Kelly Atkinson is the Co-Founder and Creative Director of WeWearAustralian, an online and in-store retail concept dedicated to championing Australian fashion and connecting local designers with consumers, retailers and industry partners in the US market.

Originally launched digitally in 2020 to support local labels post pandemic, it has evolved into a major international retail movement, recently opening a flagship store in Soho, New York.

Along with Co-Founder Richard Poulson, Kelly is passionate about supporting homegrown creativity. WeWearAustralian is building a community that celebrates Australian design, while advocating for the growth and global recognition of the country's fashion industry.

Kelly Atkinson

Co-Founder & Creative Director: WeWearAustralian
Current Location: Soho, New York

How was the concept for WeWearAustralian formed?

WeWearAustralian was never intended to become a business.

It began during the pandemic as a simple movement to unite an industry that suddenly found itself facing enormous uncertainty. Under one banner, #WeWearAustralian, hundreds of brands came together to support one another, amplify each other's voices and remind Australians to invest in local creativity.

That spirit has never changed.

Today, the platform has evolved into a permanent home for Australian design in New York, but its purpose remains exactly the same: to champion Australian creativity on the world stage and create opportunities that are bigger than any one brand.

How has the business evolved to your current offering?

WeWearAustralian became our sole focus at the beginning of 2025. After two incredibly successful New York activations, Richard and I realised we weren't simply testing an idea anymore. There was genuine demand for a permanent destination dedicated entirely to Australian design.

Within four months, we developed the business, secured investment, designed the space and relocated our lives across the world.

Today, WeWearAustralian occupies a 5,000 square foot flagship in the heart of SoHo. Sometimes I still walk through the front doors each morning and have to remind myself that we are here and of what we have built.

For me, the greatest privilege isn't opening another retail store. It's creating a platform where Australian brands, many of them independent designers, can stand confidently on one of the world's biggest stages.

It's never been about one label having a moment.

It's about an entire creative industry rising together.

WeWearAustralian

Inspiration

What key personal attributes have assisted your career success and fulfillment?

Curiosity has always been my greatest strength.

I trust my instincts, but I never stop listening. Some of my best ideas have come from conversations I wasn't expecting to have.

I've also never viewed "no" as the end of the conversation. Often it simply means the timing, the approach or the question needs to change.

What are some ways you seek inspiration?

I'm an incredibly tactile person.

I always seem to have a crystal tucked into my pocket, and I'll never say no to an aura reading.

I'm equally inspired by beautiful old books, architecture, galleries and long walks through cities I've never visited before. Most of my treasured books are still somewhere in a shipping container crossing the Pacific alongside our artwork, and I can't wait to unpack them again.

I think inspiration comes from slowing down enough to really observe.

How do you balance the demands of work and family in a new city?

Some days it looks graceful. Most days it looks very far from

that …. I have to have made peace with that.

Our daughter has watched Richard and I build this business from the ground up in a city where we knew almost no one.

I hope what she remembers isn't the long grueling hours, pressure and sometimes the tears of hardship - but that she

remembers our resilience, our continued optimism and that we continued choosing each other through every challenge.

We have a few non-negotiables - family dinner, long walks through busy New York and soon our Australian Kelpie will finally arrive, making those walks even longer.

Strangely, despite living in one of the busiest cities in the world, I've never held Ollie's hand more and I am very grateful for that.

Building Your Career

What were some key early career experiences?

My early career was wonderfully varied, and looking back, that's exactly what I needed to learn. On the job - in real time under pressure.

Retail taught me how people actually shop, not how brands imagine they do. Every role added another layer - visual merchandising, buying, leadership, brand building and customer experience.

None of it felt particularly strategic at the time, but all together, those experiences became the foundation of everything Richard and I have built really.

What has been a stand-out role or opportunity?

Joining the Visual Merchandising team at Sass & Bide was undoubtedly one of the defining moments of my career.

Working alongside Heidi Middleton and Sarah Jane Clarke was incredibly formative. They had an extraordinary ability to identify potential in people and give creativity room to flourish. It wasn't simply about building a beautiful brand. It was about building confident creative people.

That philosophy has stayed with me ever since and is something I've consciously tried to replicate across every business I've led.

Origin Story

What was your first pathway when you finished school?

I never followed a traditional study path. A rebel if you will.

Some might call it the school of hard knocks.

In my twenties, I was living in Los Angeles pursuing acting and fashion was simply the job that paid the bills. Looking back, I think it was actually the reason I loved acting in the first place.

Clothing has this remarkable ability to transform not only how someone looks, but how they move, think and are perceived by the world.

Everything I've learnt has come from curiosity. Asking questions. Starting at the bottom without ego. Watching people who were better far than me and absorbing everything I could from them.

Retail became my university.

Was creativity part of your family dynamic?

I was raised by an extraordinary tribe of women - my grandmother, my mother and my aunt (and my older brother had a fair bit of play, too).

Ours was a home built on hard work, generosity and creativity.

They each wore countless hats without ever asking for recognition, and I think that's where I first learnt what real leadership looks like.

My mother remains my greatest inspiration.

She wasn't a fashion designer; her medium was food - handmade Couverture Belgium chocolates to be exact.

She could gather people around a table and make them feel completely seen. There was artistry in everything she created in the kitchen. I still think about that today. Beautiful experiences are never really about the object. They are about how they make people feel.

Where in Australia did you call home?

Perth, Western Australia.

In many ways, it's the antithesis of New York. Wide open spaces, endless coastline, and a pace that allows you to breathe. The last ten years there with Richard really shaped my appreciation for natural beauty and simplicity. It's something I still carry with me every day, even in the middle of Manhattan.

When did you re-locate to New York?

Officially, we relocated to New York on Australia Day 2026

Her Edit

The first design related item you ever purchased?

A pair of black Anne Klein heels and a Wayne Cooper dress for my

school formal. My friends thought I was completely mad spending

almost $800 on shoes.

Looking back, I probably should have realised then that fashion

wasn't just something I loved - it was where I was always meant to be.

Which Australian brands are on your covet list?

ESSE is always at the top of my list. Charlotte's ability to create clothing that feels both effortless and impeccably considered is something I deeply admire.

JOAEN has quietly become my everyday wardrobe. Grace has an incredible understanding of modern dressing, creating pieces that feel beautifully understated while solving the realities of everyday life.

I've also always loved Lee Mathews. Her knitwear and the quiet luxury woven through every collection continue to inspire me.

Copy of WeWear_StoreLaunch_Campaign-S02_046_FINAL_FilmGrade.jpg

Favourite creative icon, living or legend?

Audrey Hepburn.

My mother and I both adored her - watching Funny Face together was my happy place. She embodied elegance that was never performative. There was intelligence, kindness and restraint behind every image. I think true style is rarely about clothing alone.

If you style was a celebrity, who would it be?

If I'm honest, I would love it to be Phoebe Philo, but I'm not sure if that's just my lens - ha! Her philosophy probably sits closer to how I actually try to dress - quiet, functional, beautifully cut pieces that allow the woman wearing them to remain the focus, with a bit of fun.

Fashion should support confidence, not compete with it.

Quote

'Everything I've learnt has come from curiosity. Asking questions. Starting at the bottom without ego. Watching people who were better far than me and absorbing everything I could from them.' - Kelly Atkinson