Designer Q&A – Belinda Fairbanks

Yes, I’ve been a bit slack about keeping up with our Designer Q&A’s in 2008! But they’re back, and today we are talking to Belinda Fairbanks, designer of her own self named label as well as Children Of The Sun (also known to me as ‘The brand that produced my favourite Winter 08 casual item in the snowflake cardi, which I sadly can’t find an image of to show off)

How did you get started in the fashion industry?

The Industry was a lot easier and less competitive then… I actually started Belinda Fairbanks with a suede bag I designed and sold it to a couple of boutiques, they sold really well in store and it took off from there…

How did the idea for Children Of The Sun come about?

I love the beach and Australian surf culture… once Belinda Fairbanks took off  I felt I wanted to do  something else to satisfy my more relaxed style … I also noticed a hole in the surf market for the sort of customer that would want something to go from beach to bar…

What’s an average day like for you?

I get up, get the kids off to school, have my morning meeting with the girls, then I normally spend a bit of time answering emails, then depending on what stage of the season we are at I will work on the upcoming range doing fittings, sourcing fabrics etc… usually  I go out in the afternoon for appointments with suppliers, rush back to pick up the kids take them to Basketball, Drama ,Swimming, feed them, put them to bed, then stay up working on the next range…. I find I’m more inspired at night when it’s quiet and it’s the only time I am really alone…

What’s the hardest thing about fashion as a business?

People who start out designing are generally far to creative to handle the business side of things…. It’s the boring things that are so important to keep a business up and running.. This is something that’s taken me a long long time to learn…

What impact, if any, do you think online shopping has had for Australian designers?

I think both from a design and sales point of view its been really positive, it’s a lot easier to reach a customer now that you may not have in the past

Any chance of a Children Of The Sun Online store one day?

I would love to but think its probably a couple of years down the track…

Which designers inspire you?

I’m inspired by anyone who stays true to there own style no matter what is going on around them…

What tips can you offer people looking to get into the fashion industry?

Start small, find a niche and grow from there

What’s coming up for Summer 08/09 with Children Of The Sun?

Lots of dresses and beautiful prints…

You can check out more of Belinda’s work on her website http://www.belindafairbanks.com.au

Australian Online Stockists of Children Of the Sun include Bird Motel Store

In Australia, head to Myer Miss Shop, Trigger Bros, Glue Stores, Hoss, Venus & Mars and Miss Shellies for Children Of The Sun