The Australian Women in New York (AWNY) are delighted to be partnering with WeWearAustralian for a special Fashion Week event on September 10th. We wanted to find out more about this startup, which opened its Soho location in Soho in April, so we sat down for a chat with co-founder, Kelly Atkinson. Here’s our conversation.
Let’s start at the beginning. Where in Australia are you from, and what brought you into the world of fashion and entrepreneurship?
I was born and raised in Brisbane, but I’ve been incredibly lucky to live all over the world LA, Sydney, London, South Africa and just before NYC – Perth.
Fashion was always part of my world, but entrepreneurship wasn’t necessarily the original plan. It wasn’t until I met my now-husband, Richard, that building something of our own became a really clear shared ambition.
We both had that same appetite to create, take risks and ultimately build something that was truly ours.
Was becoming an entrepreneur always part of the plan, or did your career take you there in an unexpected way?
Life and love had other plans!
I had the privilege of working with some really extraordinary brands throughout my career: Sass & Bide at its absolute peak, Hugo Boss, Louis Vuitton and R.M.Williams. In all those roles, I had extraordinary leadership teams that taught me so much…
Those experiences also gave me an incredible education in brand, retail, product and the importance of creating a distinct world around what you sell.
Entrepreneurship came later, but looking back, all of those experiences were quietly preparing me for what lay ahead of me.
What parts of being Australian do you think have shaped the way you approach business, creativity and taking risks?
Every part.
Australia is a relatively small market, so you learn very quickly that you can’t sit neatly inside one little box. You have to understand every aspect of your role, continually learn, build, adapt and be willing to take risks.
I think there is a real grit that comes from being Australian. We are curious, we are resourceful, and we’re generally willing to just give it a go. There is also a lack of pretension that I really value. You can have enormous ambition without taking yourself too seriously.
Building WeWearAustralian
WeWearAustralian began during an extraordinarily challenging time for the Australian fashion industry. What sparked the original idea, and what were you hoping to achieve?
The original idea was actually incredibly simple: what if we all joined together?
It began as a collective marketing initiative under one hashtag, one united front and at a time when the Australian fashion industry really needed support.
As the years have gone on, that philosophy has remained our clearest point of difference. We always keep the industry as a whole front of mind.
Everything we do is centered around offering opportunity for Australian fashion, fostering emerging talent and giving brands pathways they may not have been able to access independently.
The platform has evolved enormously, but the purpose has not ever changed. We are stronger together.
At what point did you realize WeWearAustralian could become something much bigger – and potentially something international?
There was a very definitive moment.
In 2025, we were incredibly fortunate to work with Australia Post on an initiative that took 12 Australian brands to New York.
It was freezing. It was snowing. And we had a line down the street.
The appetite for Australian fashion in the US was undeniable. People were genuinely excited to discover these brands and understand their stories. That experience made Richard and me reconsider our entire approach.
We realized there was an opportunity to move beyond temporary activations and build something permanent – a real home for Australian fashion in the US.
Why New York? What made you believe there was an opportunity here for Australian fashion, and what did it take to turn that idea into a permanent home for Australian designers in SoHo?
New York really chose itself after the success of that first activation.
Once we knew there was demand, we did a huge amount of research into where New Yorkers shop, where international visitors shop, foot traffic, neighboring brands and how people actually move through the city.
SoHo continually came back as the right home.
It gives Australian designers exposure to locals, tourists, stylists, media, buyers and an incredibly international customer, sometimes all within the same hour.
For us, that was exactly the ecosystem we wanted to be part of.
What has been the biggest challenge of establishing and growing a business in New York – and what has surprised you most?
Learning the habits of the American consumer has probably been one of the biggest lessons.
They shop very differently from Australians. New Yorkers in particular are planners. You need the right appointment, the right reservation, outfit; otherwise, in this city you might miss out!
That naturally translates into how they build their wardrobes. There is more consideration around what they need for particular occasions, which has been fascinating for us.
