Fairholme Fashion and Equestrian Couture: Liberty Clark (Fairholme Old Girl 2022)
March 24, 2025
Liberty Clark | 2022 | Black House | Boarder
Cheval Liberté the Label is turning heads in the equestrian world for its unique blend of sustainability, style, and performance.
The brains behind the brand? Liberty Clark, a former Fairholme College Equestrian Captain who has turned her childhood passion into a thriving business.
‘Being part of the Fairholme Equestrian team was such a rewarding experience,’ she says. ‘It deepened my love for riding and also gave me an appreciation for how much quality gear matters. That understanding became a cornerstone of Cheval Liberté.’
Her idea for an equestrian fashion label first emerged in 2019, when she was a Year 9 student at Fairholme. ‘I’d spend hours sketching designs and pinning them to my wall. At that stage, it was just a dream,’ she recalls.
By Years 11 and 12, the dream became more tangible. She credits Fairholme’s fashion program and her teacher, Ms Mandi-Joy Miese, for helping bring her vision to life.
‘We had a project to create a brand in Grade 12, and that’s when I thought, “Why not use my equestrian label idea?” Ms Miese was incredibly supportive,’ she says.
After graduating, she decided to take a gap year to save money and focus on her vision. ‘It was scary at first, but I thought, ‘What have I got to lose?” ’
Cheval Liberté’s mission is simple: to provide eco-friendly, high-performance equestrian wear. From sourcing sustainable fabrics to using biodegradable packaging, the brand is designed with the planet in mind.
‘I wanted every aspect of the label to reflect my values,’ she explains. ‘Fairholme taught me a lot about the importance of responsible practices in fashion, and I carried that with me.’
The brand’s baselayers are a testament to her commitment. Offering UV50+ protection and moisture-wicking technology, they’re designed for comfort, safety, and durability.
‘Sourcing sustainable fabrics that meet the performance needs of riders wasn’t easy,’ she admits. ‘But the challenge has been worth it.’
The journey hasn’t been without its hurdles. During the sampling phase, she had to find a new manufacturer when her original partner couldn’t meet her design expectations. ‘It was a major setback,’ she says. ‘But it taught me resilience and adaptability—key lessons I learned at Fairholme.’
Launching her brand has brought many proud moments. ‘Seeing riders at events wearing my designs is surreal,’ she says. ‘Hearing positive feedback, especially about the quality of our fabrics, makes it all worthwhile.’
With plans to expand into men’s equestrian wear and offer inclusive sizing, the future looks bright for Cheval Liberté. ‘I’d love to open a boutique one day,’ she says. ‘For now, I’m focused on creating designs that help every rider feel confident and comfortable.’
She hopes her journey inspires others to pursue their passions. ‘Life is short. If you are reading this and thinking about creating your own brand or pursuing a career that’s outside the traditional path, that’s perfectly okay,’ she advises.
Reflecting on her time at Fairholme, she credits the school for giving her the tools to succeed. ‘Fairholme taught me the value of hard work, resilience, and organisation,’ she says. ‘Those lessons have been crucial as I’ve juggled university, running my label, competitive riding, and part-time work.’
For Liberty, blending her love of fashion and equestrian sports with a focus on sustainability has been a dream come true. Cheval Liberté the Label isn’t just a business; it’s a reflection of her values and a way to make a meaningful impact. As she looks to the future, Liberty remains driven by her belief that with passion and determination, even the boldest dreams can become reality.
To explore Liberty’s designs and learn more about her journey, vis it Cheval Liberté the Label online at chevallibertethelabel.com
or follow the brand on social media for the latest updates and collections.
