CLEA's Brunch Edit: Florals, Jacquard & the Dressed-Up Daytime Moment
There is a particular kind of dressing that happens between 11am and 3pm on a Saturday — unhurried, considered, somewhere between dressed up and genuinely comfortable. CLEA has built an entire design language around exactly that feeling. The Sydney-based label, known for its tactile fabrications and attention to surface detail, approaches brunch dressing the way a Parisian might approach a gallery opening: with intention, with texture, and never in a rush.
What sets CLEA apart in the crowded landscape of occasion-ready fashion is its commitment to fabric as the starting point. Raffia fringe. Hand-embroidered daisy motifs. Woven jacquard with painterly aquarelle patterning. Floral cotton twill that holds a pleat crisply without stiffness. These are not afterthoughts — they are the architecture around which every silhouette is built.
The Salvador Midi Dress is perhaps the most statement-forward piece in this edit. Its raffia fringe trim catches light and movement in equal measure — ideal for a terrace table or an afternoon that stretches past dessert into something longer. The Daisy Meadow print, which appears across several pieces in this collection, is hand-applied embroidery rather than a surface print, giving each garment a slightly bespoke quality. Wear it with simple tan leather sandals and let the dress do the talking.
For those who prefer their daytime dressing a little more structured, CLEA's jacquard pieces offer a quieter kind of sophistication. The woven fabrication holds its shape through the afternoon, and the belted silhouettes — a recurring design signature for the brand — give definition without restriction.
The Rue in its Aquarelle Jacquard colourway reads almost like a watercolour painting translated into fabric — soft, blurred edges of colour within a structured woven ground. Its sister silhouette, the Zinnia Midi, extends the hemline for those who prefer coverage with the same belted waist definition. Both transition effortlessly from brunch into an afternoon gallery visit or early evening drinks.
CLEA's cotton twill pieces deserve particular mention for their wearability. The brand sources a tightly woven twill that resists creasing far better than standard cotton — a practical consideration that matters when you're navigating a full Saturday. The Charlie Pleated Floral Cotton Twill Midi Dress is knife-pleated from the waist, creating that characteristic fluid movement at the hem, while the Olivia Floral Cotton Twill Collared Mini Dress takes the same fabrication in a more compact, collar-detailed direction — a nod to vintage shirtdress proportions without the formality.
If you're building a CLEA wardrobe from separates rather than dresses, the label's tops offer the same level of considered detail in a more modular format. The Billie Pleat Shirt in Blue Gingham pairs naturally with the Felipe Floralis A-Line Mini Skirt for a coordinated look that stops short of matching-set territory. The Leyla Daisy Meadow Peplum Top, with its delicate strappy construction and embroidered daisy detailing, works equally well tucked into wide-leg trousers for a longer lunch or worn with denim for something more relaxed. And the Yolander White Cap Sleeve Peplum Top is the kind of foundational investment that reads as effortless precisely because it's so well cut.
At Lola Dré, we're drawn to CLEA for exactly the reason brunch demands it: these are clothes that feel special without demanding performance. The embroidery is intricate enough to make a table conversation, the silhouettes relaxed enough to actually enjoy a long meal in, and the fabrications considered enough to last far beyond a single season. Daytime dressing, at its most genuinely pleasurable.
Explore the full CLEA Brunch collection →
