Think of Australian label Mossman and you’ll immediately think of fashion-forward sophistication. The Melbourne-born label has long been one unafraid to push boundaries, courtesy of its consistently bold silhouettes, effortless staples, all finished off with its signature confidence. Deanna Depetro, the brains behind the label, has proven that the brand is unwavering in its ability to regularly reinvent, coming up with collections loved for their striking designs, that have loyal customers coming back time and time again. As part of HER BLACK BOOK’s Festival of Her, a shopping event to support female-founded businesses, Pappas shares some insight into her business journey so far.
“I am a go getter, I like to make things happen and take risks. It is all about trial and error, and learning from your mistakes.”
“Having the most amazing team who share the same goals and passion I do. Each and everyone of them always go above and beyond and we are always creating, evolving and growing together. Seeing why the brand has come to life is so rewarding but knowing how we got there is a credit to team work.”
“It would be great to think everything is glamorous but it definitely isn’t. The reality of COVID was a massive eye-opener. We use to be quite occasionwear heavy pre-COVID which was so successful for us. But once COVID hit we had relook at the whole product mix and find a new balance that was workable for the new way of life we have now found ourselves in. It is about finding the positive in every bad situation and how you can turn it around. It is mind over matter. Since we restructured the balance of our collections, it has been super successful and my point is, as daunting and challenging it can be in the moment be open to change and find the positive. Everything always works out the way it is suppose to and you find those answer you are longing for.”
“I get inspired by so many things. It really is endless from street style, runways, overseas travel when it was a thing pre-COVID but I can’t wait to get back to Europe this year and just explore the architecture, the fashion and just the vibe gets me inspired. I like listening to Elle Ferguson's Sliding Doors podcasts as she always has some really influential business women that have achieved so much and I find it really inspiring listening to other peoples journey.”
“Always a blazer, styled back with either a pair of jeans or a skirt with a tee and a pair of heels.”