How I Got Here: The Founder of Silk Laundry on why you should never say no to an invitation
IMAGE VIA @katiekolodinski/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY IZZY WIGHT
“Work hard at everything you do. There is no job that should be beneath you, from cleaning to taking out the trash.”
Have you ever stalked someone on LinkedIn and wondered how on earth they managed to land that wildly impressive job? While the internet and social media might have us believe that our ideal job is a mere pipe dream, the individuals who have these jobs were, believe it or not, in the same position once, fantasising over someone else’s seemingly unattainable job.
But behind the awe-inspiring titles and the fancy work events lies a heck of a lot of hard work. So what lessons have been learnt and what skills have proved invaluable in getting them from daydreaming about success to actually being at the top of their industry?
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Welcome to How I Got Here, where we talk to women who are killing it in their respective fields about how they landed their awe-inspiring jobs, exploring the peaks and pits, the failures and the wins, and most importantly the knowledge, advice and practical tips they’ve gleaned along the way.
This week we speak to Katie Kolodinski, the Founder and Creative Director of the Australian-born womenswear label, Silk Laundry. Loved for its refined staples and classic ’90s-esque slip dresses, Silk Laundry is a reflection of Katie’s thoughtful approach to fashion. Before founding the label in 2015, Katie “studied profusely”, moving between cities and practising everything from acupuncture to floristry.
A varied professional life taught Katie how to build a business with strong values and longevity. “I worked for years in my garage, unpaid, with one staff member beside me and I just kept going,” she says. “Slowly, organically and measured.” Today, Katie’s work is a balancing act of fashion and conservation, as she heads up Silk Laundry alongside her charity, Project 166. Here’s what she’s learnt along the way.
What do you do and what’s your official job title?
My name is Katie Kolodinski and I am the Founder and Creative Director of Silk Laundry.
Take us back to when you were first starting out. Did you study to get into your chosen field, or did you start out with an internship/entry-level role and climb the ladder? Tell us the story.
I grew up living between Canada and Australia and in over six different cities, which I feel has influenced my worldview. Previous to starting Silk Laundry, I studied profusely. My major is in psych science but I also studied law, acupuncture and natural medicine, interior design, floristry, industrial sewing and a few more – but this list is starting to look ridiculous, so I will stop.
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While studying, I always had at least two to three jobs to make sure I could support myself, from bartending to working as a pizza maker, and landscape gardening to retail management and fashion styling. There’s not much I wouldn’t do.
I have been interviewed, hired and fired a few times too, but I never gave up and just kept working to make ends meet. This has been invaluable and I respect myself for how hard I tried all my life. In 2011, I met an incredible woman [named] Sally Jones, a lingerie designer who I [was] buying samples from at their design space in QLD.
After a few years, Sally was looking to sell her lingerie label, SJ Lingerie. She must have seen something in me that I didn’t quite see, as she asked if I would like to take over and purchase the brand from her. After careful deliberation, I figured I had nothing to lose and ended up taking over.
She mentored me, taught me how to design lingerie [and] took me to some global fabric shows in Shanghai and Paris. As all this was happening and I was learning how to run a business… [I then] took another risk and lept into Silk Laundry. I worked for years in my garage, unpaid, with one staff member beside me and I just kept going – slowly, organically and measured.
I feel that everything I have done to get me to where I am has made me diverse, well-rounded, and empathetic. I feel uniquely positioned to understand my community, [to] create products that are valued and build a business with longevity.
What challenges/hurdles have you faced getting to where you are now? Can you tell us about one in particular?
My life has been a series of hurdles, runs, falls, and wins. I just kept going.
What do you want people to know about your industry/your role?
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I think even though it seems that I work for myself, when you have employees you are actually working for them. You want to keep going so that they can evolve, grow and work their way up in the company if they want to. I am self-employed, but I very much work for everyone who is with me on the way.
What’s the best part about your role?
For me, it’s the values and the values I have instilled in my business. I am so happy that I am able to tell stories that I feel are important to me. It has given me a special voice, and Silk Laundry now also allows me to donate to causes in need and do charity work. To me, that is the best part of my role.
We have been able to purchase land and begin Project 166, which is now an official charity and a carbon sequestration project. I have donated over $40,000 to Ukraine for aid directly through our flower sales and I am able to talk about things like endangered species, which has ended up taking me on the path to work with rhinos in South Africa. My worlds of fashion and conservation are colliding and it’s so strange, but it’s allowing me to love what I do.
What skills have served you well in your industry?
My constant thirst for knowledge.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to be in a role like yours one day?
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Work hard at everything you do. There is no job that should be beneath you, from cleaning to taking out the trash. Stay busy and keep moving. Don’t quit. Keep learning. Study. Stay informed and engaged. There is no such thing as a waste of education. Say yes to experiences and opportunities. Don’t be scared. Take a risk. And enjoy life!
What about a practical tip?
The best advice that I have ever had was from a dear customer of mine in Sydney when I was about 23 years old. Her name was Diedre. Her words changed my mindset and have served me so incredibly well since, making me more open.
She said, “Katie, whatever you do, never say no to an invitation – even if you’re unsure if you want to go, you just never know who you will meet and what will come of it”. I will forever be grateful to Diedre for my mindset change.
Read the rest of the How I Got Here series here.
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