HEAD down to Perth Makers Market on February 23 from 9.30am to 3.30pm at Applecross to see Kalamunda-based brand Wilai Fashion.

Born in a rural village in Thailand, brand owner Wilai Carney said the villagers had to find creative ways to live.

Mrs Carney said the women in her family grew silkworms which were then used to make fabric for the village.

“I grew up with silkworm in the house and we fed the silkworm with mulberry,” she said.

Mrs Carney said she doesn’t remember when she learned the technique of how to make silk, it was just part of her culture.

“We don’t learn, we just become part of it.”

At 12-years-old, Mrs Carney said her life changed when she was taken from her village to become a child labourer at a clothing factory.

Mrs Carney remembered how inhaling the strong chemicals at the factory made her feel dizzy and sick.

“I came from fresh air at the village.

“And then I’m suddenly put in the factory.

“But you can’t say much, you still have to do what you have to do.”

She moved to Perth in 2004 after she decided with her husband that Australia would give them a better life to build a family.

After she had her first child, she said she wanted to find some way to do work because working made her days meaningful.

She reflected on the skills she’d gained throughout her life, which led her to create Wilai Fashion in 2009.

Mrs Carney’s sister also flew from Thailand to help start the brand and the pair experimented with different fabrics such as silk and cotton.

As an immigrant, Mrs Carney said it’s tough launching a business in this industry.

“But I’m persistent,” she said.

“I’m not sure if I have a fashion mindset but I love to create for women.”

Mrs Carney hopes her designs will complement the power already within women.

She said events like Perth Makers Market are especially important for small businesses because it helps build connections with customers and other business owners.

The event will feature locally made fashion, jewellery, homewares, art and gourmet food to celebrate and support independent creators and sustainable craftsmanship.