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 – A Fashion Designer’s Planned Success

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Hosted by HerBusiness

On air:

3 February 2010

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Welcome to the herBusiness program, where we interview inspiring businesswomen and entrepreneurs.

Leona Edmiston began her career in the 1980s with her first fashion label, Morrissey Edmiston, shared with former business partner Peter Morrissey.

In 2001, Leona launched her solo label with business partner Jeremy Ducker and they formed the present company. The label, entitled Leona Edmiston is a tribute to the dress in all its incarnations. A Leona Edmiston Frock is elegant, versatile and ageless. (I know! I’ve owned a few over the years.)

The Leona Edmiston brand is sold in 18 signature boutiques, concession stores in Myer department stores.

Due to great success of her beautiful frocks, Leona Edmiston’s label extended into a range of dresses for the little ladies ‘Little Leona’, sleepwear, accessories, her PINS hosiery, a Signature Fragrance and Candle.

 

Listen to this herBusiness interview with Leona Edmiston to learn:

  • Why she established her fashion in a niche and has stuck to that niche
  • How she keeps in touch with her customers needs and wants
  • The importance of planning and working to deadlines
  • three top strategies for success

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About the host

Suzi Dafnis

Hi there. I’m Suzi Dafnis, CEO at HerBusiness. My BIG passion is helping women business owners to grow and scale their business, so that they can create their ideal lifestyle and make a difference in the world. Every day I am inspired by the more than 30,000 amazing women (and men!) in our community and I love finding the best education, mentors, and resources from around the globe, to help them get the skills, knowledge, and support they need to succeed. It’s been my privilege to lead HerBusiness (formerly The Australian Businesswomen’s Network) for the past 23 years (two+ decades – WOW!) because, whilst I’ve enjoyed success in business, I’ve also experienced the highs and the lows – sometimes you can feel on top of the world and in control and other times you can feel isolated, exhausted and stuck. What has made the biggest difference for me has always been having great people around me and having a lifelong commitment to learning. That’s why I am so passionate about the work we do here at HerBusiness – providing a Connection Network for women in business to get the mentors, contacts, referrals, knowledge, and skills they need to grow their confidence, make more money, build their businesses, expand their network and create the lives they love. My entrepreneurial journey started in the spare room of my Sydney apartment in 1994 when my business partner and I started a boutique events company that represented speakers and authors from the USA, here in Australia. Over the years I’ve grown multiple multi-million dollar businesses in the events, publishing and education niches – with teams in Australia, New Zealand, and the USA. Not everything has worked and there has been a degree of trial and error, and a lot of bumps in the road. But I have always had a strong commitment to always surrounding myself with great mentors and like-minded peers – a Connection Network that I can depend on and who can depend on me to be there for them too. I truly do what I love, every day.  

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About the guest(s)

Leona Edmiston

Leona Edmiston

Leona Edmiston began her career in the 1980s with her first fashion label Morrissey Edmiston, shared with former business partner Peter Morrissey. The Morrissey Edmiston label received significant local and international recognition and dressed a string of celebrity clients. Leona launched her solo label with business partner Jeremy Ducker in 2001 and they formed the present company of Ducker Edmiston Pty Ltd. The label, entitled Leona Edmiston is a tribute to the dress in all its incarnations. A Leona Edmiston Frock is elegant, versatile and ageless. The label celebrates the confident, urban woman. It exudes classic femininity, effortless style and chic, sexy sophistication. Leona uses a variety of fabrics from her signature sleek jersey to soft luxurious silks and crisp cottons. Prints and colour blocks are a favourite. The fabrics compliment the style and flattering cuts of the Frocks, they allow for confidence during the day and sheer elegance during the evening, taking you from the ‘office to opera’ with ease. The Leona Edmiston brand is sold in 18 signature boutiques, Westfield White city is the most recent Leona Edmiston boutique to open, and all boutiques interiors are a reflection of Leona’s personal style. The White City boutique has a simple colour palette of satin slipper paint used with bronze mirror paneling and chinoiserie wallpaper. Frocks are positioned delicately around the store and accessories are displayed within internal wall panels. The changing room area is concealed behind a bronze mirror wall allowing customers full privacy. Red silk curtains are pulled back with vintage French tassels and a marble fire-place is positioned towards the back of the store with bronze framed paintings. Due to great success of her beautiful frocks Leona Edmiston’s label extended into a range of dresses for the little ladies ‘Little Leona’, ‘Nighties’ a sleepwear collection, a diffusion line named ‘Leona,’ and has fuelled accessories collections including Eyewear, Heels, Purses, Leona Edmiston PINS, a Signature Fragrance and Candle. With the addition of the London Boutique, Leona Edmiston has acquired many more devoted Leona Edmiston fans which include UK celebrities such as Jasmine Guinness, Olivia Inge, Daisy De Villeneuve, Brenda Blethyn and Kathy Lette to add to the list of previous fans such as Elle MacPherson, Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton, Britney Spears and Kristin Davis.

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