Playing It Safe Was Never an Option

FULL TRANSCRIPT:

DI GILLETT [Host] (00:02.094)

The power of women. What does it mean to you and who do you think of?

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (00:08.258)

Di it means to me to lead with strength and empathy and when I think of the power of women, it’s really about the women in the bush. They’re women that generally don’t get a voice and they contribute in so many meaningful ways to the economy, to communities, they have long-term vision, they have resilience.

 

So yes, that’s what comes to mind.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (00:40.61)

The question underpinning today’s conversation is at what point does playing it safe become the greatest risk of all? I’m Di Gillett and this is the Power Of Women Podcast and we’re a storytelling platform that showcases and celebrates the strength, resilience and achievements of women from all walks of life. Now today’s conversation is really about reinvention. Reinvention as lived experience, which is what I’m passionate about sharing.

 

here on the podcast. Personal journeys to inspire, motivate, and ignite a spark in all of us. And my guest today is Vanessa Bell. Vanessa has moved across industries and world. She began in fashion and modeling, working with global houses, including Valentino, Armani, and Chanel. She later built a career in media and strategic communications before making a quantum leap, leaving city life to live and work.

 

on the land. Today as the founder and CEO of Vanessa Bell Luxury Knitwear, she’s building a fashion brand anchored by the magnificence of Australian merino wool. And her work sits at a unique intersection of fashion, agriculture and sustainability in a sector where female leadership is still rare. This is a compelling story of female courage, of determination and resilience,

 

So stay with us. Vanessa Bell, welcome to the Power of Women podcast.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (02:15.47)

Dara, thank you so much for having me. It really is an honor to be here today.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (02:20.952)

Vanessa, it’s great timing because you’ve just had a launch of the brand and of the collection on the property at Emu Creek. How did that go?

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (02:32.906)

It was such a joy, literally a dream come true. And it was a whirlwind getting the entire event together, but truly a mix of media, industry and community to really celebrate this foundation launch. And truly we were blessed with the gods and wonderful to have that immersive experience, which I think is incredibly important for consumers to actually see.

 

where the product comes from at source.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (03:03.362)

Yeah, beautiful. And the weather was kind.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (03:05.996)

The weather was remarkably kind for Walker. At this time of the year, can be minus 15 or, you know, it’s still hot. it’s, it, it’s, it’s one of those climates where higher than Jindabyne, which for those that are familiar with snow country, that’s right. Yeah. So we’re, we’re in the new England, but very much cold climate.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (03:21.742)

more.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (03:27.106)

so your product gets a fair workout in your own wardrobe. Yes. Yeah. So Vanessa, this podcast is really built on the idea that reinvention is grounded in courage and determination and tapping into resilience. And you’ve made, as I suggested in the intro, that quantum leap from media strategy to agribusiness and sustainable.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (03:32.45)

Dintage.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (03:54.986)

and all of the components that come behind that. When you look at all of those chapters, is there in fact a common thread across all of them?

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (04:07.122)

I think the common thread is perseverance, a sense of humor, curiosity, really a desire to evolve and to take risks. And I think that’s pretty well covers every industry that I’ve been in, every experience that I have willingly participated in. And really when I look at things from 30,000 feet, people often talk about passion.

 

And while I think that that’s truly important, perseverance is actually more important.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (04:42.636)

Yeah, I’d agree with that. think that’s a great point to drive home. So when people look at where you are now, and it does, for all intents and purposes, appear to be quite a significant pivot. And I think any of these significant life changes from a career perspective or a lifestyle perspective take courage. If you reflect on that, is courage in fact part of your overall life story?

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (05:13.56)

Definitely diet, although I’m not sure if I were to look back as a younger person, I would necessarily have put that label on it. I think when you’re actually in the thick of it, you don’t realize that you’re actually pressing into that car. But certainly when I look back, particularly when I was modeling, you know, if I go back to thinking there was certainly no text messaging, there were phone calls to my father from.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (05:27.47)

That’d be naivety.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (05:42.432)

Austria or Germany or wherever I happen to be and and are you okay? Yes, and then you know you’d hang up so resilience that courage to really put yourself out there and Yes, I definitely think it’s been a huge part of my journey

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (05:58.126)

And you raise an interesting point because we’re such a connected world now, but when we were both starting our careers and distance, connection was nowhere near as easy. It was a reverse charge phone call on a good day or an aerogram on a bad day.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (06:16.12)

That’s right. Or a pigeon, or a pigeon, depending on which country. Exactly. Close to. Absolutely. But yes, I think, you know, that courage really has helped shaped everything from starting a new business to, as I said, travelling across different countries. And then, you know, obviously as I’ve moved into migrating from city to country.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (06:41.112)

So what parts of those have been the richest experience that have shaped you both as an individual and as a businesswoman?

