Fashion to Farmer podcast interview with Ali Lennard

Our owner and designer Ali Lennard was recently interviewed by Vanessa Bell, of Fashion to Farmer

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FASHION TO FARMER PODCAST - Interview Questions

We can hear a lovely accent – where did you grow up? 

I’m English and moved to Sydney late 2007 after visiting the city with my husband on holiday. We fell in love with the lifestyle opportunity immediately, and within 6 months had uprooted our London life and emigrated. We truly love living in Australia and have very much made it our home and have the passports to prove it. 

Ali, please share the story behind Philosophy Australia and what inspired you to join and eventually buy the business. 

Philosophy Australia was established more than twenty-five years ago by founding Directors Peter and Liz Wood. I joined the company in 2008 as their Designer and have now been the handwriting of the brand for more than 16 years. 

I loved the autonomy and small scale-ness immediately, and as I’m so passionate about any endeavour I take on, began to be across all elements of the business and shape the label into the brand it is today, especially after taking full ownership in late 2019, when they chose to retire.  

Buying the name was the natural progression for my fashion baby and meant that our very established teams could all keep doing what they love doing too!  

I’ve made significant changes to how we do things, why and how we do them and how we trade in the last five years though, some of which were decisions pushed upon me by the need to move premises, COVID, etc but every change has been a positive one and I’m really excited to see where I can take the brand next. The biggest difference is that we now have a third revenue stream in being an online retailer. 

What are the core values driving Philosophy Australia, and how do they influence your design and production processes? 

Our core value is Kindness, and we try to sprinkle that with each interaction at every stage of our business, so with suppliers, contractors, agencies, boutiques and customers alike. It brings everyone together and makes us feel like family. 

Kindness as a driver in concept of product design means we consider people and planet, in terms of wholesale selling means we support the businesses that support us in every way we can, and in terms of marketing we use our online platform for community, inspiration, education and awareness of the importance of MIA and home-grown fashion. 

How do you ensure every step of your production, from design to dispatch, remains 100% Australian-made? 

We have complete transparency. As a company we are a manufacturer first, before being a wholesaler and online retailer. So not only can we be vocal about how we produce our pieces, but we can also name everyone!  

• Ali sourcing and design
• Passed to Maria to pattern cut
• Passed to Stephen to cut in fabric
• Passed to Annie our sample maker for initial
• Passed to Kelly our in house fit model. 

8 out 10 styles will be approved on first attempt as Maria is a genius and we’ve worked together for so long we know each other’s nuances and tastes.

• It's then duplicated x 4 by our makers
• So that each of our showrooms can present the styles simultaneously so Anica, Virginia, Peta and Georgie then sell.
• Once we close the season sale, the style is then passed to Jay my production manager, who raises the bulk fabric orders and the cut and make order itinerary.
• Then back to Maria for grading and bulk markers
• Back to Stephen, William and George for Bulk cutting
• Passed to one of our three factories;  Janet, for Woven, Anne for Knits and Dzung for pants
• Then back to the warehouse for Shelly to QC and allocate
• Jay then steps back in to arrange the dispatch.
• I’m across all stages and ensure that our systems are updated along the way too, with Noni who is accounts.
• Once it’s been allocated to the online store then Kim-Marie and Kym step in to help with the marketing, and that covers the entire team! 

We could do product offshore, and historically had done a small amount, but my mission on ownership was that we stopped that and only produce locally. Australia isn’t half of our name without reason, its 100% of our heritage! 

Can you describe your design philosophy of "easy wear, easy care, wear anywhere"? How has this influenced your brand identity? 

I design and create product to answer consumer needs and wants for comfort, durability and function. Meaning you can love, wear, wash and repeat. Almost all our styles have stretch, are meant for all day wear and can be easily cared for.  

Ultimately, it’s a vision to create clothes that make life easy! 

Every piece I create, I ask myself a few questions to validate its reason for being in the range. These questions all relate to how the product will be worn, styled and used over many seasons not just its launch year as we are keen on driving for quality over quantity in purchasing. 

In terms of the business, how do you balance staying true to your style while also keeping up with current fashion trends? 

As a brand we are known for product type and product feel, rather than a brand design handwriting. This could be considered a risk, but we consider it an opportunity. It means our brand does not ever go out of style but will never be the one hit / trick look either.  

