Meet Marie Ritchie founder of Hussy

July 29, 2012

Meet Marie Ritchie. She is one creative woman, designer, artist, entrepreneur and founder of Australian fashion label ‘Hussy’. On my recent trip to Australia I visited her Oxford St store, it’s always a ‘must do’ on my trips back to Australia. My Hussy purchases are always planned for and treasured forever in my collection. Continue reading and you’ll see why I love this woman and her designs too…

Born in Seaforth, Sydney Ritchie began her career working in a tiny fabric store near her family home. After work she set up her first studio in her parents garage, “I had a table that would fold out of the wall, it was positioned just in front of where the car was parked.” Ritchie says, “there was very little room, but it was workable.” From this ‘garage studio’ the orders came in thick and fast. Left with no space for warehousing, a friend offered Ritchie a larger studio to work from. She explains, “it was from here the business started to grow, operations expanded, I employed staff, moved studios again and then business exploded.” With every collection, Hussy’s sales doubled, and today the company has 22 staff and four stores – three in Australia and one in Bali. We take a look at this gorgeous label, its Autumn/Winter 2012 Dancer in the Dark collection and chat with Ritchie on her career, life’s challenges and why every women should embrace being an individual. After all “who wants to look like everyone else?”

Pictured above is the Dancer in the dark dress from the Autumn/Winter 2012 collection.

What was the moment where you felt you had made it as a designer? I think it was when I started exporting to places like Hong Kong and Dubai. These are major fashion destinations and I felt VERY flattered that I was cool enough to make it into these top boutiques to be sold along side Marc Jacobs and Alice Temperley.

And were there times when you thought you would give up? Absolutely! There have been many highs and obviously some lows. I particularly remember in about year 3 or 4, when the business was still very small. I was really sick and driving myself home thinking how tired I was trying to make it work and not making any return on my investment and deep in this thought, I saw the location for my first store! I called the landlord and organised an appointment. He was an elderly Greek man who said that I reminded him of a lady that he wed at a Greek Church down the road. I said that it was my mother and that it was my parents’ wedding he remembered! He had also taken my parents’ wedding photographs in the very store I wanted to lease 45 years ago!

Nocturnal Dreaming Maxi: Style chic goddess, lovingly crafted in silk, this delicate layered floaty backless maxi dress exclusively features an intricate urchin beaded collar.

How have you managed the business side of things given you are the creator? It is an extremely difficult juggling act. I have my sister that has worked in the business for 12 years! She looks after the operations side of the business such as warehousing and finance whilst I look after the creative. I am the creative director, which means designing all of the collections, overseeing branding, marketing, photography, PR etc.

Which person has had the biggest influence in your life so far & why? My late father. He always had faith in me and my abilities. He was the one who inspired and motivated me to start my own business at the tender age of 21. Fast forward 18 years, I am still here.

Fashionably flirty. Crafted in silk and rayon fabric, featuring beautiful hand beaded embellishments, this sexy and sophisticated dress is suitable for all body shapes.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever given and to whom? I think in interviews I get asked this a lot – and after all these years, I believe that the best advice is to learn how to interpret cash flows and forecasts. Stick to budgets of what you are supposed to spend and earn to make sure that the business goes to the next level.

Stand-out Splinter Maxi dress makes a statement, cool, calm and collected. The Splinter Maxi in Acid Yellow is your sophisticated day and sexy night dress.

Have you ever encountered sexism in your working or personal life and if so, how did you deal with it? I haven’t really come across sexism but I have had people discriminate against my age. When I was in my 20′s, I struggled to gain the respect of the older generation in the industry.

The Urchin Jacket: The perfect style to wear with trapeze or loose fitting shapes to balance your silhouette. Worn with the ‘Flame Pant’ playful and full of fun!

For any woman wanting to be a designer, where would you suggest they begin? Start VERY small and create only a few pieces. Test the market and see where it takes you. I highly suggest gaining lots and lots of work experience, as it is essential. It also gives you an insight into the industry and whether it is right for you.

The Twisted Maxi Dress: Flirty and Fun, just like our Twisted Maxi dress that focused on long, languorous looks for impossibly glamorous evenings or fun days.

How have you remained on top given the challenges in the retail trade in Australia with the high Australian dollar? Has this affected your business? We have had to move with the times. We have changed our business model considerably to evolve with this difficult climate. Keeping overheads to a minimum is essential.

Dancer Mini, dancing queen. The name says is all! Team with dress with killer heels for a night out, feeling sexy and confident you will sure to be dancing all night long!

Why will people buy Hussy? (I know why I do – because of the high quality timeless pieces that always stay in your wardrobe) I know people who have loved the Hussy brand for years. They invest in our unique pieces because we are not over-priced or mass-produced. In Hussy, our customers feel timeless, eclectic and confident. They are individual, which is their right. Who wants to look like everyone else?

If you have enjoyed our chat with Ritchie and feel inspired by the Hussy ethos, check out their website at www.hussy.com.ae. As you can tell, we simply ADORE Hussy and we can guarantee that you’ll be wearing your gorgeous Hussy pieces for years to come!

For a trip down memory lane take a look at Hussy’s previous ranges below…

Enchanted Summer 2012