Captain Robbo is an independent clothing and textile label founded by artist and designer Katy Robinson in Melbourne, Australia.

Captain Robbo began in 2009 in a small studio space in Brunswick. Since then, Katy has grown the business through various studios, markets and retail spaces. Since 2021, Captain Robbo has been based on High Street in Northcote, where she continues to create original textile prints inspired by Australian plants, landscapes, travel and the natural world. Drawing on a background in printmaking, designs begin as drawings, photographs, paintings and other artworks before being developed into textiles, clothing and wearable art.

Most Captain Robbo garments are hand screen printed by Katy and her team in the Northcote studio, while others are produced in small batches with carefully selected makers in India. Alongside clothing, the collection includes limited-edition textiles, accessories, jewellery and one-of-a-kind pieces created from vintage and reclaimed materials.

At the heart of Captain Robbo is a belief that clothing should be comfortable, expressive and made to be lived in. Every print tells a story, and every piece is created with creativity, curiosity and a sense of adventure. No new synthetic or polyester fabrics are ever used in the work, for the comfort of the wearer and to reduce environmental impact.

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Captain Robbo acknowledges that we live, work and create on what always was and always will be the Wurundjeri lands of the Kulin nations. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, as well as the wider community and beyond.

Why Captain Robbo

"Robbo" began as a nickname while Katy was studying printmaking in the 2000s. The "Captain" part comes from a love of sailing and the idea of charting your own course.

What began as a creative experiment making printed leggings for herself and her friends gradually grew into Captain Robbo. Over the years the collection has expanded to include clothing, textiles, jewellery and one-of-a-kind pieces, but the original idea remains the same: to create comfortable, expressive clothing with original artwork at its heart.

To be captain of one's own ship requires equal parts creativity, perseverance and stubborn optimism. Thanks for coming along for the ride.

Katy xx