QTFWA Designers Corner - Anna Hulm

Who is Anna Hulm….? Anna Hulm is my resortwear label I started 5 years ago. Originally from Russia, I lived in New Zealand, and at 19 went to study fashion in Paris. After finishing my degree and working for a year in London, I decided to move to Australia. When and what led you to the realisation you wanted to start designing …? In Russia girls were taught to sew, embroider and knit from around the age of 7. I always enjoyed being creative and went to an art school as a child. What was the first item you designed…? A red crochet hat – I still have it. I must have been about 10. What is your favourite part of the design process..? Draping fabric on a mannequin. It takes lots of concentration, but seeing a new style take shape is amazing. Inspiration is a big part of any process where do you draw yours from …? Art in all its forms – painting, dance, music. I love Kandinsky, Ballets Russes, Pink Martini (band) 🙂 All the prints in the current collection are based on famous paintings by Klimt, Van Gough, etc. When sketching out your latest designs do you have anything that helps you get creative a favourite music, food or process …? I always listen to music when working. Apart from Pink Martini, I love French songs from the 80s by Patricia Kaas and Joe Dessin. How would you describe your brands market and style …? Although initially conceived as a resortwear label for young professionals going on holidays, it turned out that women of different ages and lifestyles appreciate our collections. Now our customers include toddlers, pensioners and everyone in between. Mums and daughters often share the pieces between them. Our style could be described as a perfect fusion of comfort and style. We only use natural fabrics and place high priority on comfort – no matter how beautiful a dress is, if you can’t dance or eat in it, you wouldn’t wear it more than once. We also have a strong focus on sustainability and ethical production. I design with a no waste rule so there are no offcuts and production stuff get fair wage. What does Australia fashion mean to you and what would you say makes it uniquely Australian …? Australian fashion is all about effortless chic. We don’t want to look like we are trying too hard. Love of colour is what makes us unique. Coming from Europe, it was wonderful to see so many people wearing bright clothes here. Where can our readers get their hand on your label …? We have two stores in Brisbane – Shop G11, Wintergarden, Queen St Mall, CBD – 76 James St, New Farm – that one includes our open plan studio where all the collections are designed and produced right in front of customers’ eyes. We are also stocked in several boutiques across Australia and have an online store. Social Links Facebook Twitter – @annahulm Instagram – #annahulm You can also see Anna Hulm at QT Fashion Week and Awards for event information Click Here]]>