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Fairholme College is delighted to welcome Mr Mitch Koina as our new Coordinator of High Performance Coaching. Bringing more than a decade of experience across diverse educational settings, Mitch joins the community with a strong commitment to student wellbeing, participation, and performance. ‘This is my 12th year of teaching,’ Mitch shares. ‘I’ve done a range of different contexts now, I did two years down at Lockyer District High School, I then spent six years at St Mary’s College before moving to St Josephs, where I’ve been for the last three years. Now obviously I’ve made my way over to Fairholme which I’m really excited about.’ It was both the College’s reputation and the scope of the role that drew Mitch to Fairholme. ‘Fairholme is a very prestigious college, it’s got a great name and reputation,’ he said. ‘The role itself is really exciting for me. I’ve got a passion for fitness and particularly looking after the wellbeing of young girls, whether that be on the sporting field or with their social aspect, academics, just all round developing good girls on and off the court.’ A strong advocate for pastoral care, Mitch brings valuable leadership experience to the position. ‘I did a Head of House role at St Mary’s for three and a half years, so pastoral care has always been my calling so it’s great to tie in the sporting aspect as well as wellbeing,’ he explained. His philosophy centres on the connection between student wellbeing and performance. ‘It’s all dependant on each other. If we’ve got girls who are happy and their wellbeing is flourishing, then they are doing well on the sporting field and vice versa too.’ Looking ahead, Mitch is focused on building both excellence and enjoyment within the program. ‘I would love to get participation rates very high. We have a lot of elite athletes here that I want to achieve and do really well, but I also want to work on girls enjoying their training, coming in and having a nice vibe around the sporting field and the training.’ Importantly, Mitch emphasises that success looks different for every student. ‘We’re not all Australian representatives, but if girls are working really hard and achieving to the best of their potential, whatever level that may be in the sporting arena, I think that’s a program we can be very proud of.’ As he begins his journey at Fairholme, Mitch is eager to connect with the community. ‘I’m really excited to be a part of Fairholme, it is a great opportunity. The staff and the students have been fantastic to me so far, but as the weeks go on, I’m really looking forward to getting to know the girls and building some relationships from there.’ We warmly welcome Mitch to Fairholme and look forward to the energy, care, and expertise he will bring to our High Performance Sports program.
What inspired you to apply for the Prefect for Sport position? I was inspired to go for this position as I have seen the passion that Fairholme as a community has for sport, and the true love and respect the staff have for athletes at the college. I wanted to work closely with the girls and staff to help progressing sport at Fairholme. Do you have a favourite sport? My favourite sport is touch football. It has given me so very much and I am forever grateful. What has been your proudest sporting moment so far? My proudest sporting moment so far was being fortunate enough to represent my country in the sport I love most. Who has been your biggest influence or role model in sport? My biggest role model in sport has to my parents. They never fail to push me towards things that might seem out of my comfort zone or scary. They constantly support me through everything and influence me to be the best version of myself on and off the field. What are you hoping to achieve this year as Prefect for Sport? I aim to inspire everyone to just have a go. By the end of my final year at Fairholme I hope I can inspire people to just get o ut of their comfort zones and try something new. What advice would you give your Year 7 self? I would tell my Year 7 self that in the big picture no one is going to judge you for trying your hardest and giving things ago! And not to put too much pressure on yourself! Do you hope to pursue sport after school? I wish to continue to play sport at a high level after school. whether that is through touch or rugby. Sport is a very important part of my life that will hopefully continue well after I leave school.
How long have you been involved in The Arts at Fairholme? Since I began here in Year 7, but before then I started playing piano and violin in Year 5. I have participated in a number of ensembles within the school and greatly enjoyed each of these. What does being the Prefect for The Arts mean to you? Personally, I think that being the Prefect for The Arts is primarily a role in which I can help to support other girls. I’m a designated person that girls can come to if they have any questions or concerns with anything regarding extracurricular artistic involvement, and I do a little to help with running some of the artistic aspects around the school, such as finding girls to volunteer for busking at events. But mostly, I think it is about being a positive promoter for the arts, and encouraging other girls to expand their world view to include creativity. Which art form do you enjoy most (e.g. music, drama, visual art, dance etc)? My main art form that I participate in is instrumental music, through my involvement in a few ensembles within the school on violin and piano. However, other art forms, like dancing during March Pasts or singing Shine Jesus Shine are pretty fun too. Do you have a most memorable Arts experience? I think that one of the most memorable Arts experiences that I have had has been at events where I have accompanied my grade, like when all the Year 11’s last year sung at the Valedictorian dinner and I played piano along with other instrumentalists in my grade, Tilly Anderson and Emma Salter. However, I think the most enjoyable Arts experience that I have had is playing Jingle Bell Rock at the boarding Christmas dinner last year, when the rest of my cohort stood around the piano singing. I felt that this was one of those excellent examples of how music can bring people together. What advice would you give to students who might be nervous about joining an arts activity? I would say that it is always worth giving something new a go. You’re much more likely to regret the chances you never took than the ones you do. I’m a strong believer that being involved in any form of extra-curricular activity is so beneficial for everyone; it expands your world view, you meet new people, and get outside your comfort zone. Each individual has something they are good at, and how are you going to find out what that is if you don’t try? Do you hope to continue with The Arts after school? Definitely. It has become such a big part of my life, and I honestly get so much enjoyment out of it. The great thing about the arts is that they are things that you can do at any time of your life. You’re never too old, that’s a skill you have for life. Other people can also get so much enjoyment out of the artistic abilities of others. Who doesn’t love to have someone who can sit around the camp-fire and play guitar, or create a beautiful piece of artwork?
