We catch up with Amy Badikovich, the designer behind Sydney's nostalgic new label Beyond Her.

Beyond Her is a 90s-infused first collection is here to inject throw-back vibes into your summer, and currently available exclusively at Glue Store.

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Thanks for stopping by Amy! Could you please start by telling us about your role and involvement with Beyond Her? I'm the designer of Beyond Her. I have a solid background in design and garment production which means I initiate the concepts and execute it right through the technical process. This includes selecting fabrics, deciding on monthly colour palettes, designing and technical drawing, print design, measuring/fitting garments when the samples come in and finally liaising with the factory to get the ranges made.

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For people who haven’t heard of Beyond Her before, how would you describe the signature style? The aesthetic of Beyond Her has a strong sense of 90’s nostalgia, vintage-inspired denim, and statement tee’s styled with a relaxed street sensibility. The brand is feminine but not overly girly - I want to offer fashion with more of an edge to the Australian market.

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All new brands goes through a creative process, from conceptualisation to production, and finally delivery to the shop floor. What part of this process did you enjoy the most, and did anything surprise you along the way? My knowledge base is in design and production, so rolling out the product all the way to shop floors was something I was less averse in. Beyond actually launched two weeks ahead of schedule which was unplanned but you have to be reactive. By collaborating with a lot of departments like buying, VM, graphics, studio, logistics and marketing, it was a challenging but teamwork gets things done.

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How did you settle on the name ‘Beyond Her’? Being more of a visual person I already had an idea of the label, so I suppose I conceptualised the brand before the name. From there I had a shortlist that I mocked up in the branding artwork I designed. Beyond Her really stood out as it best represented the ideology of what I was trying to achieve with offering trends quick to the market.

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As a new brand, what do you hope to bring to the fashion landscape that is currently missing, or what sets Beyond Her apart? Beyond Her was really born from identifying two major gaps in the Australian market. Firstly why should girls have to shop overseas for new trends? International shipping is a pain and leaves a massive carbon footprint. Who better to quickly supply this demand than a local brand? Secondly, I’m finding the local fashion offering has become really feminine over the last few seasons - lace playsuits and frilly wrap dresses really aren’t aligned with my aesthetic. I want to create an offering for like-minded confident women that look effortless in their style choices.

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The first collection makes it clear that Beyond Her excels at being extremely cohesive, while maintaining the ability to mix-and-match everything. How was this achieved – did you start with a fair idea of what you would need and stick to it, or did you go big and meticulously cull the range until you came to the perfect mix? The way I see it, I don’t buy one outfit at a time then wash/repeat the same look. When I find a new piece I love part of the fun is discovering all the ways I can style it, so I want all my clothes to be easily adaptable to the individual. The range in stores now is pretty close to the original option plan, there is always a final ranging process where the capsule is refined. It’s best to have a clear vision from the start as it creates stronger end-result, and your factories likes you much better when you don’t change your mind too often.

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I think people will love the very distinctive attitude that Beyond Her epitomizes. How much of your own personality went into the design, and is there one piece that represents you the most? I hope they do too! I think it’s important to include your personality, as that is what is going to give your brand a unique edge. But it’s equally important to find the right balance with making unbiased decisions. I don’t just design for myself, but I design for like-minded women. My pick from this range would have to be the Side Split Loose Mom Jeans. They are a great cotton fabrication, with an authentic wash, a crop length for summer with unique raw detailing on the waistband, but above all they just bloody comfortable! Clothes should make you feel good and look good, so I love unique pieces that above all else fit well.

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The aesthetic and visual tone is very evocative of the 90s. What key movies, music and pop culture moments influenced the aesthetic of the first collection? Compiling playlists is my favourite pastime. At the time I was developing the first range I was listening to a lot of K.Flay and old school Lauren Hill and Janet Jackson so I think it offered an urban street feel. Then you will see a shift change in the next drop coming in October when I was listening to the Empire Records soundtrack on repeat.

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The first capsule collection is now live, and spans grunge-inspired t-shirts, 90s embroidery, and a bunch of crinkle-edged crop tops. What can we expect from the next capsule? The next drop is due to hit Glue stores in October, there is a shift in seasonality with a bright zest coloured linen story and my favourite sky blue tartan pieces. The 90’s inspiration still shines through with high cut swim wear shapes in the lead up to summer. Beyond had teamed up with Fashion Journal on an editorial shoot that will feature in the publication, so that’s something to look out for with the next month!

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You can shop Beyond Her online and in stores now.