Meet The Designer: Lara Fells, St. Agni

Growing up, I was always passionate about style. I loved collecting magazines, and my family really fostered my creativity, encouraging me to experiment with making my own clothing. My nona taught me how to sew and had a special sewing room at her house that I would spend hours in when we visited her. She would also take me to the fabric store and let me choose pieces to experiment with.  

My mother always dressed in a very considered way. She also loved fashion, which obviously influenced me a lot. I also have a vivid memory of my aunt’s wardrobe – I remember her silver sculptural jewellery and her oversized, modern clothing. I was totally fascinated by her look.

I started my career in retail, as a manager of an Australian fashion label. I noticed there was a huge gap in the market for chic, minimalistic design, so that’s when I decided to start my own label. I suppose I’d always had an entrepreneurial streak and even from a young age, I couldn’t understand why everyone didn’t start their own business. 

Even though my aesthetic is very minimal, I still appreciate drama and detail. When I was young, I remember a relative wearing a pink dress with a big bow on the front. I thought it was incredible, but my mother would have let me dress in something like that. I started laying the foundations for my brand at the height of the boho era in Australia. Everything was heavily embellished and printed. But I knew I wanted to create a brand that contrasted with this aesthetic, focusing on grown-up designs and clean lines in neutral colours.

I didn’t have a business plan when I started. In hindsight, I was very naïve about the challenges of starting a business. Luckily, this naivety proved to be a strength, as we were totally open to learning and had the courage to venture into the unknown. Our growth was slow and organic. We started with a handful of handwoven leather accessories, and a year later we started developing leather footwear before finally expanding into apparel.