Who would have thought coming up with a new twist on the humble T-shirt would catapult two girls from Sydney's northern beaches on to the international radar of fashion megastore Barneys in New York? Let alone into the pages of British Vogue in this year's September issue.

And for former Ksubi designers Deborah Sams and Mary Lou Ryan, that's just the start of the story. Their luxury basics label, Bassike, has also been taken on by high-end e-tailer Net-a-Porter, where it sells "amazingly well" alongside the likes of Givenchy and Balenciaga, founder Natalie Massenet says.

Ryan says of the brand that is made in Australia and uses organic fabrics where possible: "We saw an opportunity to create a locally produced line of wardrobe staples that had more of an edge to it and that sat in the higher end of the market."

Sams, who grew up in Palm Beach, says supporting the local industry was a key part of the decision to open the duo's stand-alone store in Avalon.

"All of our jersey and a few of our denim pieces are organic and we are working towards using more throughout the entire collection, as it's the one thing we thought we could do for the environment," she says.

"There is such a swing towards China and offshore production and it has almost destroyed the industry. It is important to us to support local manufacturing and one of our factories has had to double its capacity to keep up with us."

The whole laid-back, surf-driven vibe, say its creators, is also a good fit with the casualness of the brand, which also has a successful online presence and is stocked in more than 50 stores nationwide, including hip boutiques such as Incu, Poepke and The Corner Shop in Sydney.

Also, the collection recently made its first drop into London's Liberty department store. "The girls have a real understanding of all things fit, detail and aesthetic; I want every piece of the collection in two colours," Australian-born creative consultant for Liberty in London, Yasmin Sewell, says.

And this month Bassike will make its exclusive launch into the notoriously difficult US market, at the famous department store Barneys. There's also been a celebrity endorsement: French actress Charlotte Gainsbourg has requested Bassike for her new flick, which is being shot in Queensland.

Ryan and Sams have just returned from their first trip to Paris, where they showed their range during fashion week.

"We showed at Tranoi, which is a trade show that most buyers from the world descend on, and we picked up quite a few new accounts and had call-outs from UK Vogue and Grazia magazine," Ryan says.

While Bassike is the master of solutions for every day, the vision to become a complete lifestyle brand has brought about two new lines: Bassike Premium – a capsule collection of even more luxurious basics – plus a ready-to-wear line that features sexy one-shoulder dresses, tuxedo jackets with tails, cropped zip jackets and suede stretch leggings.

The Avalon store is also brimming with chic lifestyle products and accessories, including Jerome Dreyfuss handbags and Miller & Bertaux candles and fragrances. "We want to manage the growth of our business so we don't get out of control," Ryan says. "However, we have an amazing team of people working with us and are excited about where we are heading."

Natasha Silva-Jelly