Talented Melbourne designer, Anna Campbell, is taking the Australian fashion world by storm and at the tender age of 23, it’s only just the beginning.
Known for her beautifully elegant and very feminine designs that celebrate the female silhouette, Anna was named a Melbourne finalist in Sydney’s highly acclaimed Chambord Shine Awards and also just celebrated the opening of her new boutique in Brunswick, Melbourne. Anna shares the inspiration behind her collections and tells us what being a fashion designer is really like.
When did you realise you wanted to be a fashion designer?
I really just fell into fashion. My high school had an incredible arts area, and in Year 11 I started textiles, and majored in wearable art. I also focused on life drawing, and printmaking, and had a tough time choosing between fashion, costume and print.
How would you describe your own style?
My personal style is related a lot to our label. It’s about accentuating the female figure; showing off beautiful waistlines and curves. I love wearing heels and a lot of lace.
What is a typical day like for Anna Campbell?
Unfortunately, it’s not as glamorous as most people would think. I work in the boutique one day a week, which is definitely my favourite day. I enjoy working with clients one on one. Most of the time I am on the phone, or answering emails, writing invoices, and following up accounts. The designing, photo shoots, and generally fun and glamorous parts are few and far between.
Where do you draw your inspiration?
Inspiration can come from anything and anywhere. Collections in the past have been inspired by things like the new flowers blooming for spring, from a certain era; our last collection was inspired when designing the interior of our boutique which has a 1920s art Deco vintage feeling about it. I have sketch books that we constantly relate back to, and in them we record any new ideas or inspirations. Sometimes something that I have drawn 2 – 3 years ago and forgotten about suddenly becomes relevant to a range.
Where do you source your materials?
We are lucky enough to wholesale the majority of fabrics locally. We have just started importing the most exquisite embellishments from India, which will feature in our Winter 2011 range. We will still keep our production here in Melbourne though.
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