17 Jun 2025

For our June campaign, we were lucky enough to shoot at a beautiful working horse stud property managed by Helen, a former Sussan team member and lifelong supporter of the brand.

At just 17, Helen started her career as a window dresser with Sussan, helping bring the brand's iconic windows to life. Now, decades later, she is welcoming us onto her farm and into her memories. In this special For Women by Women conversation, Helen reflects on lifelong friendship, fashion, and the joy of seeing This Goes With That return.


There's a beautiful full-circle moment here. Can you tell us about your history with Sussan?

As a happy coincidence, I started as a window dresser at Sussan at the very young age of 17– and I'm a bit older now. Today, I'm lucky to have the Sussan crew here shooting their June '25 campaign.


What do you remember most from your time at Sussan?

My favourite part of working at Sussan was being surrounded by so many incredible women. I especially loved being part of the window dressing team. Visiting stores, meeting new people, making friends, and travelling around Victoria—it was so much fun. Truly the best times of my life.


What does For Women By Women mean to you?

To me, For Women By Women means creating opportunities for women—and that's something really important.


For me, For Women By Women means that so many jobs were created for women. So that's really important. 

How would you describe Sussan in one word?

Friendship.

Friendship with the people I worked with, and friendships that have lasted a lifetime.


What have been your biggest learnings in your role?

I have learnt that I can achieve far greater than I ever could have imagined, especially working with such a great team. I feel that I am pushed to my best, and I have even more to look forward to when I know that Sussan is heading towards a great future that I am excited to be part of. I have learned how to manage my time successfully in new ways to be more effective and always ahead of deadlines.


Can you tell us more about those friendships?

The best part of working at Sussan was meeting a group of girls who grew up with me—we became women, mothers, sisters, and aunties together. And it’s continued. Our children are grown now, and we’re grandparents, but we still get together and laugh about the crazy things we did at work–travelling around, visiting country stores. We had an absolute ball. But we worked hard, too.

Out of all the jobs I’ve ever had, it was my favourite. Nothing else has come close.


Any particularly funny memories from your Sussan days?

One of my fondest memories was dressing windows.

You’d hear all sorts of things that people didn’t think you could hear—things they probably shouldn't have said!

And when the This Goes With That campaign launched, people would sing it to us while we were in the window. It happened quite often.


What did This Goes With That mean back then?

This Goes With That really captured the moment. Back then, coordinated outfits were everything–tops, pants, cardigans, even sleepwear.

It was always in the back of our minds that everything had to match.

I remember when tracksuits came back into fashion–we all bought one. I had a pink and grey marle tracksuit. I was about 21, and I still remember it.

That campaign was a big deal. It’s such good nostalgia to see it come back.


WAnd finally, how do Sussan products make you feel today?

Sussan makes me feel nostalgic. I've worn their clothes my whole life, ever since I started working there as a teenager.

This coat I’m wearing is a perfect example—it’s lovely, cosy and warm. Very wearable.

And it would look great with white jeans and boots.

See? This goes with that.


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