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (06:49.166)

Goodness, such a huge question across so many different, you know, when I look at being in fashion or, you know, stepping into media, it’s really been, it’s been just such a joyful experience. So in terms of shaping me, that I think the biggest shift was actually moving from city to country and being able to look at opportunities through a fresh lens. you know, often when you’re in the thick of everyday life, being in the traffic,

 

driving to, you know, across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, you become desensitised and you become part of, you know, you’re part of just a normal everyday routine. And I think so much of my life has just been completely out of routine, know, whether or not it’s in

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (07:35.79)

it rains or not is a very different meaning to somebody in the country than somebody living in the city.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (07:41.548)

Yes. So, you know, I think you would appreciate this growing up in the country. It’s there are two different, vastly different worlds, both offer very wonderful things, but also there are challenges. And really, I think my learning sits within those challenges and being able to look at opportunities, see things again through fresh eyes and think, hmm, OK, what can I do here? How can I how can I further myself? What can I learn? And

 

When you’re really immersed in nature, this is something that comes home to you. You don’t necessarily have a choice in it, which I think is Mother Nature’s way of keeping us on our toes.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (08:23.096)

So for the listener, because many people have got no sense of what it’s like to live in the country and be reliant on the weather, and we’re certainly learning in a volatile world that the agro sector is being impacted in so many ways that perhaps city dwellers couldn’t even imagine.

 

You’ve made the transition in reverse. I came from country to city and that’s not that uncommon, albeit as an 18 year old, that was a big, deal. Getting myself settled in in a faster paced life. And I’m not saying I hadn’t seen traffic lights, but just a faster paced world. Now you’ve gone the reverse as you have said.

 

What are some of the tangible transitions in making that move that you could share with us that perhaps were most testing?

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (09:28.263)

I think for me the most testing thing was moving into a very very small community. know if you’re even in Sydney or Melbourne you know when you’re part of a larger community privacy is something that we value very deeply in the city. When you move to a small country town everyone knows you or they presume they’ve got this preconceived understanding in their minds of who you might be or how you might behave and

 

found that most challenging and I feel that, you know, come on, what are the benefits about being an ex model is that you have an incredibly thick skin. you sort of take everything with her. So, but I made a concerted effort, which for someone that is very reserved, you know, I definitely take after my father. He has

 

always being considered very arrogant for those that don’t know him because he is very reserved and he’s very private.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (10:28.654)

and this is often confused with arrogance.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (10:31.488)

Absolutely. And so I had to really step out of my comfort zone and connect and community was vital. I knew that I would not necessarily fit in with, with everyone in the community and that’s fine. That’s completely fine. But that’s right. And, for me at that time, I was, I just had my son. So he was, you know, a few months old and, and that’s actually where I was able to find solace was.

 

with other other moms that were in the district that also had young children and just by sheer fluke found the most amazing bunch of girlfriends. So I think community in that sense is in terms of such a massive shift is really, really vital to your mental health and wellbeing. But also having a sense of purpose. know, when you go from, I was one of

 

the executive team at a media agency in Sydney called Slingshot, at the time was Australia’s most highly awarded media agency, independent media agency. you know, like I’ve just gone from running campaigns that were in excess of a million dollars to being on a farm with a baby. And that had some wonderful things, you know. I mean, I’d always wanted to have a beautiful family.

 

So I was really embracing the pace and the space of country life that I found really joyful. But at the same time, I realized I needed my own sense of purpose. And ironically, my sense of purpose came from a baby blanket that was gifted to me by my mother, which was knitted by my great-grandmother, Sarah Jane Bond, back in 1940. And I realized this was this beautiful Merino baby blanket, and it was still going strong.

