In part four of our Meet the Makers series, we interview the ever so stylish influencer turned brand owner, Sara Crampton (aka @harperandharley). One of the original Aussie ‘fashion bloggers’, with a following of over 550K on Instagram, it’s safe to say that Sara is a major fashion inspiration for women across the globe (including us!) Find out how Sara turned her love for fashion into a successful brand…

Thanks so much for chatting with us. We have followed you on Instagram for as long as we can remember, and we’ve loved watching your journey with The Undone store. Can you tell us what inspired you to create your own brand?

I think I was always destined to create a brand, my mum brought me up to be very creative and my dad and grandfather run a family business, so I’ve been surrounded by this beautiful balance of business and creativity.

I’ve been brought up seeing my family ‘have a go’, and I think that’s been a big influence on why I had the courage to do the same.

Before The Undone store you were working as a full-time influencer. What did you learn from that experience and how did it help you when you were starting your own business?

I started my blog way back in 2008 when I was undergoing a marketing degree. At that point in time I knew that I wanted to work in the fashion industry but wasn’t quite sure in exactly what context, I was only 19, but I was really interested in the business side of the industry. I became obsessed with reading blogs and following women who were as passionate as I was about fashion and style, and I felt like I had found my people. On a whim I decided to start my own blog one summer holidays, and I remember clearly thinking, “if they can do it, why can’t I?”.

I moved to Sydney after I graduated and worked in a Digital E-commerce role at a big corporate start-up, an incredible opportunity that really shaped my career and cemented my love for e-com. I was continuing to blog during this time and things were starting to gain momentum in the blogging/influencer space. I then shifted my full time role to another brand, this time in jewellery, as their Marketing, Sales and E-commerce manager, giving me further knowledge on how a smaller business operates and an insight into wholesale.

By 2012 my blog was at a key turning point and it was time to give it my full attention. I made the difficult decision to resign from my job as I loved what I was doing, and the trajectory I was on, but I knew I needed to take advantage of the opportunities that were presenting themselves. I think it's important for those that see the influencer space as a potential career to work and learn elsewhere, exposing themselves to different facets of their industry, as all these skills will make you a better marketer and creative.

After I was blogging full time for a few years, I realised I needed to think of the bigger picture and funnel the following and brand I had created into something that wasn’t all about me. I’ve never been completely comfortable in the limelight and what I’m passionate about at the end of the day is helping women feel their best and most confident through a refined approach to style. Starting The UNDONE combined my years of ecommerce experience plus the multi faceted brand building, story telling and content creating experience I gained through my blog.

How do you curate brands and products for The Undone store, and how do you ensure that you stay true to your brand values?

I live and breathe our less is more, minimalist values, you will never see me in colour or a not classic print. Once I realised this way of dressing had an impact on how I felt and my confidence, there was no turning back, and I love being able to pass this insight onto other women.

I’m head of buying at The UNDONE and this ensures our product mix really aligns back to our core mission. When going through the curation process I ask myself a few key questions around the timeless nature of the piece, quality, wearability and sustainability.

There are pieces I see during the buying process that are really exciting and cool, but if they don’t meet certain criteria I need to move on as I know that excitement won’t last more than a couple of wears. These pieces are the ones that get set aside at the back of the wardrobe unworn or end up in landfill, both of which I really want to avoid.

Biggest ‘pinch me’ moment in business so far?

It seems so common that we never get a chance to pause and reflect on the work we’ve done as we’re constantly moving on to the next thing, so it’s always a tricky question to answer. I think the biggest and most proud moment, is that I've been able to turn a blog about my personal taste and style into a product led business that women want to buy and own. It’s one thing to read and connect with someone online, and it’s another when they trust you enough to part with their money on a product you create or curate. I’m really proud of that.

You stock some incredible brands and so many coveted pieces. What’s next for The Undone store?

We’re working on incorporating lots more videos into our online store and social platforms. As we operate purely online there can be a disconnect between touching and feeling the product and we’re working on closing that gap and giving our customers as much information as possible so they can make the best purchase decisions.

Lastly, what’s your key piece of advice in life that you would pass onto anyone?

Something that I've learnt from my family’s business, which is going on 45 years, is that you should pursue something that really interests you and have a long term approach. If we’re lucky, we’re going to have a very long life, and it’s likely we’ll also be working well into our 70’s and 80’s. My pop is 92 and is still going into the office because he loves the business so much. Don’t get sucked into the ego of quickly achieving ‘success’ as it will never be enough. Just do the work, find time to do other things you’re passionate about and enjoy it!

Shop Sara’s Picks

Meet the Makers: Sara Crampton