Tell us about your new Facebook forum?
you’ll find each season.”
You’ve always been conscious of making your sizing inclusive – how important is that to you? “The fashion industry has come a long way in my 17 years but when I first started out, I encountered ageism and shapeism, which naturally led women to feeling intimidated and disempowered to express themselves. I'm so glad the industry has embraced a much more forward-thinking attitude towards the wonder of the human body. “Since the beginning, I've designed to make women feel good about themselves. Every woman has the right to feel beautiful, no matter her age, shape, size or colour, and when I'm creating a new collection, I want my designs to allow them to feel just that. Fashion should be all about celebrating a woman’s unique identity and celebrating all forms. “We’ve recently extended our size architecture both ways, we now serve from XXS-4XL. You’ll find re- worked kaftan silhouettes, beautiful dresses, blouses and trouser options that are specifically designed to fit and celebrate the feminine form. We’ve made them specifically for bigger busts, smaller frames and all the different body shapes in between, which is the core of our brand; inclusivity!”
“CAMILLA has a strong community and loyal following and we really wanted to stay connected to them. We created a Facebook forum, CAMILLA Tribe, where our retail angels can connect and engage with our tribe of customers. It is a beautiful space that is thriving with genuine connection and creativity – we're seeing daily posts of different ways to style CAMILLA – from headscarf challenges, to new collection pieces and, of course, old treasures!”
Who is the CAMILLA woman?
“The CAMILLA woman wraps herself in all the colours of life. She embraces the rhythm of her world and everything that comes with it. She is wild at heart, an adventure seeker and she is brave and brazen enough to challenge the status quo. “My brand has always been about celebrating the strength, courage and determination of women. Putting on a CAMILLA piece transforms our customer’s mindset, allowing them to be their most authentic, beautiful self and step into their magic.” Have you introduced any pieces to reflect the new leisurewear mood in the wake of the pandemic? “For me, the CAMILLA brand has always been about expressing yourself and your style, whenever you wanted to and feeling fabulous doing it. We’ve seen our tribe enjoying that freedom of expression throughout these difficult times. We might be pairing our embellished silk pieces with a comfy pair of Uggs but we’re still rocking our favourite pieces. On the top half anyway! “You have to stay nimble and adapt each and every day. There was a call for comfortable, relaxed pieces – fashion pieces that looked good but also made you feel good. As such, you’ll find a new edit, Zenwear, that reimagines some of our favourite prints from seasons past into modern active and lounge silhouettes. The perfect mix of comfort and cool, our Zenwear speaks to every type of Zen. “You’ll also find more graphic hoodies, embellished tees and printed leggings in our wider ready-to-wear collection now. These more relaxed pieces are offset by our limited edition, heavily embellished pieces that
How did you start out in the fashion industry?
“It’s crazy to think it's been 17 years now and what a beautiful, colourful, sometimes slightly terrifying rollercoaster it has been. Before finishing school, I created an events business. It was my first foray into a world of unknown and I loved the frenetic pace, the people I met and the experiences I had. Then, I was convinced I wanted to act. My love for rich characters and the stories that stay with you long after the curtain falls…And then, of course, the costumes were where my love for design was seeded. “I began sewing kaftans and kimonos to slip into backstage and my friends began asking me to make pieces for them. They must have been a fantastic walking advertisement because suddenly, I had people in the industry calling me asking for costumes and rehearsal threads. That threw me into a world I knew nothing about. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. It was a ‘screw it, let’s do it’ attitude.
M illi O n A ir magazine
Powered by FlippingBook