture takes her.

“I’ve always wanted to do something like this. This has been in my brain for two years, but the hard work really started in the past six months. I want to give it all my all for the next few years and see how it goes.”

Whether you need a last-minute outfit for a weekend event, love supporting small businesses, or are keen to book an outfit for an upcoming event, drop by Newcastle's newest fashion hire destination, Eastend Wardrobe!