With a name like Grace Kelly, being stylish was inevitable. Hailing from the coastal city of Brisbane in Australia, this week’s Friday Muse is the multi-talented founder behind JOAEN (pronounced ‘Joan’), whose affinity for designing timeless, premium garments have many heads in the fashion industry turned.
If you ask Kelly’s mum, she’ll tell you that her daughter was always destined to work in fashion. But when Kelly left school, she chose to pursue a degree in architecture. “I was so deadset determined to become an architect… and I have no idea why,” she explains. “I did six weeks, and I deferred five hours before the census date for penalties. I was so uninterested in drawing squares and lines for weeks on end.” It was during a gap year she spent managing a cafe and sewing in her free time that a friend asked her why she wasn’t studying fashion. “At this stage I could have cried, I was so lost as an 18-year-old. But it honestly was like this glass shattering moment,” she says. “Like this obvious thing had been staring at me in the face but I couldn’t see it before this point. Fashion was always a hobby to me, never a means of work.”
Using this realisation as a springboard, Kelly quickly put together a portfolio to submit to the Queensland University of Technology and was accepted a week later to study a four year Bachelor of Fashion Design degree. During her studies, she spent her spare time working at an Australian fashion label and also had the opportunity to spend a brief stint at the prestigious Central Saint Martins art school in London, specialising in experimental knitwear. “I then went on to work in a marketing firm, managing and brand strategising for a vast range of clients,” explains Kelly. “It was at this time – amongst the COVID crazies – that I registered JOAEN as a business.” The rest, you could say, is history.
... on launching JOAEN
Kelly first launched JOAEN at the end of 2020, and despite the tumultuous and uncertain nature of the world at the time, she built the brand upon strong foundations and intentions. “I remember so many people said I was crazy to launch a business, let alone a fashion label at this time. We, as students, along with many fashion labels, had to very quickly change our mindsets and actually be designers — design for our new world and new lifestyle, with new restrictions,” she recalls. “During this time, I strengthened my practice in slowness and intentionality. I stopped, questioned and designed with the purpose of longevity. This really created a strong platform for myself to head into JOAEN.”
... on the JOAEN woman
The actual name for Kelly’s brand was formed by merging the name of her grandmother, Joan, and great-grandmother, Jean — serving as an homage to the generations of makers and women in her family. “Naming the business after [my grandmothers] was an easy decision for me, as they remain as true inspiration for who we are, what we do and the women we design for,” says Kelly. “They were ahead of their time and this is just so amazing to me. Their lives were simple, minimalist, artisanal and humbling. Their true being ultimately defines the foundational values and qualities that are held within all JOAEN women.”
For this reason, each piece within the JOAEN collection exudes a timeless, intergenerational quality; inspired by Kelly’s grandmother’s wardrobes, the fashion she admires in old films, and in some respect — from her own unique style. “At JOAEN, we have wardrobes, not seasons. I guess that’s how I’ve always shopped for clothing,” says Kelly. “I’ve invested in transeasonal pieces with good quality fabrication and craftsmanship, with a timeless silhouette. When designing for JOAEN, I think about the pieces in my wardrobe that I always pull out and wear all year round.”
... on running the business
Like many busy creatives, no two days are ever quite the same for Kelly in the running of JOAEN. “I’m the definition of organised chaos,” she says, candidly. “But I think a lot of business owners would vouch the same thing. Although I try to be organised and have a set structure, things just happen all the time in all aspects of the business that can change your schedule at the last minute.” Between managing the brand’s production and material sourcing and liaising with her team, Kelly wears many hats — which she admits can be quite the challenge. “It’s been a lot of learning on the job, fixing the mistakes, asking the questions and getting the help when needed,” Kelly says. “As a designer by training, the time that I actually get to sit down and design is not even ten percent of what I do in my week. Production is my 24/7 grind.”
... on her upcoming collection 'Wardrobe 02'
This week, Kelly has been visiting Tāmaki Makaurau to celebrate the launch of her upcoming collection, Wardrobe 02, which debuted on the runway at the Brisbane Fashion Festival several months ago. The range, which will begin arriving in drops from the 29th of November, was inspired by the work of Toowoomba artist, Narjia Brownlie, who Kelly ended up collaborating with to create the collection. “I reached out to [Brownlie] back in 2022, and the connection we had as creators and women was like no other,” she says. “It was like I had reunited with a long lost friend.” During her time in Aotearoa, Kelly has been hosting a series of intimate dressing appointments and collection viewings to further establish JOAEN within the local market. “Wardrobe 02 is the start of us showing our audience our intricate qualities,” says Kelly. “It still holds our signature pillars of soft structure, feminine and masculine styles, a modern take on vintage silhouettes and neutral timelessness tones. But we have also brought colour and print in our own JOAEN way – trendless and subtle.”
... on what's next
Having fared well over the past two years despite launching her brand at such an unstable time, Kelly’s next endeavour will be taking a much-needed sojourn overseas with friends. “2024 has to have a holiday in it for me,” she says.“This year has been so big. I’m thinking a few weeks in Italy with one of my besties would be perfect!” And for JOAEN? Kelly’s only just getting started. “Professionally, [I want to] continue evolving JOAEN. What that looks like, I cannot wait to see.”
Quick-fire questions:
My favourite place to travel to… Italy! My favourite country in the world! And I always love coming to New Zealand. It feels like I’m just visiting my cousin’s house. Everything is the same as home but just a little bit different.
My guilty pleasure is… Salted dark chocolate.
Best place for a cocktail… At home in Brisbane – the local is Gerties or the Lobby Bar, underneath The Calile Hotel. Yet to have a cocktail in Auckland, but tonight the girls from the Form Agency are taking me to Gilt for a Martini.
The item at the top of my wish list… Something from Maggie Marilyn. A female business that continues to inspire me.
My style icon is… I have a couple. Amber Valletta – her ’90s era is so chic. Lauren Hutton – her style through the decades is timeless and iconic.
Last TV show I binged… Beckham.
My current podcast recommendation… I love The Curve with Soph & Vic. I’ve been a big fan since they started. Such a great platform for educating young females on money and business. For a laugh, the boys at The Inspired Unemployed. Laughing with tears always.
A book that changed my life is… I recently read, Before You Knew My Name by Jacqueline Bublitz, which I couldn’t put down. A fave though is Normal People by Sally Rooney.
