Some designers, like Zimmermann and Christopher Esber, get the French fairytale. For others, launching a label overseas is a tough slog.
After showing at Paris Fashion Week, it would be easy for designer Estelle Michaelides to present the rose-coloured version of launching her new label, Saint Stella M, into the international market. But then, she wouldn’t be telling the whole truth.
Certainly, there were plenty of highs. Michaelides’ show, held a stone’s throw from the famed Ritz hotel, was a sell-out, and caught the attention of fashion editor Anna Della Russo . The show featured ballerinas performing as Michaelides styled the models in real time, a signature of her Micky in the Van shows, which have regularly featured at the Melbourne Fashion Festival.
Since returning to Melbourne two weeks ago, Michaelides has been busy negotiating with buyers, and knows it might take time to prove her new brand has staying power, despite her decades of domestic experience.