What does it really mean to build a fashion brand around a woman the industry has spent decades ignoring?

In this episode of Fashion Business Mindset, Elizabeth Formosa is joined by Fleur Richardson, founder and creative director of Fleur Collective, a 100% Australian-owned, female-founded womenswear brand built on a simple belief: clothing should move with you, not against you.

Fourteen years in business. 95% made in Australia. Sizes 8 to 24 from day one. And a direct-to-consumer model built on genuine community and customer closeness.

Fleur shares the real story behind those numbers. The design decisions, the sourcing challenges, the commercial pivots, and the personal discipline required to build and sustain a purpose-led fashion business in 2026.

This is a grounded and commercially honest conversation for founders navigating growth, manufacturing complexity, and the challenge of serving a customer who deserves better.

In this episode, we explore:

• How Fleur’s career across swimwear, menswear tailoring, raw materials and women’s wear shaped her commercial and creative lens

• The design philosophy behind Fleur Collective, and why fit, fabric and function drive every decision

• What inclusive sizing from 8 to 24 actually requires technically, and how the brand approaches grading across a diverse female body

• The decision to shut down wholesale and go direct-to-consumer, and why owning the customer relationship changed everything

• Live selling before it was a trend, and how the brand’s content model has evolved over nine years

• The realities and risks of sustaining 95% local manufacturing in Australia, including ageing maker networks and fabric supply challenges

• Why Fleur moved a small percentage of production offshore and how she approached that transition consciously

• Buying out a business partner and going all in, and what that decision unlocked

• What Fleur is building towards next, including an adaptive clothing project inspired by her brother

• Where AI sits in the business right now and the reality of adopting it as a small independent brand

Key Takeaway

Building a fashion brand with genuine commercial integrity means making decisions the outside world doesn’t always see.

Fleur Richardson has spent fourteen years making those decisions. Quietly. Consistently. With her customer at the centre of every one.

About the Guest

Fleur Richardson is the founder and Creative Director of Fleur Collective — a 100% Australian-owned, female-founded womenswear brand crafting small-batch, considered collections for women who are done with compromise. Built on a belief that clothing should move with you, not against you, Fleur Collective has spent over a decade redefining what it means to dress with ease, confidence, and intention. With a 99% female workforce and most pieces made right here in Australia, Fleur has built more than a brand — she's built a community where every woman belongs.

Explore Fleur Collective here.

Watch behind the brand on Instagram here.

Claude for Fashion Workshop — Join the Waitlist

In this episode, you’ll hear Fleur and Elizabeth talk about AI and what it really means to start adopting it in a fashion business.

If that conversation resonates with you, join the waitlist for our upcoming Claude for Fashion workshop. 

Elizabeth will be joined by an AI expert, and together they’ll bring both sides of the equation: fashion workflow and business solutions lens, plus technical AI expertise.

The topics covered will be shaped directly by what you tell us you need. Your signup genuinely contributes to how the workshop is built.

Workshop landing around mid-July. Date and spots to be announced.

👉 Join the waitlist here: CLAUDE FOR FASHION A Two-Hour Practical Masterclass for Fashion Business Professionals — Fashion Equipped: Fashion Business Consulting

About Fashion Business Mindset

Fashion Business Mindset explores the real stories behind fashion brands, retailers and industry leaders. Hosted by fashion business strategist Elizabeth Formosa, the podcast shares practical insights on leadership, strategy and building resilient fashion businesses.

Work with Fashion Equipped

Fashion Equipped partners with established fashion businesses at pivotal stages of growth and evolution. 

Elizabeth Formosa provides senior-level strategic advisory across strategy, structure, profitability and decision-making — helping founders and leadership teams navigate increasing complexity with commercially grounded perspective and clear direction.

This is experienced, considered guidance for building resilient, high-performing fashion businesses that are designed to last.

Interested in Strategic Advisory?

The Fashion Business Growth Roadmap is my signature strategic advisory engagement for founders and leadership teams at pivotal stages of growth. Together, we bring structure, financial clarity and a dynamic 12-month growth plan into the business.

Book a Clarity Call with Elizabeth here.

The Fashion Business Growth Roadmap | Fashion Equipped — Fashion Equipped: Fashion Business Consulting

Connect with us:

Instagram: @‌fashionequipped

Podcast Insta: @‌fashionbusinessmindset

Facebook: Fashion Equipped | Melbourne VIC

Website: Fashion Business Consulting and Mentoring | Fashion Equipped

 Interested in Sponsorship?

We invite expressions of interest from aligned brands, retailers and industry partners who want to support commercially grounded conversations shaping the future of fashion.

 To learn more, reach out via email at elizabeth@fashionequipped.com.au or DM @‌fashionbusinessmindset

Let’s build your next phase of growth — with clarity and confidence.