Trangie brand Peggy and Twig sparkles on the runway at the 2023 Paypal Melbourne Fashion Festival

Trangie pearl jewellery brand Peggy and Twig, launched by Emily Quigley in 2019, is set to feature at the Melbourne Fashion Festival. The massive event includes 100 different runways, shopping experiences, workshops and exhibitions at more than 60 venues across the Victorian capital.

"It's amazing, it's an opportunity that I never expected. It's funny what pops into your emails and sometimes you don't quite believe it at first. I'm very excited," she said.

"It definitely proves that being in a particular geographical location does not limit the potential for a brand."

Ms Quigley started making pearl jewellery as a side-hustle when she was a student living on her family farm in O'Connell, just outside of Bathurst. Now, making jewellery and running her store in Trangie - which also sells complementary fashion and homewares - is her full time job.

"My jewellery making actually started at uni when I was doing my teaching degree -I liked the creative aspect of it and just tinkering away. I was making things that I wanted to wear myself and couldn't find," she said.

"Then I started going to markets and selling to stockists between my home in O'Connell and uni. I'd just go in and ask the shopkeepers if they'd like to buy it. It started in a very simple way."

After graduating from university, Ms Quigley landed a job as a primary school teacher in Orange but continued to make jewellery on the side.

"It ebbed and flowed throughout the school holidays - I'd pick it up and put it down until I took a year of unpaid leave to go travelling," she said.

"I was in London, where I was teaching during my leave, and I found a wholesaler which was filled with pearls everywhere, and I thought 'this is gorgeous'. I bought a few and I came back to Australia in 2019 and made a few things to put up on instagram."

"But then Buy From The Bush picked it up and it blew up from there."

It was after Buy From The Bush started promoting her brand when Ms Quigley considered leaving her day job and moving into jewellery making full-time. At first, she worried the number of sales she was making might be "a phase" but interest didn't slow down.

"The demand just didn't stop, I was doing nights and days. I was teaching during the day and making earrings during the night," she said.

"I was also a bit jaded with teaching. It can be a lot of pressure and I'm sure they've increased tenfold now since I was doing it."

Since then, Ms Quigley has built on that momentum to create a reputation for Peggy and Twig as a high-end brand known for its "classic and timeless aesthetic with a contemporary edge". She says her brand is worn by many brides on their special day.

"My brand has definitely evolved but I would not be where I am today without Buy from the Bush, that is without a doubt," she said.

Unfortunately, Ms Quigley won't be able to travel to Melbourne to see her designs on the runway as she's just welcomed a new baby. But she said she was looking forward to seeing the pictures and videos of the models wearing her work.

"I knew that I wouldn't be able to make it - I wasn't sure I would be up to it and sure enough I won't be. It's a bit complex with a new baby," she said.

"I've made a new collection which is kind of different and a little bit edgier. It's going to be shown on the first and the last runway of the festival, I'm really looking forward to seeing how they pull it all together.".

"It's such a lovely opportunity to be involved, I really don't know what to expect. It'll definitely get me a bit more exposure."

The Melbourne Fashion Festival will run from Friday, March 3 to Saturday, March 11.

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