I’ll always address the key colours, prints and silhouettes for a season, if they align with our design ethos, as those are the tweaks that I can make to our style library to make each collection fresh, new and relevant. 

My end customer isn’t a trend driver though, she’s a trend adopter so likes to have the confidence to get on board once it becomes more mainstream. She also loves to repeat purchase and add new colourways into shapes that she loves. 

What does ethical production mean to you, and how do you implement it at Philosophy Australia? 

Being an Ethical business to me means addressing that there is a human element to the production. Taking responsibility for pay and safety, treatment and balance of the external contractors and staff who make our products. Being 100% locally manufactured we are already leaps and bounds ahead of our competitive labels who don’t have that level of transparency and responsibility.  

So, we take an ethical approach to every element of design, sourcing, manufacturing, selling and delivering clothing in a way that doesn’t have a negative impact on people and the planet along our entire chain. I believe that there is a lot of ‘greenwashing’ as to what being an ethical brand is about, but if we are bringing value to the family, I know we are on the right path. 

Can you talk about the importance of supporting local suppliers, contractors, and staff in your business model? 

We are a family, and that means we work as such, collaboratively. Everyone has a voice, brings and has value and knows that. 

Half of the people involved with our processes are not members of the inhouse staff, they are contractors who work purely for us, so for me, it's very important that they know their value and feel appreciated as part of the bigger brand.  

I’m extremely proud that our entire economy is local, every component and step benefits another small business, and that most of the businesses we sell to are independent female ones. I know that to be a rarity. 

How do you maintain high quality and quick turnaround in your locally produced fashion pieces? 

Our manufacturing processes have been long established, so we really are run in a slick and efficient manner; but what I believe sets us apart is the level of care and personal responsibility that every person in the chain takes.  

We work in a couture make method meaning one machinist taking a garment through all the stages rather than line manufacture which is the usual and common method. This isn’t the fastest or even the most economical way but means we can really ensure that ‘love’ is sewn along and therefore the highest level of quality. Every garment is additionally fully checked over as part of our QC process.  

Our turnaround time from order to dispatch is usually around four months, allowing for fabric production too, but in terms of quick orders we can do special requests of repeat styles in stock fabrics in about two weeks. 

What role does sustainability play in Philosophy Australia's business practices? 

Sustainable manufacturing to us means that we look at how we create each individual design, range and season. Looking at each garment individually ensures that we are being sustainable from the sketch up. I know that as a slow fashion brand who designs with timelessness, value, durability and life cycle as key considerations we are the opposite of ‘fast fashion’ who do not.  

Some of our sustainable attributes are: 

• Every person in our supply chain can be named.  

• All steps are processed from our manufacturing hubs in Sydney. 100% made by Australians.  

• 90% of all production we make, is made to order, therefore not creating excess or dead stock. 

• Every style is designed with practical, feasible, economical and sustainable production methods in mind. 

• Every fabric we offer, is available across a multitude of styles, to ensure best yields. 

• Having a fabric library that we utilize year-round, means we have selected the best, built relationships with those mills and can buy in substantial quantities to limit the need for consistent shipping. 

• Our cloths of choice are ones we have tested for durability and stretch recovery ensuring you can wear, wash, love and repeat. 

• Our laundry care labels, always state cold water washing and no tumble drying for environmental and product longevity. 

• We do not add additional packaging, not wrapping garments individually, and send our products out on recycled hangers, which we encourage the reuse of.  

• Our online customers orders are sent out in compostable bags.  

How do you ensure your products are both high quality and sustainable? 

Probably covered that above, but by having a small but mighty team who care about our reputation and already work with best practice in mind, we are very confident that we are offering the best of products that we can. 

Can you share some insights into the process of selecting fabrics and materials for your collections? 

It's no secret that we value premium quality fabrics that work for busy women’s lives. We pride ourselves that our signature fabrics of which we have at least eight, each have their own distinct benefits and therefore garment styles that suit them best and are the premium of qualities that we can offer.  

The base fabrics don’t really change each season, we now have a stable of qualities that we use continuously, they are just made in new colours, or prints to keep the collection trend relevant.  

Each fabric is purchased from an Australian Wholesaler with whom we have a long-standing relationship, therefore giving full transparency to our supply chain and ensuring that our business supports local and international Mills that match our ethics and values. 

Each quality is thoroughly tested for durability, fit & feel, stretch recovery, colour retention, laundry ease and value – so you can purchase and wear with confidence and know that your garment will last. 

