JUNE 2024
5 MICRONS
WITH AMANDA WOODWARD-BROWN
ONE
WHO IS AMANDA WOODWARD-BROWN?
I am a mother, writer and brand consultant, working with purpose-led fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands. I started my career (almost twenty years ago now!) as a fashion writer and stylist with Marie Claire. I then moved to London, working with NET-A-PORTER as social media editor and writing for publications in the US, UK and Australia.
After eleven years in the UK, I moved back to Sydney in late 2022 with my husband and three children. Throughout my career I have been lucky to work with a line-up of incredible female founders and have become extremely passionate about sustainability. I now focus my work on ethical and environmentally-minded small businesses that are striving to make a difference.
TWO
You are an acclaimed journalist with experience at Marie Claire and the prestigious international brand Net-A-Porter. Could you describe what these roles entailed and share your experience working for such a reputable global brand?
I was a stylist and a writer with Marie Claire for six years, which was the best possible start in both fashion and journalism.
Working with NET-A-PORTER on marketing writing and social media was a baptism of fire in understanding how to meld content and commerce, and adapting this across platforms. Aside from gaining invaluable experience that still informs
my career today, it was the talented people that I worked with that made it truly memorable, especially the lifelong friends I made at both brands.
THREE
Do you have any advice for fashion brands trying to land a big department store?
Invest in a well-designed site and beautiful imagery that elevates your brand. Never underestimate the impact that a brilliant stylist and photographer can have on the positioning of your brand. In a market that is oversaturated, a compelling brand story will help you stand out. Define what you are doing differently and connect with the customers that resonate with this USP. Community is essential to building a business with longevity and wholesale appeal.
FOUR
Growing up in the Blue Mountains, a region known for its natural beauty and rich biodiversity influenced your passion for sustainability in fashion. What are your hopes for the fashion industry?
Fashion is such a contradictory industry. It is so rich in creativity and beauty, yet an obsession with the bottom line has turned it into an industry where sadly exploitation of people and the environment have become normalised. That said, I have hope that how a garment is made - from the material it is constructed from, to the people who make it - becomes a defining factor in how consumers purchase in the future. Education and government regulation are key to this shift happening.
FIVE
What is your go-to outfit for everyday wear?
In summer, a linen mini dress and sandals. For winter, jeans and a striped linen shirt. If I am heading out the door, I will throw over a knit and a trench. My style leans to classic pieces but I love statement accessories for lending interest. Right now, I am wearing thrifted gold clip-on earrings which look like vintage Dior, but I found for $12!
SIX
What do you love about Merino Wool?
The fact that it is a sustainable, natural fibre that is local to Australia, as well as its softness, warmth and unique versatility - it can be crafted into anything from sleek tailoring to a fine knit or a statement jacquard dress.
SEVEN
QUICK FIRE QUESTIONS
What are you currently reading ? The Bee Sting by Paul Murray and Love In A Cold Climate - which I have read before but I like to reread old favourites. I also read a lot of Substacks, I love how it has opened up a space for writers to cover a myriad of topics independent of publications.
What are you binging on TV? I don't actually watch a lot of TV. However, I love trash TV when I get a chance.
What Podcasts are in your ears? So many! I love Podcasts and listen to them daily, usually while cooking or driving. I tend to listen to a lot of British podcasts like How to Fail with Elizabeth Day, Desert Island Discs and Pandora Sykes' Doing It Right. I also like Ezra Klein and Louis Theroux.
Favourite flowers? Gardenias for their fleeting beauty, they only last a day or two when cut. I also love Hydrangeas, which remind me of both my childhood and summers in London.
Favourite scent? Gardenia by Chanel, which I wore on my wedding day.
Favourite Fashion Brands? I love Sezane, Posse, With Nothing Underneath for wardrobe staples made from sustainable materials. When it comes to deisgners I will always have a soft spot for Prada and Chanel. Prada for the constant reinvention (I often go down the vintage Prada rabbit hole on resale sites) and Chanel for classic designs that never date.
Your first fashion moment? A bright pink knitted cardigan that I insisted on wearing everywhere and with everything when I was six, much to my mother's frustration!
Fave piece from our AW24 collection? The Grace Skirt in black. It is endlessly wearable.
Dream Purchase? I was very lucky and received my dream gift - a vintage Chanel classic flag bag (from the 90's - I was very specific about the era!) - for the tenth wedding anniversary.
Summer or Winter? Summer
Holiday Destination? Paris. No matter how many times I visit I always want to go back.
Do you have a superpower?! I am not sure if it is a superpower or simply an abiloity to throw caution to the wind, but I seem to be bale to make the decision to set out on a huge life change without worrying about what comes next. I have moved across the world twice, without a job, house or even any specific idea of where to live. Even though Australia is now our permanent home, I still have a desire to shake things up, although my focus is now on a career pivot.
