As her fashion label
ventures into new
territory, Anna Hulm
discusses how to balance
a growing business,
creativity and family life.
Anna Hulm has been around the
world. She was born in Russia, grew up
in New Zealand and studied fashion
in Paris. Her mother and grandmother
taught her embroidery and knitting
when she was young, and she always
loved sewing and dancing. When it
came time to decide whether to pursue
fashion or dancing, she chose fashion
and the journey has unfolded from
there.
After moving to Brisbane in 2008
during the financial crisis, Anna
struggled to find work as an emerging
designer. “Established designers were
too small to take on an assistant, so I
ended up working in retail for a year.
I decided to start my own business
since I couldn’t work with anyone
else.” She sewed on the evenings, and
sold at markets on Sundays. It was a
very busy time, but as customers kept
coming back to her stall week after
week, Anna knew she was creating
something special.
manufacturing, quality craftsmanship
and sustainability in fashion. Just this
year she has been invited to show at
Undress Runways, QT Fashion Week,
the Emerge Fashion Precinct and
Mercedes Benz Fashion Festival.
shop opening, I had to work so much.
I lost the balance, even though I love
what I do and really enjoy it. I let go
too much of my family and the creative
part of myself. I have learnt that it is so
important to keep that balance.”
While the fashion industry suffers
from a stereotype of being superficial
and out of reach for many people,
Anna’s designs have received endless
praise for being so inclusive. Her
aesthetic and ideology is to include all
sorts of customers. “I am very big on
that. Because I have lived in so many
different countries and I have met so
many people of different sizes and
different ages. I really want to include
them all, and not feel that my garments
are just for pretty twenty year olds.
They are for women with real figures.
That includes women who are over
thirty, forty and fifty.”
Anna has now chosen a change in
strategy and is planning to expand her
label through wholesale and online.
“I always want to set aside the time to
plan and inspire myself. Even at the
busiest times I must always make the
point of growing as a person and as a
designer. If all you do is work, work,
work and sell, sell, sell, it is going to
reflect on what you