Shona Joy History: From Bondi Market Stall to Bridal Favourite

Shona Joy is a Sydney fashion label founded in 2000 by Shona Joy Thatcher. It began as a market stall selling hand-painted designs at Bondi Beach and Paddington, grew into a department store brand at David Jones, and is now an international label known for occasion, bridesmaid and bridal dressing, with wholesale accounts in 21 countries by FY21/22. This is the Shona Joy story, year by year, from the sources that recorded it.

Before 2000: textile design and market stalls

Shona Joy Thatcher, born in Melbourne, studied textile design and worked as a design assistant at the Australian labels Charlie Brown and Marcs. Thatcher also sold at the Spitalfields and Portobello markets in London before the label took shape in Sydney. Read more in our profile of the founder.

2000: Bondi Beach and Paddington

Shona Joy began in 2000 with hand-painted designs sold from market stalls at Bondi Beach and Paddington in Sydney. An early capsule of hand-painted t-shirts for Belinda Seper’s Corner Shop in Paddington was bought by Christy Turlington in every colour, as Thatcher later told Forbes. The first full collection sold into David Jones, the label’s first major department store stockist.

2016 and 2017: going international

By 2017 Shona Joy had more than 150 Australian stockists, including David Jones, and 2016 had seen the beginnings of its expansion into the American and Asian markets, according to a profile by FBI Fashion College.

2020: twenty years and La Lune

Shona Joy marked its 20th anniversary in 2020. Forbes reported that the label was then producing five ready-to-wear collections a year, with stockists including Harrods, Revolve, Intermix, Harvey Nichols and Bloomingdale’s, and a wedding edit alongside its bridesmaid dresses. The La Lune collection, now the label’s signature event line, was on its website by August 2020.

2021: Australian Fashion Week and Second Nature

In June 2021 Shona Joy presented a virtual runway for Fall Winter 2021 at Afterpay Australian Fashion Week, filmed on Green Island at Manyana on the New South Wales coast. The same year it began mapping its Tier 1 supply chain partners and introduced a supplier code of conduct. Its FY21/22 impact report, under the sustainability programme it calls Second Nature, recorded 65 staff and 189 wholesale accounts in 21 countries.

2023: a Sydney Harbour runway and a Dubai pop-up

On 21 September 2023 Shona Joy staged its own runway for the Le Long de la Côte collection at the Overseas Passenger Terminal on Sydney Harbour. The same year it opened its first international pop-up store, in Dubai.

2024: a bridal relaunch and new leadership

Shona Joy launched a new bridal collection globally on 2 January 2024, and in September 2024 it followed with the LUMINOUS bridal collection, which included a bridal trench coat. In November 2024 the company promoted its chief operating officer to chief executive, with Thatcher continuing as founder. The brand reported that its US business had grown 24 times since 2017 and its Middle East business 41 times. Our Shona Joy bridal guide covers the current bridal range.

2025 and 2026: twenty-five years

Shona Joy marked 25 years in 2025. In 2026 the label continues to sell online in Australia and the United States and through stockists including David Jones, THE ICONIC, Revolve and Bloomingdale’s, while running no stores of its own. Its Fall 2026 collection, covered in our Fall 2026 edit, leans on lace, satin and a deep burgundy called Wine Tasting. Our guide on where to buy Shona Joy lists the current stockists.

Shona Joy timeline

• 2000: Shona Joy Thatcher founds the label at the Bondi Beach and Paddington markets in Sydney.
• Soon after: the first collection sells into David Jones.
• 2016: expansion into the American and Asian markets begins.
• 2020: 20th anniversary; La Lune is on the brand’s website by August.
• 2021: virtual runway at Afterpay Australian Fashion Week.
• 2023: Le Long de la Côte runway on Sydney Harbour; first international pop-up, in Dubai.
• 2024: new bridal collection in January, LUMINOUS bridal in September, a new chief executive in November.
• 2025: 25th anniversary.

Frequently asked questions

When was Shona Joy founded?
In 2000, when Shona Joy Thatcher began selling hand-painted designs at the Bondi Beach and Paddington markets in Sydney.

Is Shona Joy an Australian brand?
Yes. Shona Joy is an Australian label, founded and headquartered in Sydney.

How old is Shona Joy?
Shona Joy celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2025.

When did Shona Joy start making bridal?
Shona Joy had a wedding edit by 2020, launched a new bridal collection in January 2024 and added the LUMINOUS bridal collection in September 2024.

Has Shona Joy shown at Australian Fashion Week?
Yes. It presented a virtual runway at Afterpay Australian Fashion Week in June 2021.