OnceWas is a luxury womenswear brand based in Melbourne. Its signature style speaks of individuality, craftsmanship and versatility, with the aim of making garments that make women feel amazing and last for seasons to come.
Belinda Glynn is the brand’s Director and Head Designer, responsible for the immense success of the brand even during the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. She realised the increasing importance of ecommerce and customer loyalty and retention during the economically difficult period. While she started at OnceWas as an employee, at the beginning of 2020, she and her business partner made the bold decision to purchase and take over the company. A decision that made her a first time business owner and operator. Three years on, OnceWas is thriving through strategic retail and ecommerce decisions and Belinda’s hands on approach and tight knit team.
Tell us about OnceWas.
OnceWas is a Melbourne based luxury womenswear brand designed and owned by myself and my business partner, Linda. Our vision is to create remarkable investment pieces for women seeking effortless, stylish and timeless clothing with transitional wearability and versatility.
Underpinned by a signature aesthetic, OnceWas collections feature exclusive prints accented by luxurious leathers and fabrics that have an emphasis on natural fibres. Upholding the quality and wearability our loyal customers have come to expect is of the utmost importance to us day in and day out.
Through this dedication, we’re proud to say that OnceWas has earned a reputation as one of Australia’s most coveted boutique labels.
Tell us about your career and background.
I grew up in South Africa and from a very young age I knew I wanted to be a designer. I was always playing with clothes and “designing” outfits for friends since I was small. As I grew older, I was going back and forth between a few careers, all centred in some form of design, when one of my parents said to me “what would you do if you weren’t being paid?” And the answer was fashion design.
After school I went off to study at a prestigious Fashion College in South Africa after which I moved to the UK and eventually found myself in Australia. When I first moved here, I started working at a fashion wholesaler and product development essentially for experience and as a way to get my foot in the door of the fashion industry. A couple years later I was offered a position working as a designer for the company that then owned OnceWas.
Looking back on my career development, one piece of advice I would offer young designers would be to seek out a mentor and support while also working your way up. Knowing the ins and outs of the fashion business and the process of designing and producing garments is invaluable for the rest of your career. It’s also so beneficial to get experience in a range of fields and start figuring out what you do and don’t like. It’s never too late to make a career change either.
What inspired you to start (purchase) OnceWas?
I have been the Designer and Creative Director at OnceWas since its inception and my business partner, Linda, was the Wholesale Manager. We were given the opportunity to buy the brand in late 2019 and after months of negotiations plus a number of setbacks due to covid, we finally took over in August 2020 which happened to coincide with the start of one of the harshest Covid lockdowns in Melbourne.
By acquiring the brand, we were able to establish a clear vision for OnceWas and share who we are with our customers. It also enabled us to focus on where we could see the most potential. I believed there was a great amount of untapped potential in the eComm and digital space, making it my key focus while continuing to create unique investment pieces for women who want stylish and effortless clothing that’s versatile and wearable.
Our collections feature exclusive prints and luxurious leathers and fabrics, with an emphasis on natural fibres. Personally, I’m inspired by designing clothes that make women feel confident, comfortable, and good about themselves – and that’s what OnceWas is all about.
Describe a typical work day for you.
As we are a small, tight knit team at OnceWas my day involves managing all the different functions of the business and wearing multiple hats.
Besides designing the collections, which is one of my passions, I also can be found switching from Financial Manager, to Marketing Manager, to HR, operations and production Manager, just to name a few, as I’m sure a lot of small business owners can relate to.
What advice do you have for those wanting to start a business?
My advice for anyone looking to start your own business is to reach out to those like minded successful people who are willing to mentor you and help you grow and succeed.
For me, I was lucky enough to have many successful mentors guide me through the problems that arise when starting a business. It also is important to employ or collaborate with people who might have a better knowledge or understanding around aspects of your business that you might struggle with.
What’s next for you, and OnceWas?
As a brand, OnceWas is looking at international expansion. We’ve grown such a loyal customer base all over Australia and would love to expand that reach overseas. We have started with New Zealand where we find the market, and of course the seasons, to be quite similar, and have set our sights on Europe over the next 12 months.
For myself, my focus over the next year or so would be to grow my team so I am able to delegate more of the day to day, allowing me more time to focus on design and the financial side of the business. These are aspects that I not only enjoy but believe will be the key to our future success.
