Episode 78: Vanessa Bell | High Fashion Model, To Farmer, To Sustainable Designer

In this episode, I speak with Vanessa Bell, a successful entrepreneur and advocate for sustainability, known for her expertise in the fashion and agricultural industries. Vanessa started her career as a model, gracing the pages of high-end fashion publications and walking the runway for top-tier designers. However, her true passion lies in farming and sustainable fashion. Vanessa owns close to 118,000 acres of pristine land in Australia and is one of the few women in the world with a landholding more than twice the size of Paris. Vanessa has invested in the future by expanding her collection of hand-knitted Australian Merino wool baby knitwear to include luxury women's knitwear produced in Italy, all made from traceable and ethically farmed Australian Merino yarn. The Vanessa Bell brand promotes sustainability by using naturally occurring, renewable, and biodegradable Australian Merino wool and is committed to reducing microplastic pollution in the environment and inspiring future generations to make environmentally conscious decisions. Vanessa works closely with The Woolmark Company (AWI) and is a member of the Australian Fashion Council. In 2022, she was appointed as an Advisor to the Board of Ag Tech company Zondii, where she focuses on provenance and authentication for wool. Beyond fashion, Vanessa is committed to a large-scale mixed farming enterprise (including organic wheat) with active strategies to become a certified biodiversity and carbon farmer. Vanessa is a true visionary, demonstrating intuition, resilience, courage, and integrity. I enjoyed every minute of this dynamic, inspiring chat with Vanessa and no doubt you will too. You can find Vanessa Bell at:  Website Instagram  _________ INDIA SOURCING EXPERIENCE TRIP - EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST | MARCH 11th - 15th 2024 Don’t miss this opportunity to experience a transformational business experience into the sophisticated world of production, sourcing and supply; meet with garment and fabric manufacturers; travel with like-minded business owners and mentors and connect with world-class artisans and manufacturers expressing the very best of India’s vibrant fashion culture. EXPRESS YOUR INTEREST HERE.  _______ READY TO SCALE UP? Ready to level up to a new phase of growth and expansion? Elizabeth founded fashion consultancy Fashion Equipped in 2012 to expand the reach and potential of the Australian industry. Backed by decades of experience in all aspects of the business, and passionate about entrepreneurship, growth and the power of community, Elizabeth delivers fashion consulting, mentorship and online learning to hundreds of businesses and counting. From buying, product development, sales and sourcing, to strategic planning, marketing and team management, our expert line-up of industry insiders are committed to sharing their knowledge, networks and passion - to empower you to build a thriving fashion business. Elizabeth's next availability for consulting is October 2023. Feel free to reach out to her directly at [email protected].  Consulting is suited to brands that are already trading and ready to work on their strategic growth plans.  READY TO START UP? Ready to bring your vision to life and start your fashion business? ONLINE LEARNING We’ve crafted our decades of experience into an online fashion business syllabus informed by and tailored to the real world. Start Your Fashion Business is an industry-first online learning platform and a dynamic and engaged community. If you are a start-up who wants to make the Fashion Business your Business – then head to our website and watch the replay of our last Info Session & QA. Our ‘Start Your Fashion Business' programme is open online, so if you would like to join our community jump straight in! MENTORSHIP   It takes finely tuned business skills to make it in fashion, but mindset also plays a huge role. This is why mentorship is an essential ingredient to success – few can guide you on this path better than those who’ve already walked it and our deeply experienced mentors are here to help you navigate the business while building a strong mindset.  If you want to work 1:1 with a Mentor and kickstart your biz development, you can head to Your Mentor Collective – book a 1 hour of power session with one of our amazing industry Mentors - that's where the magic happens! MINI COURSES If you're up for a Mini-Course, check out our Start and Scale Studio on our Fashion Equipped website and explore Start your Sourcing Strategy, Start-up Cost Analysis, and Tech Pack Development. You can find Fashion Equipped over at: Instagram: @fashionequipped @startyourfashionbusiness_au Podcast Insta: @fashionbusinessmindset Facebook: www.facebook.com/fashionequipped Website: www.fashionequipped.com.au Let's do this together, let's make The Fashion Business, YOUR Business!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.