For over 85 years, Sussan has been celebrating the spirit of Australian women. Our ‘For Women. By Women.’ series highlights the remarkable women behind the brand, whose creativity and expertise shape everything we do.
Meet Lisa, our talented Wovens Buyer. With a keen eye for trends and a passion for design, Lisa collaborates with our teams to create stylish, affordable pieces that fit seamlessly into the modern woman’s wardrobe.
From researching catwalk inspirations to liaising with international suppliers, Lisa’s day is filled with creativity and collaboration. Dedicated to empowering women, Lisa ensures every piece she designs is comfortable, stylish, and makes women feel confident.
How does your role contribute to the world of Sussan?
My role at Sussan as the Wovens Buyer involves collaborating and designing ranges with our amazing team for Australian women and their lifestyles. I regularly research key trends from catwalks or find inspiration from international markets to create affordable and essential wardrobe pieces.
What does an average day look like in your role?
No day is the same, which makes my position super exciting. My role includes sketching, fitting garments, attending trade meetings, and liaising with overseas suppliers. I think the key to success in my role is ‘collaboration’ as each daily task involves working with other team members across different departments.
What excites you most about your role?
My favourite thing about my role is seeing the magic come to life. The thrill of launching a new collection, going into the store with the entire buying team, and seeing how the range has come together is truly exhilarating. The positive feedback on collections from store staff, social media, and customers is not just rewarding, but also fuels my passion for my work.
I’m designing a collection keeping the female body in mind, considering all different ages and all body shapes and sizes.
You’ve been working on a new denim collection. Can you share some behind-the-scenes insights into creating a new range?
There has been a fundamental shift within the denim category, and you will begin to see this change in our upcoming collections. We have just launched the SB Denim Blazer and Soft Denim Pant, a denim fabrication blended with a lyocell component. This set looks like true denim but is much softer, drapier, and more comfortable. While these two pieces are tailored designs and historically structured garments, they are now reinvigorated in this new fabrication creating an effortless, modern look. In the upcoming months, you will see many more of these new denim blends and 100% Lyocell pieces, which we think our customers will absolutely love!
What does ‘For Women. By Women.’ mean to you?
I am so privileged to be surrounded by so many women of all ages in our head office to learn from and have as empowering female role models both professionally and personally. In my day-to-day role, I incorporate ‘For Women, By Women’ when creating and fitting the product. I’m designing a collection keeping the female body in mind, considering all different ages and all body shapes and sizes. I also consistently wear-trial all the garments myself to ensure that they tick all the boxes, including comfort and style. My goal is to make every woman leaving our fitting rooms feel stylish, modern, and confident inside and out.
What have been your biggest learnings in your role?
My biggest learnings in my role come from our customers and their feedback. Sometimes, we don’t always get it right, and I think it’s extremely important to understand why and be open to honest criticism.
What is the best piece of advice you have received from another woman?
”We learn from failure, not from success”. For me this quote is so reassuring to take risks in my role and try new product our customer will hopefully love (or not). If we don’t try new things and get uncomfortable, we will never evolve and learn from our mistakes.
How do you balance work and home life?
I think it’s very important to leave work at work and have it separate from your home life. I am trying to stay present after hours, focus on myself and do things that make me feel fulfilled and ready to handle the 9-5 daily work routine.
How do you unwind at the end of the workday?
Once 5:00 p.m. arrives, my laptop is shut down for the day, and I often head straight to The Tan Track for a relaxing walk to unwind. This is followed by therapeutically cooking dinner before heading to bed to watch some TV.
Who are the women you are inspired by?
I am inspired by the two closest females in my life: my mum and my older sister. They have taught me to work hard, follow my passion and have shown me how to raise a family, be a great support system and have a career all at the same time!
This month, our campaign is all about harnessing our strength within. What are your favourite ways to boost your inner strength during particularly demanding periods?
My favourite way to boost my strength is through exercise and activities that ‘fill my cup’. When I’m feeling overwhelmed, I always ensure my exercise and meditation are my top priorities as this is the only thing that will get me through it—if you are not at your best, you will not put out your best work!
