\u201cBali is a very special place; this tiny island, brimming with creativity, it\u2019s a hotspot for stylish travellers from around the world, with interesting designers and a genuine artisan culture.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Jetting around the world looking incredibly glam, designing exquisite dresses and resort wear for the lifestyle-rich and famous seems like a dream for most of us. Add to that a glamorama postcode in Bondi Beach and you’d be pretty set for life. But the high profile couple behind Little Joe Woman by Gail Elliott \u2013 the fashion label known for its rock-chic \u2018model off duty\u2019 look \u2013 have moved their home, life and business to Bali.<\/p>\n
Gail and Joe Elliott believe that changing things up keeps life interesting, and they absolutely adore living in Bali. \u201cAbsorbing a new culture, meeting new people and discovering new places is what keeps us feeling alive,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
Gail and Joe have recently opened a new Little Joe Woman boutique in Bali, right here in Berawa. With Gail\u2019s responsibility for the creative, design of the brand and collections (think: colour palettes, textiles, prints, designing and organising shoots, social media, and press), and Joe\u2019s business acumen and management across sales, digital, operations (including shooting the creative campaigns), Little Joe Woman is the ultimate life and business partnership. Now, it\u2019s based in paradise! Sigh.<\/p>\n
Tell us about the Little Joe Woman brand?<\/h3>\n
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The Little Joe Woman aesthetic has always been that rock-chic \u2018model off duty\u2019 look. Nothing too contrived. Confident. A little boho rock ‘n’ roll. It can be a leopard print slip dress or a leather jacket – it\u2019s an attitude and how you put it all together. It\u2019s about balancing style, comfort and elegance, drawing on inspiration from my life and love of the fashion world.<\/p>\n
My very first designs were silk slip dresses and camisoles \u2013 simple, chic things I wanted for myself and couldn\u2019t seem to find in stores at the time. Layering pieces worked with my hectic travel schedule, and they were easy to pack and always versatile.<\/p>\n
Silk slip dresses and camisoles are still one of our biggest selling styles and have become one of our signature pieces. Even though fashion moves through many different moods and trends, we\u2019re still very true to the original ethos of designing pieces that are modern but remain timeless.<\/p>\n
Tell us about your decision to swap international runways for fashion design?<\/h3>\n
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It was actually far more involved and challenging than people think! It\u2019s easy to say \u2018model turned fashion designer\u2019 as a quick sound bite, but changing careers \u2013 going from being established, respected and experienced in one field, to beginning again in design \u2013 isn\u2019t as easy or instant as it sounds.<\/p>\n
The truth is, runways and photo shoots are one thing, and spec sheets, production schedules and sales strategies for a fashion brand is something else altogether. I was fortunate enough to have an incredibly successful, full-time career as a model for twenty-four years. In New York in the \u201880s and \u201890s, I had the privilege of working with the absolute best in the business, and everything was larger than life. There were only a few girls consistently working at that level \u2013 the very top end of the industry \u2013 so I was very established and known for my work.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a very humbling thing to do, to begin again. There was a lot of trial and error. I felt out of my depth a lot of the time, but you just have to start and learn as you go. It\u2019s never too late to change careers, or where you live, or what you\u2019re doing with your life. If you feel a calling to go in a new direction, therein lies the adventure!<\/p>\n
What first attracted you and Joe to Bali?<\/h3>\n
Joe has been coming here for 40 years, and every time I visited I also really loved it. Like many people, we have always found the very relaxed, happy spirit of the island like a balm to our busy city-souls. The natural beauty here is really extraordinary, but beyond that, there\u2019s something special about this island which is hard to put into words.<\/p>\n
Why did you and Joe decide to move to Bali – what inspired the move?<\/h3>\n
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We\u2019ve both lived around the world \u2013 London, New York, the Hamptons, Sydney \u2013 and travelling is something we\u2019ve always done a lot of. Because of that, moving somewhere new wasn\u2019t too intimidating or such a crazy idea.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve had some wonderful years in every place we\u2019ve lived, including Sydney, but at some stage we crave a new experience. Some of our friends have had wonderful experiences living here in Bali over the years, and we also saw the potential for bringing Little Joe Woman to a new market in Asia. It felt like a very natural \u2013 albeit exciting and totally different \u2013 thing to do.<\/p>\n
What are the challenges and advantages of running a business from Bali?<\/h3>\n
There are the obvious challenges of running a business from a small island. Everything from the most mundane little hiccups, such as power failures (which actually don\u2019t happen as much these days), through to the more ongoing aspects, and the nuts-and-bolts of learning the ropes of doing business in a new country. The language barrier was a little tricky at first, but Joe in particular is super diligent about his Bahasa Indonesia lessons, so we\u2019re getting on top of that quickly.<\/p>\n
The advantages are also fairly obvious. Bali is a thriving and rapidly growing market. The clientele here are truly international; discerning, well travelled, interested in seeking out brands that they may not have encountered before. It feels like a hub, filled with life and energy, which makes for an inspiring place to base a business.<\/p>\n
What inspires you in Bali for your collections?<\/h3>\n
There is a deeply established culture of artisans, makers and craftsmen in Bali. It\u2019s impossible not to be inspired by that. The leather workers here are just spectacular. I am particularly proud of the beautiful hand-tooled, fringed leather bags that I\u2019ve designed and created \u2013 particularly the attention to detail in the quality and finish.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve had our own design studio and factory in Bali for the past few years and produce ethically and sustainably with our own pattern makers, seamstresses and craftspeople. This means I have the freedom to produce a wider selection of styles and colours in minimal amounts, making our pieces more exclusive.<\/p>\n
What does your average day in Bali look like?<\/h3>\n
As early risers, we often start the day with a walk along the beach near where we live with our eight Balinese rescue dogs. It\u2019s invigorating to be in nature before the busyness of the day begins.<\/p>\n
One of my favourite things about both life in Bali and my job is that no two days are alike. I might spend the morning in a design meeting or a pre-production fitting session with our team, then by lunchtime, be in a meet-and-greet with a visiting fashion blogger or a wholesale customer who has requested to meet me in-store. One thing that doesn\u2019t change is always having buckets of emails to wade through and media requests to follow up on. My afternoon then might entail sales showings in Australia, or looking at model comp cards for an upcoming shoot. There\u2019s never a dull moment.<\/p>\n