Stefanie Kalfas always envisaged a future in law. But at 26 her life is taking a turn she never expected, dividing her time between a career in medicine and luxury fashion label HhAM.
While the two industries may seem in complete opposition, the underlying motivation for each is almost identical: “A love for people, and a love for doing what we love for love.”
Launched in August, HhAM was born out of Kalfas’ desire to help those in need, directly inspired by the work of Father Themis Adamopoulos and his charity Paradise4Kids Africa.
“The initial idea was to make some dresses to sell and for the money to go to Father Themi. But I often take things to the next level,” Kalfas admits, “and I decided to actually create it as a not-for-profit label.”
Made in Sydney − an important aspect for the doctor-turned-designer, who is seeking to support local industry and sustainable, ethical fashion− aside from covering costs for materials and manufacturing, the entire project is run by volunteers, including web development, photography, models and of course, the design by Kalfas, who isn’t taking a cent, with all net profits being donated to grassroots charities helping those in need, with Paradise4Kids its first charity partner.
“We plan on adding to our charity partnerships as we grow, selecting those that help underprivileged groups within our local and global communities and as such, transmuting this privilege of luxury fashion into a vehicle for social equality and justice,” she tells Neos Kosmos.
Now a month on from the launch of HhAM’s online store, she says the response has been “really positive”.
“We’re starting with a small sample collection of ties, bow ties and pocket squares, and I’m working on a [unisex] bag that’s made in Melbourne, as well as some apparel like a T-shirt and a pair of pants,” she says, with a collection of dresses in the works for her womenswear collection ‘Man On The Bus’ − a name which takes us back to the label’s origins.
It was at the age of 21 in her second year of biomedicine at Melbourne University that Kalfas’ interest in fashion surfaced.
“It’s a bit of a convoluted story,” she says. “I happened to be catching the bus home one day. I didn’t have an interest in fashion but I had drawn some dresses in an Ancient Greek class that I had done, and there was a man on the bus who came up to me who was in the fashion industry. He noticed the dresses and said ‘They’re really good. Are you studying fashion?’ and started talking to me about it, and sort of (she’s also humble) said I’ve got a talent and that I should do something with it.”
The unexpected meeting would lead her to start making her own clothes with the help of her yiayia Helen, who is also a big inspiration for the branding. I’ll first confirm that HhAM has nothing to do with your favourite deli meat, but rather is an acronym representing the important women in Kalfas’ life.
The first ‘H’ is the designer’s grandmother Helen, who taught her to sew, while the second is in memory of a family friend, also by the name of Helen, who sadly passed away from breast cancer. And the ‘AM’?
“They are the initials of a pen name that I had come up with for myself as a 12-year-old when I wanted to be a famous actress − Andrea Maria. It’s really about that person that you aspire to be, the alter ego.”
But it would seem Kalfas has no need for an alter ego; a breath of fresh air, the doctor is an inspiration, demonstrating that sometimes you really can have it all.
She is thankful to the Royal Melbourne Hospital which, after completing her studies in medicine, offered her a shared internship position so should could complete her year of rounds over the course of two, granting her the time to simultaneously pursue her interest in fashion.
While she says that the mental change needed to switch from fashion to medicine, and vice versa, can be a challenge, she admits to being relieved at the chance to use a different part of her brain.
“It’s definitely a different kind of stress to medicine, and a different emotional strength that you need. It’s not an easy thing starting a business and trying to get as many people involved as volunteers, it actually takes a lot of work to find those people and to impose deadlines, because everyone’s just doing it out of the goodness of their heart,” though she admits to being blown away by people’s generosity.
So what’s the secret to juggling multiple careers?
“I think trying to keep a balance is a good thing and just having good friends and family around you that can handle your craziness. Design is definitely the perfect way that I can express myself and I realise how lucky I am to be in this position, so you just make it work,” she tells.
From here, the world really does appear to be Kalfas’ oyster. After completing her internship year she has her sights set on specialising, with interests ranging from emergency medicine, paediatrics and endocrinology to critical care, and is also committed to the mission of her label to help those in need, with ambitions to visit Father Themi’s mission in Sierra Leone. But she’s not about to let herself get overwhelmed.
“I think I’ll just take things as they come, and do what I think is right at that time,” she says.
“It’s been really positive so far. I’ve also got a few potential directions that the label might take, so watch this space.”
We certainly will.
To find out more about HhAM and to view the current collection, visit www.hham.com.au or follow the label on Instagram www.instagram.com/hhamwear/ and on Facebook: www.facebook.com/hhamwear/