HoMie
(Est. 2016, Melbourne)

HoMie is a streetwear label and social enterprise, 100 per cent of whose profits go towards achieving its mission: to support young people affected by homelessness or hardship, equipping them with the skills, confidence and experiences to be work-ready and better prepared for their future. For Melbourne Now, HoMie presents a selection of its signature garments and accessories, including a hoodie, trackpants, T-shirt, socks and a tote bag.

On census night in 2016, around 27,680 young people were experiencing homelessness in Australia. Most young people seek assistance from support services due to family and/or domestic violence, relationship and/or family breakdowns, and housing crises. The majority of those who present alone are not enrolled in education or training. To support these young people, in 2017 HoMie created the Pathway Alliance, an accredited retail-training paid internship for people aged sixteen to twenty-five who are affected by homelessness or hardship, and the VIP Program, through which young people are welcomed into HoMie’s Fitzroy store to shop for new garments and enjoy haircuts, beauty services, personal care packs and lunch with HoMie’s friendly team. To date, thirty-four young people have graduated from the HoMie Pathway Alliance. Each intern received more than eighty-eight hours of paid retail training, thirty-two hours of professional development training and more than 300 hours of paid employment at HoMie’s retail store, plus further paid employment-building skills in back-of-house, picking/packing and design/manufacturing. To date, 1990 young people have participated in the VIP Program, through which more than 9870 items of HoMie clothing have been gifted. In 2020 the label launched REBORN, which upcycles pre-loved, faulty or unsold garments into desirable one-off pieces.

HoMie began as a retail pop-up at Melbourne Central in 2016, emerging from a Facebook page called ‘Homelessness of Melbourne’, set up in 2015, that invited young people to share their stories of homelessness with dignity, and break down associated stigmas. The brand moved into its flagship store on Brunswick Street later in 2016. The HoMie Pathway Alliance expanded as a business model in 2018 through a partnership with Cotton On. Committed to circularity and sustainability, HoMie also recycles fabric offcuts through UPPAREL.