How I Got Here: Fashion buyer and founder of Melbourne retailer Stable on identifying your strengths
PHOTOGRAPHY BY PARKER BLAIN
WORDS BY IZZY WIGHT
“I love the psychology behind how someone shops… it’s all about instincts and relationship-building.”
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 Lauren Nicholls, fashion designer and the director and buyer behind Melbourne-based fashion destination, Stable. After getting a retail job in her first year of university, Lauren found herself falling in love with the creative and community-building aspects of the industry. At 21, she switched focus to fashion, working as a buyer and production assistant while juggling classes on the side.
Some sage words from her boss were the catalyst for her next move – dropping university in pursuit of real-world, international fashion experience. In 2008, Lauren settled back in Melbourne and opened the clothing and accessories boutique, Filly’s Stable. Over a decade on and Stable has a new name, a playful refurb, its own in-house label and an ever-evolving community of customers. Here’s what Lauren has learnt along the way.
What do you do and what’s your official job title?
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I’m the director of Stable, a super chic shopping destination (and community) on Bridport Street in Albert Park. I’m also the founder of our very own label, On Parks – a brand that embraces easy femininity through quality fabrication and considered design.
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 was in my first year [of] uni when I got my first retail job. Luckily for me, it was with a super cool company and a great team. I loved it so much that I decided to drop out of university and work full-time for this company – something that was (and still can be) considered pretty taboo!
A few years on, I decided to study the industry I had fallen in love with. During that time, I had a new job as a buyer and production assistant for a fashion agency. Looking back now, I was only 21 then and can appreciate how great of an opportunity I was granted for my age – not to mention [my] lack of formal experience.
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One day, I had an after-work production meeting with an overseas agent that clashed with a university class. My then-boss famously said to me, “Well, do you want to learn about it or do it?” So that was that. I didn’t go back to uni and I continued to travel as both an international buyer and product developer for the fashion agency, learning as much as I could along the ride.
After a small overseas hiatus, I then joined my best friend and [we] opened our first store in Middle Park using my buying knowledge and production skills. This small little shop was the beginning of what the Stable concept would become.
What challenges/hurdles have you faced getting to where you are now? Can you tell us about one in particular?
I think the non-fashion side of the industry has probably been the most challenging – generally speaking, creative people don’t love paperwork. But with any small business, you have to deal with these caveats of lease negotiations, HR issues, financial planning and the ever-important cashflow management.
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Also when you build your own business, you never really have a day off. It seems obvious, but you truly have to make and trust your own decisions constantly and back yourself wholeheartedly (regardless of whether you’re sure).
What do you want people to know about your industry/your role?
I think there is some merit to the gold oldie rules of retailing and the fashion industry, but I also think it’s a really fast-moving and ever-changing game. This is where being innovative within your business or role will not [just] make for a more rewarding and longstanding job, but also proves vital.
As I keep saying to my team, it’s the wild west now and we can do whatever we like post-COVID. It’s prompted us to get uber-creative about the concept of strip shopping, reimagining what the tangible retail experience can be for the kind of consumer we deeply relate to. Our recent refurb with Studio Manifold is a kitsch, technicolour, sophisticated ode to exactly that.
What’s the best part about your role?
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It has to be working with such an amazing and anchoring team of women who feel like family, collaborating with other Naarm-based creatives and getting to meet and have chats with interesting customers – many of which have become close friends. [Also] being part of a seriously fabulous community. The opportunity to evolve and try new things is really special, too.
My work never feels like work. And now with travel back on the cards, we’ve been able to do an epic trip abroad as a team to Paris Fashion Week, meeting talented designers and eating baguettes alfresco. Seeing, doing, meeting, dressing up – they’re always the most inspiring parts of the gig.
What would surprise people about your role?
Every day is insanely different. We can sit and have a negroni next door with our publicist and go through interviews, host pop-ups in our concept space directly across the road, and get knees deep in crafting new collections for On Parks. It’s a vibe, really.
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Some people might not know that On Parks is my baby. Working on On Parks is what gives me an opportunity to create the product and silhouettes that I’m wearing and loving right now. It’s also an embodiment of what I feel is relevant to both our Australian lifestyle and a European mode de vie. I really love having an idea and being able to watch it come to fruition – it’s a great feeling and sometimes nerve-wracking one, but very satisfying when it works.
What skills have served you well in your industry?
I love the psychology behind how someone shops, gets dressed and styles themselves on a daily basis. It’s so rewarding and interesting for me to read people in the store and encourage them to try on a curated outfit based on their personality. It’s all about instincts and relationship-building.
We take the whole ‘dress ups’ thing really seriously, having fun in our beautiful changerooms and encouraging someone to step out into the lounge area. This is like getting ready for a night out with friends, and less claustrophobic than your typical retail changing box. Making people feel good makes us feel good.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to be in a role like yours one day?
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Not one person can do and be good at everything. It’s vital to identify your strengths (and weaknesses) and then build a team who can bring their own unique skill set to the table. Delegating tasks and responsibilities to people you trust is what makes the magic happen.
For example, our Art Director Nicole is always capturing candid moments on camera – whether it’s of us meeting collaborators for coffee across the road, or documenting Stable friends in street-style stills outside the store. I’ve learnt to never micromanage your team. Inspire your people to take on responsibilities that harness and hone their distinctive talents.
Read the rest of the How I Got Here series here.
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