 

you know, 75 years later, and I had this light bulb moment of why, why are you not able to buy these beautiful blankets? Everything that I looked for was synthetic or no one was doing it. And so that’s where my journey really commenced in the bush was around a desire to do something that was meaningful. I’m, never been good at nasal gaze, gaze. You know, I really need to be doing something that’s

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (12:48.364)

that has purpose behind it. And then working with local ladies that were elderly to workshop a prototype based on my great-grandmother’s knitting, which then became the genesis and inspiration for what I’m doing today. And Dietrually, that business was my saving because within three months we were on landline. I had these extraordinarily beautiful baby blanket designs, some of them dating back to 19…

 

11, 19, 12, you know, I was going through all these patterns with Patti Stone from Dalton, who’s just, I’m sure she won’t mind me saying, but Pat’s now in her nineties and I’d travel out to Dalton and she’d have the scones and cup of tea and we’d go through all her knitting patterns. And I gave this sense of purpose of creating something that was built on love and longevity and that I could create something that would impact elderly women where they felt like they were being valued. They were

 

passing on this generational wealth and knowledge that was just mind blowing, not to mention Pat makes the best scones you’ve ever had in your life. So it was just this wonderful group of women and to have that success through Buy From The Bush and this wonderful business that then took off and we’ve got baby blankets in Geneva and London. And so that was the media hat, the synergy of

 

understanding how to connect these two worlds. But more so my just complete, I could not believe that growing up in the city, I had this, I mean, we all wore our scratchy jumpers at school. To To school. But I had no knowledge of all, I had no idea that it was, you know, this miracle fiber that had incredible attributes of being thermoregulating, antimicrobial and antibacterial.

 

UVA, UVB protectant, the only fiber you should wear if you suffer from eczema. All of these extraordinary benefits of the fiber I had no knowledge of before. And that was really, you know, producing these luxury bespoke, handcrafted baby blankets was such a joy and gave me such, it was such fun to do, especially when Charlie was, you know, three, four, five years old. but then again,

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (15:09.644)

think, you when we talk about opportunity, sometimes it’s through that fresh lens. And I remember being behind when I first started dating Philip, we were out bouncing around in his ute through the paddocks chasing a mob of sheep. I remember looking at their ears bouncing up and down and saying to him, look at all of their ears. And he just looked at me, you know, looked completely dumbfounded and said, you know, I’ve never noticed that. So I think that’s that’s been, yeah, I mean, that’s a long winded way of answering.

 

For me it was around purpose and community.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (15:41.966)

And did that change the way in which people in the community responded to you because you’d taken this sense of purpose and grounded it in a product that would have been very close to their hearts? Did that change perceptions?

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (16:00.782)

Absolutely and look I’m not for everyone. I know that I’m incredibly direct and you can take the girl out of Sydney, but not all of that But yes, I do feel like You know When you have your community behind you they immediately start advocating for you and they they realize that there’s a bigger conversation at play

 

In fact, this morning I could not be more pleased. I’ve made the front page of the Apsley Advocate on the back of my launch of the Emu Creek Long Lunch, which is incredibly exciting, not only for me, but for the community because it was, you know, 20 years. That’s right. It’s really important that it’s, I can see, you know, with the media hat on that it’s not about me. It’s about advocating as a champion of Australian marina wool. I would say.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (16:41.217)

in lights.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (16:54.54)

I do remember, so we’ve had Outback Stations as well and we were, through the period of COVID, we were at our Outback Station Wuchilaba, which is between Mount Hope and Cobar at a place called Gilgunya. And I remember one of our, we were out there for months and I remember one of our contractors saying to me, you know, Ines, you’ve changed. And I said to him,

 

I said, you know what? Oh, his name will remain nameless. But I said to him, I said, no, I have not changed. I am exactly the same girl. I had, I’m just as comfortable wearing Armani as I am wearing my RM Williams boots. And you, after my exactly after my is in red dirt. said, what has changed is that your preconceived ideas of me have shifted. So again,

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (17:39.918)

about

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (17:53.09)

Going back to my modeling roots, when you are a model, you are a face for all demands. You are being paid to be someone else’s product. You have to be super clear on who you are as a person to do that. And I feel that that’s, yeah, I mean, that’s part of the whole process of really just standing in your power.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (18:12.33)

I get it. was on, I was in front of an audience on, Tuesday and, and we were talking about perceptions and the perceptions first impressions of me is grounded in the city. I’ve got a certain look. doesn’t look like I’ve grown up in, the country. And then you start to share that through, through this platform, through, storytelling. And you can see a whole lot of those.

