From Australian leather to Japanese denim, the best raw materials are the beating heart of luxury brands. Matteo De Rosa is the CEO of LVMH Métiers d’Art, a company within the luxury conglomerate which brings together global suppliers that cover the gamut from farming to traditional crafts and technology. With a career history that includes his own leather-goods brand and working with Dries Van Noten, De Rosa is now focused on opening up the world behind the brands, offering transparency to everyone. 

Stephen Bennett is one of Australia's most visionary fashion & retail identities. Always five steps ahead of the rest, Steve founded the iconic Australian brand Country Road, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024. Bennett led the company for half of its lifetime, and the story doesn't end there... Stay tuned for Part 2 of this episode with another very special guest.

New Zealand designer Karen Walker is one of that rare breed who has played the long game, on her own terms, and is still fired up about what she can create to make customers’ lives that little bit better every day. From iconic eyewear, a soft-diplomacy tee or even custom chocolates for that extra stocking filler, Karen’s designs and collaborations are delicious bites of not-too-guilty pleasure.

Maggie Hewitt has always had the big picture in mind with her label Maggie Marilyn. Here, the New Zealand designer opens up about her bold business moves, her grassroots-up focus on sustainability, and how she’s learning that things don’t always have to be black and white in life as in business. 

Outland Denim founder James Bartle wants to change the world for the better via a great pair of jeans. Founded as a way to combat modern slavery, Outland Denim has trained, employed and empowered women in Cambodia to leave the cycle of poverty and exploitation and have a brighter future for themselves and their families. Brands and designers including Karen Walker, Artclub by Heidi Middleton, Spell and Aje have all collaborated with Outland to spread the word via premium denim – and that is just the beginning. 

Colour, pattern and texture are integral to Bethan Laura Wood’s practice – and her personal style. The London-based, mixed-discipline designer is in demand as a collaborator for brands across a multitude of genres from fashion to champagne and homewares. She is also the recipient of the 2023 Mecca X National Gallery of Victoria Women in Design Commission, an initiative backed by the beauty retailer to help address the imbalance of female representation in galleries. 

Poppy King has always swum against the tide, and the beauty industry is all the better for it. She first made a splash as a 19-year-old with a line of 1940s-style matte lipsticks when the rest of the world was still wearing frosted pink. From there, she was tapped by Leonard Lauder himself to work with Estée Lauder in New York, went on to launch Lipstick Queen, and has worked with brands including J. Crew, Kate Spade and Boots. Now, she has come full circle, launching a line of lipsticks in her name, manufactured in Australia, and set to take on the world once more.  

Sustainability champion Eva Kruse is nothing if not a “stubborn optimist”. Before sustainability was even a buzzword in the fashion industry, Kruse was asking the difficult questions and imagining a better future. From being co-founder of the Copenhagen-based Global Fashion Agenda to her role with London-based company Pangaia, Kruse has always been one step ahead of the rest. 

Since winning the International Woolmark Prize in 2014, Rahul Mishra has become India’s most celebrated designer, dressing celebrities including Zendaya, Freida Pinto and Viola Davis in his exquisitely embroidered and handcrafted designs. But it’s his belief in the power of fashion, and the way it can improve the lives of employees and connect people and places, that makes him truly one of a kind.