LISTEN to your customers. That is Samantha Wynne Australia owner Samantha Wynne’s creed.
“You have to listen to what your clientele is asking for. If you don’t look after them, someone else will,” Ms Wynne said.
The designer carries her own range of evening wear, selections from the Outrage and Matthew Eager lines and a children’s party range in her Hay Street, Subiaco boutique.
“I had a lot of clients coming in for bridesmaid dresses who also wanted flower girl dresses. I realised there was a niche there,” Ms Wynne said.
“ I also knew there was a niche in the market for size 6 and size 14. A lot of boutiques only sell sizes 8, 10 and 12.
“Plus, when I started four and a half years ago there was not much evening wear.”
Ms Wynne said she designed for the ‘real’ figure.
“A lot of designers are starting to consider that now. Designers such as Carla Zampatti have always catered for the fuller figure. But some of the younger labels don’t.”
Ms Wynne said a large price range also helped.
“I find people under twenty go for clothes priced below $200. From that age on, though, anything goes.”
Ms Wynne said her involvement from childhood with classical ballet and musical theatre drew her into the fashion industry.
“I fell in love with costumes. I grew up wearing costumes,” she said.
“As a ballerina I had to go to a lot of functions at His Majesty’s Theatre and found it very hard to find evening wear. I always knew I had the ability. I just needed the confidence,” she said.