 

preconceived views start to melt away as people suddenly find you more approachable because everything that they had had assumed actually was not the case. So it’s it’s it is really interesting isn’t it and and to your point you haven’t changed they’ve just they’ve just taken away some of the filters that would were putting judgment before before reality.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (19:06.296)

That’s absolutely correct.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (19:07.886)

So for anybody listening who’s not familiar with country settings and country life, Vanessa, tell us about, can you describe where you live and can you describe what a typical, I won’t say a typical day, but more what a typical week looks like and the thinking behind being where you are now?

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (19:31.406)

Absolutely, Di. So our property is located outside of Walker, which is a beautiful cold climate town in the New England. It’s a really wonderful community. And what I especially love about Walker is it’s a very social community. So there’s, you know, we have things like the Jibang races. We’ve got a wonderful art community. So it’s a there’s lots of markets. Really, it’s a really vibrant town.

 

Um, in terms of our property, it’s, uh, steeped in history. So, uh, we were very fortunate to purchase Emu Creek last year. It’s the first time it’s come onto the market in 161 years. and so yes, that’s the first time it was, was in the Gill family for six generations. Um, and.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (20:13.781)

time out of the family.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (20:21.43)

And the ship, well, it’s got this magnificent homestead. The shearing shed is truly what got me across the line. It’s a 19-stand shearing shed. And it’s just, it is just so steeped in history. So we have, you know, our own museum, which basically houses the original steam engine that powered the shearing shed. And in terms of, we grow super fine marina wool here. And so for people in the city,

 

What does that mean? means that Walker in the Southern Hemisphere, we certainly grow wonderful wool down in Goulburn as well, which is where Philip’s family are originally from. But the quality of the Merino wool that we grow here is outstanding. So Emu Creek has won every award that you can possibly win, you know, from Golden Bale, et cetera, right through. And so that is something that we’re really passionate about here is.

 

picking up that mantle and running with it. So for context, literally at the beginning of this year, Philip and I became RWS certified, which means that we’re really part of a global standard of wool classification, which means that we can also sell our wool at a higher price. But what does that mean for the consumer? It means that we’re very serious about the flock health and management and also biodiversity and pasture improvement of

 

of the property. So that’s where we are in Walker. then separate to that, we are also in far North Queensland. So we have Bellevue and Nightsham stations, which are about five hours west of Port Douglas, which is very different and also spanning over 500,000 acres. So it’s a large scale cattle production and

 

You know, for my husband in particular, he’s very, very passionate about his cattle, as are my sons. So that it’s a mixture of two worlds, incredibly vast. The colors are incredible. The blues, wonderful, it’s actually Chilago synonymous for its white marble. There’s the diversity, just the incredible terrain.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (22:41.29)

It’s something that is so vast. have the Mitchell River that runs straight through our property for 70 kilometres. So it’s freshwater crocodiles and literally there’s nothing as far as you can see in 360 degrees. It’s completely, you are completely remote. And, you know, we’ve had other stations that are remote, but this I think really takes the cake.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (23:03.446)

Yeah, wow. And how much time do you spend on that one?

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (23:07.554)

So this is a new project, because we’ve only really been able to take over in the past few months. So we’ll wait till dry season kicks in, which we’re not far away, and then we’ll embark on. We have quite a mustering program, helicopters, guys on.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (23:25.102)

You’re just about to hit with some heavy rains, I’m guessing, based on what’s forecast. So, we’re wet underfoot.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (23:31.244)

That’s right. It’s exactly it’s been a very, very wet season so far. So yes, very excited to really immerse ourselves in that part of our lives as well. So I feel like it’s still a

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (23:43.784)

to gumboots Vanessa. Exactly. Completely different. different. It is. Excellent. Well coming up we’re going to talk about what it takes to be taken seriously as a female business leader in a male dominated industry.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (23:49.198)

It is time.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (24:02.528)

If you’re loving the Power of Women podcasts, be sure to jump onto our YouTube channel and hit that subscribe button to ensure you never miss an episode.