Being physically in the store and listening to customers has been invaluable. You learn incredibly quickly what works here, from silhouette and fabrication through to color, sizing and price point.
What do you think Australian designers and brands bring to the New York market that is distinctive?
A very clear point of view.
Australian fashion has this beautiful balance of effortlessness and refinement. There is incredible craftsmanship, intelligent design and a really sophisticated use of natural and innovative fabrications.
Our climate and lifestyle influence the way we design as well. Pieces need to work hard. They need to move, layer and live with you.
When you compare the quality, fabrication and wearability of Australian fashion against much of the contemporary market in the US, I genuinely believe the value proposition we have is exceptional.
Being an Australian woman in New York
Have there been times when being Australian – and particularly being an Australian woman – has helped you in doing business in New York?
Well, when your business is called WeWearAustralian, being Australian certainly helps!
More seriously, being in the store regularly has probably been one of my greatest advantages. I’m able to stay incredibly close to our customer and get real-time feedback on cuts, colors, fabrication and price points.
That knowledge directly informs the brands we bring in and the way I curate the store moving forward.
And I do feel like everyone loves the accent… so that doesn’t hurt either 😉
One of the things we often hear from Australian women building careers and businesses in New York is how important community becomes when you’re a long way from home. Has that been true for you, and who or what helped you along the way?
One thousand per cent!!!!!
AWNY has been extraordinary. Even the simple act of taking an interest in what we’re building has meant so much, and the members have been incredibly generous, kind and outgoing.
There is a common thread between so many Australian women here: we have come to New York because we want to operate at the peak of our respective industries.
There is something incredibly energizing about being surrounded by like-minded women who recognize that our ideas, our experience and our talent are our superpowers….particularly in one of the largest and most powerful economies in the world.
You are a long way from home, so finding your community so matters.
Collaboration and the idea that we’re “better together” have been central to WeWearAustralian. Why do you think networks and communities are so important for Australian women building businesses and careers overseas?
I have always believed we are stronger united.
Collaboration is one of the greatest assets we have both as an Australian community and as women building careers and businesses in New York.
It takes a village. Kindness, introductions, advice, encouragement and simply showing up for one another are incredibly valuable when you’re building something so far from home.
I think AWNY embodies that beautifully. There is a generosity within the community that says your success doesn’t diminish mine, and we can actually help one another rise. I really love that the most about NYC.
What advice would you give to an Australian woman arriving in New York today with an idea and the ambition to start her own business?
Be smart. Be brave. And be you.
Don’t become what you think America or New York wants you to be. The thing that makes you different is probably the thing that will make people pay attention.
Be authentically yourself and hold onto the energy, passion and drive that brought you all the way here in the first place.
New York will test you. The city is an amplifier of everything you have or don’t have in your life. But it will also give you opportunities you could never have imagined.
Fashion Week and the future
What are you most excited about sharing with the AWNY community at our Fashion Week event, and what would you like New Yorkers to better understand about Australian fashion?
Education is something I feel incredibly passionate about, because that is where WeWearAustralian can offer something very different.
I want people to understand why each brand has been chosen to be part of our stable. Who made it? What is the fabrication? What is the story? Why does it deserve to be here?
Australian Merino wool is extraordinary. Australian cotton is phenomenal. Our designers have an incredible relationship with natural fibers, craftsmanship and the landscape that surrounds us, and that partially bleeds into the product.
Australian creativity extends far beyond fashion.
We have one of Australia’s first prescribed skincare brands launching with us, alongside an incredible blue beauty fragrance brand creating scent around the body’s chakras and a more considered sense of self.
That is what I want people to discover.
WeWearAustralian is so much more than a retail store. It is a celebration of Australian ingenuity, craftsmanship and refined creative talent – and a place where New Yorkers can discover just how much Australia has to offer.
And finally…
Complete this sentence: “Being an Australian woman in New York means…”
I am always tired and excited at exactly the same time hahaha