Fashion pitched to cricket team
It was a random conversation with her cricketer husband Mitchell Johnson that gave Perth accessories designer Jessica Bratich-Johnson the idea to branch into menswear.
"I recently had done some silk scarves and I came up with all these prints," the former karate champion-turned fashion maven explained to Access All Areas.
"I was showing Mitch and he said 'This would be good in a men's piece'. So I went from there."
The result is a mini-collection of men's T-shirts, with trucker caps to follow soon and possibly more creations on the way to join Bratich-Johnson's existing offering of edgy bags and clutches.
Star fast bowler Mitchell loved his wife's designs so much he has taken them on the Australian cricket team's Test tour of South Africa - and said the other boys were impressed, too.
Mitchell leaving once more means Bratich-Johnson has her hands well and truly full between running her label and looking after daughter Rubika Anne, who recently turned one.
"It wasn't that long I had him home last time but it's helpful to have that extra set of hands when it comes to the evening with feeding time and bathing time," the 31-year-old, left with Mitchell, said. "I will probably try to make a trip over to see him at some point, maybe when he moves on to India."
Bratich-Johnson was referring to the upcoming Twenty20 Indian Premier League competition, which had its player auction earlier this week and saw Mitchell pocket $1.15 million as the most in-demand Aussie cricketer.
But in the meantime, the doting mother said she was happy to be celebrating Valentine's Day today with her growing daughter. "I will definitely swap her in," she laughed.
Bratich-Johnson will send her menswear designs down the runway for the first time at the Designer Capsule Two show on March 29 as part of Joondalup's Urban Couture festival.
Mitchell Johnson wearing one of his wife's designs. Picture: Supplied
