From a Handful of Bags to a WA Fashion Award Finalist: The House of Hide Story
Two sisters. A handful of bags. And a very good reason to celebrate.
House of Hide is a finalist in the Fashion Industry Award at the 33rd Belmont & Western Australian Small Business Awards 2026. We’re proud, excited and already thinking about what to wear.
But before the awards night, there’s a story worth sharing. Because House of Hide didn’t begin with a big launch or a perfectly mapped-out plan. It started small, with a love of beautiful leather goods and the willingness to give something a go.
How it started: Renae, a few bags and an idea
Renae Huntley founded House of Hide in October 2023. She loved travel and finding beautiful, unusual leather pieces, especially the kind you discover by meeting the people who make them.
The idea was to source directly from artisans overseas, choosing pieces with character rather than buying the same off-the-shelf stock as everyone else.
The first collection was tiny: five or six bags, a handful of leather slides and shoes, and a small selection of jewellery. No warehouse. No grand unveiling. Just Renae backing her own taste and taking the first step.
There was a website, but online sales weren’t taking off. Her sister Julia Huntley suggested getting out in front of people instead.
The festival weekend that changed things
Within a month, a market setup had come together: a marquee, flags, tablecloths and packaging. They applied for the Bridgetown Blues Festival and took their little collection into a three-by-three-metre stall.
That first weekend showed Renae what the business could become. People could see the pieces up close, feel the leather and have a proper conversation with the women behind the stall.
After Julia helped over the weekend, Renae offered her a choice of payment: cash, stock, babysitting or a share in the business.
Julia chose the share. And just like that, House of Hide became a two-sister business.
For Julia, who had been ready for a change in her own working life, it opened a new direction. For both sisters, it became something they could build together while raising families and keeping their other careers going.
Sisters first. Business partners, too.
Renae brings the creative eye: sourcing, styling and spotting pieces that feel different. Julia brings communication, customer relationships, event applications and the behind-the-scenes work that keeps orders moving.
They have opinions. They challenge each other. They also know when to back each other and get on with it.
Family life hasn’t sat neatly outside the business. It’s been right there alongside it: children at markets, husbands helping load trailers, family babysitting and late-night packing. The workload shifts with whatever season of life each sister is in.
It’s not always tidy. It is very much theirs.
Fashion first. Country at heart.
House of Hide has grown into an Australian western lifestyle brand, with leather bags, boots, jackets, hats and accessories for our Dust & Dreamers.
The approach is still taste-led. Renae and Julia choose what they genuinely love, not what a trend forecast tells them to buy. They travel to meet makers and source handmade pieces in small quantities, looking for the details that make you ask, “Where did you get that?”
That’s the feeling behind our leather bags: texture, tooling, fringe and character, with options for everyday wear as well as making an entrance.
Our jackets bring the same personality to an outfit. A western edge, a statement detail, a piece to throw over denim or a dress and take along for the ride.
Customers have helped shape the range, too. Requests for different colours, straps, fringe details and fit adjustments have become part of the conversation. Custom boots and jackets let us work directly with artisans to bring personal ideas to life, including wedding boots made for a very different kind of walk down the aisle.
Built with our regional community
Markets, festivals, agricultural shows and rodeos across Western Australia have been part of House of Hide from the beginning.
Those face-to-face conversations matter. They help us understand what people love, what they’re looking for and what they can’t find elsewhere. Regulars come back to see us, follow where we’re heading next and add another piece to their wardrobe.
We believe living outside Perth shouldn’t mean missing out on interesting fashion. Bringing House of Hide to regional communities is part of who we are, not just another place to set up a stall.
The communities that welcomed those early stalls are still part of the story today. So are the WA small businesses we work with for printing, signage, branding, photography and creative projects.
About the Belmont & Western Australian Small Business Awards
Now in their 33rd year, the awards celebrate businesses in Belmont, across metropolitan Perth and throughout regional Western Australia. The 2026 program includes 22 categories, spanning fashion, customer service, sustainability, innovation and creativity, community spirit, international trade and business leadership.
The awards are coordinated by Belmont Business Enterprise Centre Inc. (Belmont BEC), with major support from the City of Belmont and the Textile Clothing Footwear Resource Centre of WA Inc. (TCFWA).
Established in 1994, Belmont BEC is a not-for-profit organisation offering training, mentoring, networking and business support. The finalist announcement reports that it has supported more than 36,500 individuals in Belmont, WA, Australia and beyond.
TCFWA was established in 1998 and supports designers, creatives and textile, clothing and footwear businesses. Its work includes fashion business skills development, export training and mentoring, industry networks, and sustainable fashion and circular economy topics.
Our category, the Fashion Industry Award, is supported by the TCF Australia Export Project & MY Fashion Incubator. Being named a finalist feels especially meaningful for a business that began with a small collection and has found its own place in Australian western style.
Next stop: Night of the Stars
Winners will be announced at the Night of the Stars on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, in the Grand Ballroom at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The ceremony runs from 6:00pm to 8:30pm, with doors opening at 5:50pm. The evening includes VIP speakers, a fashion parade, entertainment, savouries and drinks. All finalists will be invited onto the stage to receive their finalist certificates.
The dress code is cocktail or lounge suit. A good excuse to dress up, if we needed one.
This milestone is yours, too
To everyone who has bought a bag, tried on a jacket, trusted us with a custom piece, stopped at our stall or told a friend about House of Hide: thank you.
Thank you to Belmont BEC, the category supporters and the organisations making space to celebrate WA small business.
We’re proud to be finalists. Whatever happens on the big night, this is a chapter worth celebrating.
From five or six bags to this. Not bad for giving it a go.
Explore our jackets and shop our bags to find your own piece of the House of Hide story.