The people stories and faces that make this place special

Canberra residents turned out in force on Lonsdale Street this week wearing layered wool coats and custom scarves that reflect individual stories rather than chain-store uniformity.

Winter arrived early in the capital this July, pushing more people toward local makers who adapt clothing to the city's variable conditions and long commutes between suburbs.

Local makers on Lonsdale and at Kingston

Walk past the cafes on Lonsdale Street in Braddon and the same faces appear each Saturday morning, some in jackets stitched at a small studio near the Old Bus Depot Markets in Kingston. The depot site hosts a monthly makers round where tailors display work built for Canberra's dry cold and sudden wind shifts. A program run by the Braddon Traders Association since 2024 has added evening workshops that teach basic alterations, drawing participants from Turner and O'Connor who bring garments bought at the Canberra Centre.

Sales data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows clothing and footwear retail turnover in the ACT rose 9 per cent in the March 2026 quarter compared with the same period last year, with independent outlets accounting for roughly one third of that growth. Average prices for a lined wool coat at Braddon stalls sit at $265, while Kingston market scarves sell for $48.

Next steps for shoppers

Residents planning a winter weekend away can start at the next Braddon Traders pop-up on 19 July, where they can try pieces on site and note which adjustments suit their daily routes through Civic or along Northbourne Avenue. Checking the Old Bus Depot Markets schedule online before heading to Kingston avoids peak crowds after 11 am.