 

I’m talking with Vanessa Bell, Merino Ball champion and sustainability advocate. Now, here’s a question that I’ve been building towards because it really is the heartbeat of this episode. Agribusiness in Australia is still largely male dominated when we think about who are the leaders. When you arrived as a woman with a modeling background and really city credentials, you’ve shared with us what the reception was like.

 

from the community. What was the reception like though as a business person?

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (24:54.273)

Thankfully, I think I had quite a positive experience on the whole. Mostly, I would credit my husband for that because we’re such a team and we work so closely together that I think, you know, any time there was any bias and particularly, I mean, we’ve done significant land transactions on the Eastern Sea board of Australia and out west, I would always see Philip

 

you know, turning to me to say, well, you know, this needs to be part of the conversation with Vanessa. So I was very much included with Philip’s support. The other thing I would say is I have very, very strong business skills from the city. And then Philip obviously is incredibly big picture. I’m very detail orientated. He’s very big picture and entrepreneurial as well. And so we were able to combine those skills together.

 

How other people perceived us, again, I think it’s my directness and my ability to just hold my own and just be very clear and intentional about what I expect. And I think with that level of confidence, it’s not arrogance. And I think that’s a very clear differential. There’s a difference between being so clear and polite and respectful versus being arrogant. And that I felt was really well received in the bush.

 

I feel that there’s been a huge shift in agribusiness. There are more women, particularly in wool, on the ground now than there are men. And I feel that there’s an opportunity for women in ag in a way that they’re previously, you know, it’s been lacking. I would say that in the cattle arena, it’s definitely male dominated and I believe it will stay that way. I think it’s a tough one to crack.

 

I can only speak to my experience of just being, you know, I remember one transaction and being asked to go and have my husband sign off on the documents for security and die. had to point out to this chap that the security was in fact actually my property. you know, it’s about how you manage that and you can be, I choose not to be aggressive. I just choose to be direct. And I think that that’s really important.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (27:13.518)

I do not want to lose my sense of femininity or my compassion or ability to understand that there are always different, there’s always something going on behind the scenes in the bush. The one thing that I’ve learned that we don’t have in the city is the bush telegraph. It’s real, it lives, it breathes and people are, there’s always a conversation going on. It can be over, you know, over the bonnet of a Land Cruiser. can be…

 

while someone’s fencing, can be in the pub, can be across the board within a community. So you have to be very careful about how you treat people. But at the same time, I think you need to understand that in a male dominated industry, I definitely believe that there’s a really powerful future for women in ag. What I would also say is that in terms of wool, I had conversations

 

with people that have been instrumental in the success of the Australian war business for years. And I realized that that was not the path that I wanted to go down. And so I think when you realize that you’re not going to get a seat at a table or at a table that you actually want to sit at, for me, it was about creating my own table and being able to shape a narrative that is, in my case, important to

 

connect with consumers in a way that’s meaningful to them. In terms of flock health and the flock health and demand of wool, that will always be the most important thing. But in terms of being able to make sure that that demand is there, we need to connect with the consumer. And I feel that the way that I’m doing that is potentially a different angle than what has been done historically, specifically around sustainability.

 

And just on that, feel like we’re moving very much from an attention society to a trust society. So traditional models.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (29:18.112)

that more what what do you mean by that

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (29:20.386)

So historically we were, brands for example, would be wanting to gain the attention of consumers. And what, if I go back to just the event that I had last week on farm, it’s about provenance, it’s about longevity, it’s about…

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (29:36.022)

Not a logo to be seen.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (29:37.602)

No, it’s about looking at the sheep on the ground and connecting that journey with the consumer. So what do they see? They say that I’m a woolmark licensee. So that’s around rigorous testing, understanding all the garments, meeting those credentials. But then to follow through as an RWS wool grower, that experience, so that trust for the consumer, that experience on the ground, that’s delivering more value than it is trying to send them ads.

 

and getting their attention through social media and the traditional channels. So yes, that shift of sustainability, of truly understanding ethical and responsible business pathways has never, ever been more important.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (30:22.572)

Yeah, and the generation coming through will judge all of us on that because they’ve made a quantum leap in what they value compared to what we historically valued. Can I round back to the supply chain of people that you are doing business with? Are you only doing business with men or are there women on the other side of the table doing business with you?

