? Rebecca Vallance: I am so honoured to be the recipient of the People’s Choice Award at the Australian Fashion Laureate 2022. Over 12 years ago, when I started Rebecca Vallance and was living in London, I would never have dreamed that the business would be where it is today, and it’s all thanks to our customers. Our customers are truly what drive me. When designing, I always have them front of mind. I want them to always feel the best version of themselves when wearing a Rebecca Vallance piece. I am also so grateful to have such incredible and talented people in my team. Some have even been with me since the early days around my kitchen table as young people and now head up departments 12 years later. I want my customers to feel as though they are a part of a community when purchasing a Rebecca Vallance piece. Designer, founder and CEO, Rebecca Vallance. Source: Supplied IR: What has the past year been like for Rebecca Vallance?  RV: This past year has been a big one for growth at Rebecca Vallance, both in Australia and internationally. We recently became stocked in the UK. We are also looking to expand our retail presence internationally, with bricks-and-mortar stores in London and New York. IR: How has the luxury fashion space changed since Covid-19? What new opportunities or challenges do you see in this space? RV: The fashion industry was one of many badly affected by Covid, it was a great time for us to sit back as a business and look at everything we were doing. As a brand, we did pivot during this time, to launch a casual and sportif line. However, in a post-Covid world, we are seeing a return to celebrating occasions, big and small, as well as dressing up and having fun with fashion, bringing a whole new dimension to the joy of getting dressed. For our post-pandemic collections, think sequins, diamante trims, exaggerated silhouettes, and pops of colour. We want our customers to feel like they are the most glamorous person in the room. IR: You recently launched your first collection of children’s clothing. What was the thinking behind that? And do you plan to enter any other new categories in the future? RV: Creating a line of little girls’ dresses to sit alongside our ready-to-wear collections was always a dream of mine. When designing our most recent Resort collection, I found our palette and prints easily lent themselves to a childrenswear capsule. They are fun and adorable adaptations of our Resort collection that can be enjoyed by mother and daughter. I have two little boys but the natural progression for the brand is a little girls’ collection, also to be tied back to our Resort collection. For every brand extension that we do, it’s always important to me that it’s a natural evolution. This year, we are launching an Essentials category, which will include our signature structured tailored suits in more neutral, classic tones, as well as camisoles and tanks to be paired with some of our bolder pants or skirts. Source: Supplied IR: What are your top priorities for the business in 2023?  RV: Rebecca Vallance continues to grow globally. It has recently been stocked in Joseph in London, and soon will be in Selfridges there as well. We continue to see huge growth in the US and European markets. It’s exciting for an Australian brand to have continued success on a global scale. We also have an international retail roll out coming for 2023. IR: What is your overall attitude about the year ahead and why?  RV: We are very optimistic at Rebecca Vallance. We have an amazing team that is growing each day and working hard to deliver the best for our customers. Long term, we’d love to continue to build on our international presence as we commence our international retail roll out. This article was originally published in the 2023 Australian Retail Outlook, powered by KPMG. Download here.