“I am passionate about fashion. And I am passionate about learning. But I’m also passionate about developing young, emerging talent.”
A self-described “queen” of local, ethical fashion development and manufacturing, Julia Watts of Sample Room holds the fashion industry dear to her heart. She first began her career working with designers in Australia and overseas before founding Sample Room in 2009.
Julia currently helps start-ups and experienced designers navigate the ropes of the fashion industry. She and her team work alongside their clients during every step of the design, development, and manufacturing. Julia also offers a 12-month online mentoring program, the Fashion Label Launchpad, to guide designers as they launch their range of products.
To date, the team at Sample Room has completed 8,500 full developments of fashion labels, with 600 graduates from the mentoring program. Sample Room has also been accredited with Ethical Clothing Australia since 2012.
Driven by her passion to continue ethically developing and producing fashion and textile brands, Julia joined the HerBusiness Network in 2020 for additional support and wisdom. She has since found a community of peers and insight into new ways to work on her business.
When Julia isn’t sharing her wisdom with upcoming fashion designers, she enjoys exploring her creative side. She also loves the snow, so during the winter you’ll likely find her up in the mountains skiing and snowboarding.
