Kate Ford’s eponymous resort-wear label is only two years old, but prior to its launch, the Sydney designer spent years working for an array of high-end design houses and travelling the globe in search of inspiration. We asked Kate to share some of her sage advice on what it takes to work in the fast-paced fashion industry, and how she runs her business.

What kinds of jobs have you had in the past, and how did they prepare you for your current role? My first brand began as a university project – I made delicate lingerie by hand, using offcuts of vintage French lace – but it quickly became an international success. It pushed me into the industry at age 20. Upon finishing my degree, I secured my first full-time role as a design assistant where I was designing high-end accessories. Then, I moved on to working within the design team of another high-end Australian designer who was very print-heavy, followed by a couple more high-end Australian designers where I was working in resort wear. I was working until COVID hit and then I decided to go out on my own and work for myself.

Working in the high-end Australian fashion industry is extremely fast-paced and very timeline-crucial. This industry really thickens your skin, but also teaches you to just get on with things as there is no time to dwell on mistakes or issues. This truly did set me up for becoming my own boss and running a company.

How do you come up with your designs? I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to travel a lot over the years, from the cobbled streets of Paris to the sparkling coastline of LA. A lot of my designs are inspired by countries, places or specific moments in my life that hold a special place in my heart. This is reflected through the prints, colours, trims and feminine shapes we choose season after season.

Do you consider trends? I can truly say KATE FORD does not follow trends. One thing I have learnt from working in the high-end fashion industry is that we are the ones setting the trends and that you need to be true to your brand DNA. We do what works for our brand and for myself as a designer and business owner. We listen to our customers and our stockists, and deliver what our customer is asking for and what KATE FORD wants to be known for.

What was the most challenging part of starting your own fashion label? The most challenging part was starting a high-end label during COVID and selling wholesale digitally to buyers who were not able to view the product in person – they bought into the brand through digital assets. During this time, we chose to shoot our first campaign over in the US, as Australia was in lockdown. Thinking back, it was crazy, although we took a risk and it did work!

My most recent challenge is becoming a working mum. I had been working on launching KATE FORD for a year, and found out two weeks prior to the launch that I was pregnant with twins. I spent the year getting employees and practices in place to help the business continue while I found my feet. I then found myself working in the hospital the minute I gave birth. It hasn’t stopped but I can say maternity leave does not exist when you’re your own boss!

What approach do you use when it comes to pricing your products? We work extremely closely with our sales agents in Australia and internationally to ensure KATE FORD is competitively priced and also priced correctly for our loyal stockists. We are always looking to improve pricing to ensure our quality is reflected, not necessarily for our company to make a profit. We are about the end consumer wearing KATE FORD and keeping a piece in their wardrobe for years to come.

How do you incorporate sustainable practices into your garments? The fashion industry accounts for a staggering percentage of the world’s landfill, and we’re passionate about combating that by minimising waste at every touchpoint of our process. From conception, all our womenswear has been made with natural fabrics, such as cotton, silk, ramie and linen. Synthetic fibres only make up two per cent of our fabrications and are only used on pleated styles for functional reasons. 

I have personally visited every fair-trade factory we work with at KATE FORD. Meeting the makers and seeing how the whole manufacturing process operates from end-to-end on the ground is incredibly important to me and the ethical credentials of the brand. I am a big advocate for handmade items and this is why we love to work directly with artisans who are extremely talented in many fields.

What’s one piece of advice you’d share with someone who wants to start their own fashion label? Be willing to make mistakes and learn from them, and work hard without losing the passion for what you love.

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