With a background in fashion, including running a womenswear brand in South Africa, stewardess Maxine Muller continued to be dissatisfied with the uniforms she had to wear on board. Although making uniforms seems like a natural progression, it wasn’t until an ex-chief stew asked her to design two evening dresses for the large interior team that the idea would become a reality. Pure Shores Apparel launched in May 2024, offering customized uniforms tailored to individual needs.
Maxine sketched a few designs and connected with Claire Mackenzie, who she met eight years whilst working for the same fashion designer and has since worked with on many projects. Claire helped transform those ideas into beautiful uniforms, and within a few months, Maxine was serving guests in the uniform they had designed.
“Claire plays a pivotal role in developing the designs I create for my own brand, and with me being abroad for most of the year, a reliable and talented partner is what I needed to efficiently run Pure Shores Apparel,” Maxine shares. “I initially pitched the idea to Claire when I was asked to design a uniform for a boat I had previously worked on, and after such a wonderful reception to our designs, we knew we had a good product on our hands!”
Their initial collection focuses on the female seafarer, integrating style and comfort into their garments. All the designs are customizable and there are no minimum order quantities, allowing Pure Shores to cater to small and larger yachts.
“We always consider the needs of women in the industry and what will help them feel the most capable of performing their duties,” Maxine says. “We offer a tailored experience, whereby our clients can design their dream uniform with us.”
They plan to create more pieces to round out the current collection and offer menswear as well, along with sourcing more sustainable and innovative fabrics in a larger range of colors and textures.
All the products are made in Durban, South Africa, 15 minutes from where Maxine and Claire live so they’re able to be present for the production and inspect the garments throughout the manufacturing process. For immediate orders or a quote, visit: pureshoresapparel.com