Australia label Backstage has garnered a cult following, with their pieces being favoured by fashion’s elite, social influencers and Kardashian sisters alike. As the team launch their highly anticipated Lisette collection for Autumn Winter 2016, Couturing chatted to the label’s designer Vicki about the quintessential Backstage girl, new season trends and the rise of the influencer.

Tell us how you entered the fashion industry. Has fashion always been a big part of your life? 

Our parents have been manufacturing for close to 50 years now, so we grew up around clothing.  Visiting Japan at a an early age strengthened our love for the art of fashion and producing quality garments that you can keep and love.

Tell us how Backstage came to be.

I started off as a denim buyer and found we were missing cool, effortless tops & shirts for denims. We then started on a few pieces, which later grew to collections that today can be found in David Jones, Revolve, Free People and boutiques nationally Japan & NZ. 

Backstage has been worn by countless Australian fashion icons. How did this come about and how has it changed the way your label is received?

We are lucky enough to work with some incredible Australian fashion icons – it makes us so proud to see these inspiring women wearing our product. We think Australian influencers are fantastic at supporting home grown talent and have really lead the way in fashion styling & blogging. Support from these girls really helps to elevate the brand on a global platform and that’s extremely exciting.How would you describe the quintessential Backstage woman?

The Backstage girl is a free spirit with a feminine edge – she’s independent, she’s energetic & her lifestyle mirrors what she wears. She doesn’t take herself too seriously!

Is there a hero piece we should be investing in for the upcoming season? An item every woman needs in her wardrobe?

The slip dress is a key look this season, and can easily be dressed up or dressed down depending on occasion. If your not a dress girl, you can easily embrace this trend with a slip cami and work it back with a neck tie.

Backstage has developed something of a cult following, favouring an organic approach and being spotted on influencers rather than traditional, “in your face” marketing. What inspired you to take more of a quiet approach? 

We felt that in today’s busy market it was extremely easy to get lost and become more “mass” appealing. We’ve always been really focussed on our customer and the Backstage girl is not as obvious as the traditional “in your face marketing. She’s cool, and she looks to key influencers with unique style – or she simply just does it her way. And we definitely embrace that!

Finally, do you have any advice for aspiring fashion designers?

Find your own personal niche and understand if that offers the market something new! Don’t rush it. Build your brand slowly and really focus on your customer. Stay positive & energetic – it’s an exciting venture!

About The Author

Gemma Watts

Gemma Watts has worked in the fashion media industry since 2012, writing for and being headhunted by some of the country's leading fashion and beauty companies. With a Diploma of Professional Writing and Editing and a Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) under her belt, Gemma is able to combine her two greatest passions as Couturing's Fashion Editor- fashion and writing.

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