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (30:51.598)

Great question, Diane. I love this question because this is one of the things that I really, really wanted to do was that I wanted to work with partners that really… Firstly, I wanted to know the people that were making our clothing. Made initially was a conscious decision because I wanted to work with partners that not only understood the fiber, but also were very conscious of their…

 

the grain, what they were doing behind the scenes, that they were actually making sure that everything from paying their staff correctly to how they were treating their water and processing, that all of those credentials were actually true and that we could account for them. But then to go through and find not only Lanikadatta and Tulaneo 1900s, so two very prestigious mills that have been anchored in tradition for years, that could also understand me as a grower.

 

to then find Magnifico Pini, who are my production partners, run by Martina Pini. This has been a generational business, very, very positive in how they treat the women in their business. They have apprenticeships, they do wonderful things in their community. We literally, I really believe in the power of connection, and this is how we found each other through our values, some minor courage, innovation, and integrity. We were able to find each other and traditionally,

 

a company that only does major orders for really significant brands, which will remain nameless because that’s private and confidential for Megalufa Copini, but very serious brands. The reason why we were able to join and to come together is because they believe in my journey. They believe in seeing what I’m trying to create for the consumer. And going back to that trust narrative, they trust in me because they are so incredibly pleased to see that it’s not just about

 

you know, yarns that are turning up from the manufacturers, they are actually being part of that journey, they’re being brought on that journey. And that’s super exciting for them. So yes, they’re very much about giving back to their community. And that responsible business pathway as we move into, you know, a circular economy, having our products with passports, it’s going to become an absolute versus a nice to have. And I think that

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (33:15.682)

to be so far down that track. We’re already setting ourselves up for success. I’d really love to just congratulate the Australian Fashion Council and RM Williams in particular, because I know that they’re working really hard on bringing manufacturing back on shore as part of an important.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (33:31.82)

That was one of my questions, yeah. Is there ever going to be the opportunity with, there’s not much in terms of knitting looms or technology in Australia these days, I would have thought.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (33:44.758)

No, so I think in principle, I absolutely think this is a fantastic initiative. However, my caution is around the lost knowledge. So, you know, yes, there are other countries in China, Japan, there’s manufacturing all over the world. What I would like to see is a reciprocal agreement where almost like an apprenticeship scenario where people are able to go to countries like Italy to learn the art of spinning.

 

of scouring, carding, spinning, dying right through to production because we have lost those skills. So we have a skills gap there. And I think while it’s very important to address because we’re losing all of these opportunities offshore, you know, the value that’s being left on the table because it’s all being taken off offshore is huge for this, particularly for Australian growers.

 

We would love to see manufacturing here, but that comes with that caveat of the knowledge gap. We really need to make sure that people, because I can’t step into a business such as mine when you’re producing luxury fashion at that level and entrust it if the capability is not there.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (35:01.1)

And are you designing the product yourself Vanessa?

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (35:04.312)

So my designer is actually Natasha Lennart and she headed up Victoria Beckham’s knitwear team for 10 years. again, through the power of connection, we met on LinkedIn and she sort of loved what I was doing with my baby blankets and she asked me, would you like to actually return back to what your past life in fashion? And so we struck up a friendship and it was this wonderful concept that’s taken a whole life.

 

with its own. But I’m saying that yes, technically Natasha has been very much driving the technical side of the designs. However, because of my years and years and years of working in high fashion, it’s a very clear brief. Like literally Natasha’s like, you are the most clear cut client I’ve ever had to work for because I’m so clear.

 

So the colors, the vision, nods to different. So I have my signature turtle neck is this beautiful deep water navy and an iron bark black. That is my nod to Tokyo. That is my nod to working with Komedi Gasson and Yohji Yamamoto and Hiroko Kishino. The colors, the black and camel that I’m wearing today, sandstone and iron bark, this is very much me. The nod to being able to understand women.

