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In Conversation with Natalie // Pom Pom Boutique
"Pom Pom is a combination of all things lovely over 36 years. It was a lifetime of curtain calls, many loving years of business, and marriage with a partner that can realize dreams. There were unbelievable losses both personal and financial and wonderful triumphs. Pom Pom will never be a grand salon of Paris, but it can offer a customer warmth and mesmerizing style. We know the part by heart on this business stage and hope to get a standing ovation a good deal of the time."
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In Conversation with Bianca // Biophilia
"Our design process is to treat each project as unique. Projects are most successful when there exists a trusting, open collaboration between all of the parties involved in the design and build process. I believe the general design consciousness is becoming more attuned to the importance of landscape and natural elements to the enjoyment and health of the people that will be living in the space."
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In Conversation with Talia // Love Medals
"Be open to what makes sense. If you need to adjust and shift gears, do it, and if you can find a way to be excited about it, even better. Victoria has a strong sense of community. Connect with people who believe in what you’re doing and build your support team. Think creatively and always be open to opportunities, as you never know where they can lead. Dr. Bonnie Henry wearing a Love Medal on TV was a result of an email to a friend about new postcards I needed printed. Random!"
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In Conversation with Khloe // Amelia Lee Boutique
"I did what I had to do to keep my business going and my children fed. I had to lay off my entire staff and could not pay rent at one of my locations for two months. I was hit hard financially, but because of all the hard decisions I made during closure, it allowed me to reopen both the stores now. I find strength because I have two beautiful children, an incredible team of women that work for me, and a community that I call home. I do it for everyone."
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In Conversation with Alison & Darian // Noanoko
"We don't tend to look at trends – I have never worked that way. It feels as though you aren't growing, reaching or challenging yourself as a designer if you only talk about what's current or on trend. The more important focus to me is how can we create something which draws people in, or how do we re-interpret a specific design detail, and so on. Be aware of your industry at large but try to interpret what that looks like for your own brand or company. Never copy."
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In Conversation with Ariel & Jess // Iyé Creative
"During this COVID crisis, the inequalities within oppressed communities increased exponentially, unveiling the incapacity of the system to distribute the wealth and work on systemic issues. Taking accountability in this historical time in humankind, we started to create different garden beds in our backyard to limit our dependence on grocery stores and stop supporting the international agricultural business. In our search for answers about how to give people tools of liberation, we found out that gardening is a resilient act to re-connect ourselves with the land, and prioritize a food justice model that serves all living beings, especially our Black brothers and sisters who are usually left at the bottom.…
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In Conversation with Nicole & James // Mango’s Boutique
"Our clients’ style changes as they age, so we have to always be careful and pay attention to what they are wanting. Sometimes when you’ve carried a line too long it gets “old” ... you have to learn to let go and find something new and fresh. Over all the years in business, it doesn’t get easier, it gets more challenging in what you bring in, as there are so many different styles and trends to accommodate for."
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In Conversation with Ila // Barber and Fritz
"I've always been rebellious and creative — I was a wild teenager! I moved out of my home at a very young age and I knew I needed to find a career that allowed me to be creative, social, was something in the fashion industry and that provided me autonomy. I've always loved cutting hair. I cut my first bob with kitchen scissors when I was nine years old on my little girlfriend and her mom said it was the best haircut she's ever had."
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In Conversation with Stef // Lore General Store
"Not very often do we get the time where there is no one around and for us to figure out what works and what doesn't. Reach out to people in your community and ask for advice. Now more than ever, people are in the spirit of helping and it's a great time to make new connections. Remember there is light at the end of the tunnel."
Supporting small businesses in Victoria and beyond. #shoplocal