What steps do you take to minimise waste and promote sustainable practices within your business?  

Three main ways; on an individual style basis, as well as the overall collection, and thirdly in conjunction with our ghost manufacturing brands. 

What that means is that each design is therefore created by ensuring maximum yield usage and best machine and timing practice. Combining designs in the same base cloths for production ensures less wastage of time, energy and efforts and can increase economies, and then amping that up one step further by producing for other labels in fabrics that are part of our signature style means that we can buy in better volumes for cost efficiency and have larger but less frequent shipping helping our carbon footprint. 

90% of every garment we produce is made to order rather than on spec to sell, so we are already being mindful of over consumption. I heard a frightening statistic during your discussion with Thread Together about companies only selling two thirds of what they produce, and only one third of it at full price. I’m very grateful that's not our business model! 

How do you see the fashion industry evolving in terms of sustainability, and what role do you hope Philosophy Australia will play in that future?  

We have always been an advocate for shining a spotlight on the importance of Made in Australia. My hope is that locally made, and artisan design pieces become more valued and understood as better education with regards to the perils of fast fashion is explained through government and media. 

Fast fashion only exists because collectively its purchased, I hope that the swing in purchasing values comes back to a more unique appeal, and the first step for that is education. Secondly, it's then that the educated act and spend their dollars with more consideration. 

Transparency leads to accountability which leads to change, so I hope that by being vocal with our practices, shouting about the importance of local manufacture at every opportunity that we can, we can help with the mindset change needed. 

How do you foster a collaborative and family-like environment within your team and with your suppliers.  

Easy, we just have. It’s not one that I’ve had to nurture to develop, it’s just always been there. I think it comes back to kindness at our core, and that we treat everyone as part of the family.  Knowing that your opinion matters, is considered and valued is priceless, and I am very thankful to the fact that our core team have been together more than a decade, and we all stay because we love it.  

One on my most heartwarming memories of the business, was just as I announced that I would be taking the name and creating a new business so that I could keep the family together. I’d had to do a lot of personal work to get the finances in place to do so, and I know that they all knew it was taking a toll on me, and one day I arrived at work and the whole team had #TeamAli T-shirts on to show their support. It still brings me to tears now thinking of the pure love and support that day, and I can honestly say I’ve felt that every day since too. We have each other’s backs. 

We strive for excellence, not just in product, but quality, service and working practice and that’s the core of the team’s approach, so when you are all working towards the same goal it's natural to feel connected. 

What are some of the challenges you face in maintaining ethical and sustainable production, and how do you overcome them? 

Increased COGS and decreasing margin would be the main one. I constantly must evaluate the operations, which therefore influences the assortment of the range I create.   

The ever-changing retail landscape would be another. 70% of my business is wholesale, so when my boutiques struggle, we do too. We help them to highlight their point of difference. Service, especially in fashion, when customers like styling advice is what sets them apart from the vertical mall stores who have been dominating retail. 

Continued introduction of offshore cheap fast fashion, and more and more competition in general. 

Our customer isn’t price, but value driven, and we know that the MIA feel good factor is a major decider in a purchase from us, so we always trying to promote the positives rather than negatives. 

We try not to be swayed by what our competitor brands are offering and just improve on our own product season on season. 

Sale marketing. It’s quite hard to purchase at full price these days at the vertical mall brands, and when consumer spending is cautious, as it is now, this is prevalent. We have chosen not to participate in events like Black Friday and do this in support of our boutiques, as small labels just can’t compete. Personally, I believe it devalues brands too. 

The fear that keeps me awake though that we haven’t been able to overcome yet, is where my business might be at in five years’ time. I’m the youngest in the business at 49, and we have a lot close to retirement age, although they have all promised to keep working as long as I want them to, I know that we need to bring in some fresh talent soon. 

Being a machinist is a real skill and one that unfortunately is no longer passed down within families, like it once was. There is a skill deficient for people who can pattern cut and make with commerciality, and its not being addressed through Tafe and college courses, so I hope that the AFC and Government bodies realise this and step in. 

Can you share any customer feedback or success stories highlighting the impact of your commitment to quality and sustainability? 

I’m proud that when asking our loyal boutique customer base of over 200 accounts “What does Philosophy Australia represent to you?” you will hear the repeated responses: Pants & Prints, Quality, Reliable, Commercial, Best sellers, and Great Team but mostly that we would be the brand name first mentioned with regards to being proudly Australian manufactured. 