 

who are on the go, people that are getting on flights, business leaders. It’s about effortlessly chic. while I’m on that thought process, for me, it’s also about making sure that women don’t feel overwhelmed because in this world of fast fashion, I’m trying to hit it on two fronts. One is to stop people from wearing petrochemicals and to stop contributing to microplastic pollution through synthetic clothing. And the second thing is to

 

Make those decisions in wardrobes, investment pieces, so that we take out the, what am I wearing? It’s at the back of my cupboard. This is too complex. don’t need, this is a literally set forget. Beautiful, effortlessly chic, so comfortable, breathes with you, works with you. It’s a no brainer. You put it on, you look fabulous, you walk out the door.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (37:21.932)

Yeah, beautiful. And whilst I’m not wearing your brand today, I am wearing Merino wool and you’ll find me wearing it most days for all of the, all of the reasons that you’ve already advocated for. So, which is incredible. Tell me, are you close to getting to the point? So we, if we put it into food terms and in the cattle or, or, or, sheep and, and, and lamb markets that paddock to play concept, are you

 

anywhere near being able to say, this is the wool that we grow. And this is the wool that my products are made out of that whole traceable Providence piece.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (38:02.702)

Absolutely. literally three weeks ago I sold 72 bales of Emu Creek wool that was RWS certified. So the work that goes into doing that is huge. So what does that now mean? It means that I am now able to grow wool fit for purpose for my knitwear. And it also means that while I’m producing accessible luxury at the moment, I can then step into the next area of superfine Merino wool.

 

and pure luxury products because Cashmere for example is a micron that sits between about 9 and 13 and SuperFi Merino sits at between 13 to 15. I’ve just bought my beautiful rams that are sitting at approximately 14 micron. So if we can then grow SuperFi Merino wool that is RWS certified and then create products that are fit for purpose for

 

know, specific range or to potentially do a situation where there’s cross spinning with another growers product. That traceability factor becomes such a key part to the journey. But also, as I said, it goes back to that trust piece where consumers will then have an understanding of where the garments coming from.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (39:21.57)

So when you look at what you’re building, not so much as the brand, but as a legacy piece, what do you want the story of Vanessa Bell to mean going forward?

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (39:34.262)

I think it’s a bunch of different things really, to really simplify it, it’s to really encourage people to choose wool for a healthier life and planet. there’s so many different options out there for people, but if they just choose merino wool, not only will they be comfortable in their everyday life, but they can really feel like they’re part of the solution and not the problem.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (39:56.982)

A couple of rapid fire questions to wrap up and for our listeners if you can hear noise in the background it is the fantastic sound of rain on roof in a setting where Vanessa has just shared with me between takes that they have not had much rain for the years so as somebody living on the land that is something to celebrate. Three quick questions.

 

The most important thing country life has taught you.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (40:29.464)

Country life has really taught me about the seasons. So as we sit here, I can smell the rain and it is sensory. It is about that connection back to the environment. I know for example, when we had our previous cattle station, Kupilakarapa, when we had the huge floods that transpired at the beginning of last year, three days before that happened, all of the frogs migrated, literally. The noise was deafening.

 

They knew. So the seasons and the animals, I was very fortunate a few years ago to have a pet dingo as a dog. And that intuitive understanding of nature is such a gift. So yes, it’s really taught me about the seasons, how that affects us as human beings, how it’s important to understand that those seasons in our lives are just that. They come and they go.

 

and that the seasons of nature are there to remind you to think differently, to smell the roses, to take time to go for that walk, to look into the sky and see the endless stars. Often we spend too much time just focusing on ourselves and I truly believe that that connection to nature is also a connection to

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (41:51.342)

Yeah and I love that you had a less than conventional pet. I had an emu for 17 years and they are quite extraordinary creatures to to observe. You never get you never get close but they’re but they’re interesting.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (42:11.628)

It’s a joke.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (42:14.348)

What’s the hardest day you had on the property in one sentence?

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (42:19.404)

The death of, well, death, death is, it was the death of my assistant. She was leaving our cattle station to come and take care of my son as I was heading off to Singapore on business. The loss of Vivian was just horrific. Again, it goes back to that, the understanding of acceptance. I’ve had,

 

I’ve had so many different experiences with drought, with there’s been all sorts of different things, but that would stand out in my mind as the most devastating, the most difficult day of my life was the death of Vivian.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (42:58.338)

Yeah, thank you. The most powerful lesson reinvention has taught you.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (43:05.954)

Be fearless. Don’t be afraid.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (43:09.516)

My favourite line.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (43:12.098)

Don’t be afraid to give something a go. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. And don’t be afraid to shy away from who you are. You know, if I’m on a dirt track and there isn’t anyone on the radio, there’s no one for three hours and I’ve got a flat tire, don’t be afraid to feel what you feel. And it could be…

 

