The Grand Finale of International Women’s Week
As we close out International Women’s Week, we’re celebrating the founders of Style Arc, Lyn and Liz.
With decades of experience in the Australian fashion industry, they built their careers on design, patternmaking and garment production – skills honed through years working with some of the country’s leading fashion labels. What began as a professional patternmaking service for the industry eventually evolved into something much bigger.
Drawing on their expertise, Lyn and Liz created Style Arc, bringing beautifully drafted, fashion-forward sewing patterns to home sewists around the world.
Their journey is a reminder that creativity, persistence and belief in your craft can grow into something truly meaningful. As Lyn and Liz say, “Back yourself, work hard, and let your creativity lead the way.”
Today, Style Arc patterns are sewn by makers across the globe, and the community that has grown around them continues to inspire creativity every day.
Thank you, Lyn and Liz, for sharing your knowledge, passion and experience, and for building a brand that empowers makers everywhere.
Read on to hear the full interview with Lyn and Liz.
Q1. Lyn when you think back, what people, moments, or experiences helped shape you into the maker and business owner you are today?
My journey began with my grandmother, who taught me to sew and cut basic patterns in the 1950s. That early start sparked a lifelong love of making clothes, and I often say I owe everything to her.
At 16, entering a national school design competition opened the door to the fashion industry. I began working in a high-end factory in Melbourne’s Flinders Lane under a head patternmaker while studying fashion design at night – an opportunity not very common for women in 1967.
I later worked as a designer and patternmaker for various designers such as, Cote d’Azur, Len Vogue and Van Roth and travelling to places like Paris and London for inspiration. After having my daughter travel was no longer an option, so I took a leap and bought a clothing factory in Flinders Lane, producing garments and patterns for many fashion labels during a vibrant time in Melbourne’s fashion scene.
When garment manufacturing began moving offshore, I recognised that the industry was changing and knew it was time to adapt. In 1986, I founded Fashion House Consultancy, creating patterns for well-known Australian brands including Saba, Sally Brown, Anthea Crawford and Leon Haskin.
In 1996, Lizzie joined me and together we grew the business into a successful pattern company serving fashion labels such as Sabina, Roy, Review, Brown Sugar, Just Group and Country Road. As the industry continued to evolve, we recognised another shift on the horizon.
Taking a bold step, we turned our focus to the home sewing market – sharing our industry expertise with makers who wanted beautifully drafted patterns and modern design. That decision led to the creation of Style Arc in 2009.
Fashion has truly been my life, from the factory floors of Flinders Lane to consultancy work and eventually moving online. Looking back, it’s the people, the industry, and a willingness to keep evolving that shaped me into the maker and business owner I am today.
Fashion has been my life from 17 to 70+, and I’d do it all over again – Lyn
Q2. Lyn, creative work by women has not always been given the value it deserves. What does it mean to you to build something with care and skill, and to do it your own way?
It’s hard to fully articulate what it means to build something new. In many ways it simply evolves over time through hard work, love and dedication. Striving to be the best you can at your craft becomes a powerful motivator.
You keep learning, improving and refining what you do, and gradually what you’ve built begins to take shape. For me, it has always been about staying true to your vision, trusting your instincts, and having the courage to do things your own way.
Building something meaningful takes time and persistence, but when it comes from passion and a genuine love for what you do, the journey itself becomes just as rewarding as the result.
Q3. Lyn, what advice would you give to women who are trying to make space for creativity alongside everything else in their lives?
If you have a passion, you need to make time for it. Life always gets busy and there will always be a reason to put it off, but even a small amount of time spent doing something creative can be incredibly rewarding. Creativity brings a sense of fulfilment that’s hard to replace, and it’s important not to lose that part of yourself.
Q1. Liz when you think back, what people, moments, or experiences helped shape you into the maker and business owner you are today?
One of the biggest influences on me when I was young was my older sister, Maggie. She had a love of fashion from a very early age and went on to lead an exciting life as a fashion model. Watching her sparked my own interest in the rag trade and the world of fashion during the 1960s, a time when fashion was exploding with icons such as Twiggy.
I was lucky enough to get my first break in the fashion world in Melbourne, working as a receptionist for Thomas Wardle, who owned a very trendy and successful business in Flinders Lane during the 1970s – something of the Scanlan Theodore of its day. It was an incredible place to start a career, and many people who worked there went on to build very successful businesses of their own, including Steve Bennett from Country Road, Tina Vargas and Perri Cutten.
From there I worked my way up from receptionist to fit model and eventually became a designer. I later moved into design roles across a number of Melbourne fashion houses, which gave me a solid grounding in the fashion trade and how garments were developed from idea through to production.
In the 1980s I crossed paths with Lyn in what was quite a small industry at the time. Over the years we continued to see each other in different circles within the fashion world, and in 1996 we eventually joined forces, building a strong pattern business that serviced a growing number of Australian fashion labels.
As the fashion landscape continued to evolve and more manufacturing moved offshore, we recognised that the industry was entering a new phase. Drawing on our experience in the fashion world and professional pattern making, we saw an opportunity to bring that same level of quality and expertise to the home sewing market.
Q2. Liz, creative work by women has not always been given the value it deserves. What does it mean to you to build something with care and skill, and to do it your own way?
In the early years it was incredibly exciting to see inspiration overseas and transform it into a collection for the Australian market, watching the process unfold from the first idea, through fabric selection and the sample stage, and finally seeing it on the retail floor and heading out the door.
In later years, working with Lyn, we were very much an all-girl team. We loved the freedom of working for ourselves, but we also worked incredibly hard, long hours and a lot of dedication year after year. It was demanding, but it was also a lot of fun, and ultimately it led to building the business that exists today.
Q3. Liz, what advice would you give to women who are trying to make space for creativity alongside everything else in their lives?
It’s extremely important to make time for yourself. We can all get caught up in everyday life and forget to make space for our creative ideas. It’s a bit like going to the gym, we can always find an excuse not to go, but once we do it feels exhilarating and we’re always glad we made the effort. The same applies to creativity. Make time for it, even if it’s just a little here and there. Nurturing that part of yourself brings a sense of happiness and fulfilment that’s well worth it.
♡ The Style Arc Team
Sew it ♡ Wear It ♡ Love It ♡ Style Arc