If I’m ever having a tough day, I just look at our website and see the hundreds of five-star product reviews, they fill my heart with joy, and are the whole “why” of the business. 

What advice would you give to other fashion brands looking to adopt more ethical and sustainable practices? 

Research. It’s a common thought that offshore production is cheaper, and for big volumes it can be, but we have found that we can produce locally feasibly. It’s more work for sure, but worth it.  

We are often contacted via recommendations of our ghost make services by the fabric wholesalers that we work with. Many companies may produce offshore but source fabrics locally so if you want to explore local production, ask them for suggestions as to who else they are selling to who could produce for you too! 

How has your background in the UK fashion industry influenced your approach at Philosophy Australia? 

Working for large multinational brands as a Designer before starting at Philosophy, showed me that you can’t design independently. Those big companies have buyers, merchandisers, garment technologists, visual merchandisers, marketing departments etc ... I now have to have all of those hats on myself too, but I love that it means every day is different and being a little OCD and control freak, I don’t have to explain or warrant my choices to anyone.  

What future goals or initiatives do you have for Philosophy Australia? 

I know that we excel at collaboration and that we engage in so many more ways than any of our competitor brands would. I’m constantly told that our customers love our ‘bright new marketing ideas’. 

We currently have three marketing initiatives at play. Sprinkling Kindness; Shop Small, Support Local, Buy Australian made and thirdly a newly launched one called the Digital Cheer Squad. 

Sprinkling Kindness was a project I launched in 2020 in the middle of lockdown. I reached out to lots of Instagram content creators who we had relationships with and asked them what their perfect piece would be. I then created it; we sold it using their name and donated a percentage of sales to the muses’ charity of choice. During a difficult time, this was a lovely side bar project that brought me joy and I know the customers appreciated what we were striving to achieve. It’s been an ongoing concept; we have launched more than 12 designs subsequently and have another coming before the end of the year. 

“Shop small, support local and buy Australian made” campaign is one that we launched at the start of 2024. Each week since, we have focused on one boutique customer, telling their story and introducing them to our extensive email data base, with an interview, style quotes and store photos, which we have also been able to promote across our socials. 

We have had many encouraging phone calls and emails from public customers, saying they have made planned trips and outings to these stores. Mrs Public loves to feel connected and receive personal service, especially regarding styling and, unlike the vertical retailers, boutiques can offer that with abundance. For me ‘shop local’ means buying with a conscious and personal mindset. 

Thirdly we have Digital Cheer Squad, which is an internal marketing collaboration, once again aimed at helping all our boutique customers. It’s a cheerleader team amongst all our digital boutiques, contractors and suppliers as to follow, like, comment and share on social media comes without cost, but brings huge value to algorithms and reach, which will always boost sales. If any listeners have a business that would like to join in, please just get in contact as the more the merrier and it doesn’t need to be just about fashion! 

What’s a common myth about your job or field of expertise? 

That its glamorous! Haha. It’s not glamorous at all, it’s a lot of passion, dedication and hard work and I’m never not working. 

What message would you like to share with your customers about the importance of supporting local and ethical brands? 

That their actions matter. Every person has the power to make change. 

• Shop locally – vicinity and nationally 

• Buy from small businesses - they are the backbone to the national economy 

• Research the brand - who makes your clothes? Do they align with your values?

• Choose Quality - pieces with timeless appeal that are created to last 

• Support the business with love if you can’t with dollars, sharing is caring! 

• Only ever use cold wash, it's better for the environment and your garments 

I’d also like to take the opportunity to show my gratitude to every person who has engaged or purchased from my brand over the years, we really do team “happy dances” with every sale and without their support we could not continue to shine and raise awareness for Made in Australia fashion. 

If you could make one change for a more sustainable future in fashion, what would it be? 

A greater understanding of “green terminology - Ethical / Sustainable practices” There is too much grey area, and no policing of statements. I would like better communication from a governing body on terms. 

Where can listeners connect with you or learn more about your work? 

We are very active on our socials, and have Instagram, Facebook, Linked In and Pinterest accounts and obviously our own website where we have “news” as well as product. I’d love for listeners to sign up to our twice weekly newsletters so that they can stay up to date with all things Philosophy!