I mean, years ago, I said to my husband, don’t ever try and shut me down from how I feel. I’m cross, I’m cross. So I would say I would also. No, so I, you know, all of those things being fearless, being able to own your story, being able to try and experience things, not being risk adverse. think people are really frightened of change. That’s life.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (43:51.96)

I wasn’t left wondering.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (44:10.976)

Life is change.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (44:14.508)

And I think that’s such a powerful message, I think, for anybody who is thinking about making a change or some form of transformation or reinvention, you’re exactly right. We see it in organizations when things get changed up. People are change resistant. For people living on the land, change is every day of the week. And in terms of where that comes into play in building resilience, that is

 

just where it’s grounded, that’s where it happens because if you can’t move and adapt with the change that’s coming your way every day of the week, you won’t make it. So it’s such an important point.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (44:57.258)

Absolutely. I remember vividly, just one story before we part, I remember being out west in the drought and I had shampoo in my hair and I went to sort of wash my hair out and that was it. The water tank went out and that meant a tanker coming in. It was three hours to get a tanker in. I had shampoo in my hair for days but it was literally, you know, I the straw that broke the camel’s back. I was just so…

 

so exhausted. think so many women, you go through so much in life. It’s divorce, it’s a change in career, it’s redundancy, it’s, you know, fire, it’s loss of life, it’s loss of a child. There are so many challenges. The mental load is real. So I feel like we’re in a community where we’re being desensitized, where everything is so fast. We’re getting so many messages per day. We’re told that we have to be, you know, calm and contained.

 

actually disagree with that. feel like you really need to just experience what you’re experiencing at the time. That doesn’t necessarily dictate the answer. Water is something that runs through a creek and it’s the same with emotion. You let that emotion run through you. I have literally kicked my tires out with a flat tire with nothing but you know water because you’re prepared obviously but I’ve been that frustrated. That’s fine. I think it’s when you try and shut that down.

 

is when it becomes a problem. Resilience isn’t born out of being calm and being collected and everything’s okay. Resilience is born out of challenges, frustrations, people that are really difficult to get on with. It’s not a perfect path and that’s why I would really encourage people to just be fearless because you are the only person. You can’t control, you cannot control how people behave or how they

 

treat you but you have the control to respond to that in a way that’s appropriate.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (46:59.596)

I think that’s wonderful. Loads of, loads of clear, clear messages and particularly for our female listeners. So thank you for that, Vanessa. Adding to the show notes. Now I know you’ve got a podcast also. where, tell us about your podcast quickly where they can find you under what name?

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (47:19.48)

So it’s Fashion to Pharma and we’re on Apple and Spotify. And essentially we’ve only had season one, so we’re going to kick off season two again this winter. It’s something I like to do when the fire’s on and I can bunker in and really focus on my guests. essentially it’s about shining a light on sustainability in the fashion industry and shining a light on the perspectives of those wonderful people shaping the industry.

 

It really is a plethora of media, industry, know, amazing guests that are doing remarkable things within the fashion business and circular economy.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (47:57.422)

And where can they find your beautiful products?

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (48:01.422)

Certainly, so our product currently is online at www.vanessa-bell.com and on Instagram we are at Vanessa Bell Official or at Fashion2Farmer. And I’m excited to share with listeners I’m embarking on a new flagship store in regional Australia. We’re just looking at new store frontage in Ural.

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (48:25.75)

how exciting. That’s brilliant. I look forward to, I will need to make a trip up and see that. That sounds absolutely wonderful. Well done. Thank you, Tanya. thank you for sharing your stories today. think for listeners making a shift in terms of lifestyle from city to country, there could not be a more quantum leap than that. you’ve shared with us what it takes in terms of resilience, what it…

 

what it takes to break through traditional workplaces and stamp your ground. But at the same point in time, it sounds like you have not given away an inch of who you are or what you stand for or what you represent in doing that. You have just found a way of finding how that is accepted and making that work for you. And I think that is incredible. And I think the work that you’re doing

 

in the providence of your product and the whole community involvement is just so inspiring. So thank you for the work that you’re doing. It’s absolutely brilliant.

 

VANESSA BELL [Guest] (49:32.947)

Di, thank you so much. Thank you so much for your time today. I really do appreciate

 

DI GILLETT [Host] (49:36.782)

Appreciate it. Wonderful. Until next time.