The Independent Australian Label That Has New York’s Garment District In Its DNA
against the grain
By Victoria Lewis | 6th November 2026What would happen if the fashion industry dedicated itself to quality as it did in the ’80s? IDA+S is the Sydney brand offering a contemporary return to craftsmanship, championing those who actually make the clothes.
The story of IDA+S begins long before its latest collection of elevated separates, and even before its launch in 2025. It is one that spans generations. Founder Kinsen Siu was shaped by a lifetime spent growing up in New York’s garment manufacturing industry. Decades earlier, the IDA+S story was set in motion when his parents established a garment factory in Lower Manhattan after immigrating from China in the ’70s.
Life in the ’80s NYC garment district
Pivoting to a new industry with no experience presented challenges for Kinsen’s parents, but it also gave them an opportunity to approach things differently. They quickly realised that the standard piece-rate production method incentivised speed over quality. Instead, they began paying their factory workers a fixed salary, allowing them to focus on their craft and produce luxury tailored jackets for renowned ’80s brands such as Anne Klein, Donna Karan, and Liz Claiborne.
Kinsen grew up in and around his parents’ factory, lending a helping hand from as young as six. When it came time to build his own brand, there was only one way to operate.
Named after his mother, Ida, who plays a major role behind the scenes, IDA+S is built on the same principles: fair salaries for factory workers and clothing made without compromising on quality.
Through these “old-school” practices, Kinsen offers a glimpse of what the wider fashion industry could look like: a world where clothes are produced across two seasons each year, garment factory workers are empowered to demonstrate their skills, and the production process involves healthy negotiation between brand and factory, not a one-way street. At IDA+S, the silhouettes are timeless, the fabrics are luxurious, and the craftsmanship is designed to withstand decades.
Kinsen tells me his “head’s still in the ’80s and ’90s” when it comes to the quality he expects from his garments, a standard he believes isn’t always upheld today. Each IDA+S garment is handcrafted in Kinsen’s family-owned factory, which continues to operate after relocating from New York to China following 9/11.
On building a legacy
His pieces reflect a dedication to craftsmanship that is all he has ever known, passed down from his parents. “I don’t do any of these things without kind of being on top of the foundations that my parents set up,” he says. As he navigates owning his own brand in a changing fashion industry, I ask how he feels about the concept of legacy. He admits he struggled with the pressure of building on his parents’ achievements in his youth, explaining,
“How do you measure up to somebody who built something from zero?”
He quickly adds, “I’m at peace with it now because it’s not about me. There’s a community, right? There’s the factory workers, there’s the school [and] other nonprofits that we partner with.” Continuing an initiative passed down from his late father, Kinsen partners with a rural Chinese school as part of his commitment to giving back to a community close to his heart.
For Kinsen, it will always be people first, business second. He understands that his approach may one day affect his business outcomes, but he is comfortable with that. His commitment to producing beautifully crafted clothing while supporting the people who make it reflects the values instilled by his parents, who challenged industry conventions in the ’80s. It is a purpose that remains central to IDA+S.
As Kinsen puts it, “It’s almost like a garment… when something’s all woven together.”
Imagery: Samantha Rose from Studio Sojourn
