Girl Boss

Stacey Bendet, the ceo and creative director of alice + olivia, on driving a global business, its learning curve, and championing equal rights for women in and outside of the workplace

- Andrea Sim

A glimpse at any one of alice + olivia’s new season presentations evokes a sense of nostalgia, for Stacey Bendet (pictured above) has a way of making fashion feel like pure, fantastical fun. There’s her penchant for punchy tones and prints, but it’s also the brand’s immersive sets that feel like an escape amidst the hectic fashion week circuit. Its whimsicality recalls a time before the rat race towards increasingly large-scale show productions, and high-profile collaborations. It transports the imagination beyond the confines of the closet, choosing to depict how these are the clothes one can live their best life in.

More than just good ol’ fashion, Bendet is also mindful to utilise alice + olivia as a platform to benefit larger causes. There was Communi-T, a T-shirt capsule emblazoned with inspiring quotes that saw part of the proceeds benefit the Global Fund for Women in support of gender equality. She has a track record of supporting female artists, and also other creatives that stand for social change. This season, Bendet is calling for attention to human trafficking, and alice + olivia’s store windows will transform into the stage for the message.

In an exclusive interview, she speaks to ELLE Singapore about decision-making, gender equality, and having a purpose that transcends fashion.

When you first started alice + olivia more than a decade ago, you had little experience in clothing design and largely made trousers. What was your learning journey like?