VRG GRL, founded by sisters Natalia Suesskow and Daniella Dionyssiou in the late 2000s, continues to make waves in the industry thanks to bold, statement-making designs that celebrate freedom and individuality.
With a quintessential Australian spirit at the heart of the fashion brand, here you’ll find everything from cherry-printed mini dresses to baby tee’s and more. Below, the Natalia and Daniella open up about VRG GRL’s origins, as well as some of their proudest moments to date.
“At the time that we started our business, we saw a gap in the market for affordable, cool fashion for young women that wasn’t cheap and nasty. Essentially, we couldn’t find what we wanted to wear, so we created it. At just 17 and 19, we borrowed $30K from our parents to buy stock for a storefront and we went from there. In 2014, we shifted to an online business which completely blew our expectations. It’s crazy to think how much we, and the business, have evolved over the years! Despite all the change, one thing remains the same, we want to help young women express their individuality through fashion, without breaking the bank. We are so proud of the risks we took as teenagers (read: babies!) to achieve our dreams.”
“A pinch us moment would have to be seeing our commitment to becoming a more sustainable and considered business come to life. Over the past eighteen months, VRG GRL has been transitioning to an in-house design-led business model; ensuring greater transparency over supply chain and leveraging our ability to produce with greater nuance.
"The whole process began when VRG GRL exclusives made up 20% of our sales, and made up 80% of our best-sellers list. It was clear that customers wanted more VRG GRL exclusives, so we started the process of building out our offering. It was important for us to acknowledge the impact that fashion has had on the environment, and for us, we were at a turning point where by moving to an in-house model, we could make significant changes in order to do better.
"So, in early 2022 we made the decision to phase out our suppliers and commit to our in-house design-led business model. Now, we are a completely design-led in-house brand and majority of our garments are made using either 100% natural fibres, made in part with recycled materials, or use certified cellulose fibres. We’re finally starting to see the results of a lot of hard work and dedication and are so proud of where we’re taking the business.”
“1. Trust your intuition, 2. Feedback is a gift - don’t take it personally, 3. Don’t be afraid to risks.”
“As women, we really do it all. It’s important to support female-founded businesses, because for most female founders, we are not only running businesses, we are getting married, having kids, keeping our homes in order and still focusing on creating and maintaining successful businesses and teams. At times it feels overwhelming; it really is a juggle! As young women in business, it can be hard to be taken seriously, you really need to demand respect at times. So, support women in business. Support your friends who are working tirelessly on their side hustle. Women are truly superheroes!"
“Our latest collection launched on March 7th, which features an in-house Cherry print that was exclusively hand-drawn by one of our talented designers. There are three pieces that feature the print (a mini dress, a maxi dress and a maxi skirt) which are all made from a lightweight crepe fabric and cut on the bias, so are incredibly flattering fits. An absolute must-have print!”
