Renuka Kimber, co-founder of Christian Kimber, has a career built on curiosity, storytelling, and a deep understanding of human behaviour. With a background spanning anthropology, political communications, and global brand strategy, she brought a unique perspective to the world of fashion,  one where vision, strategy, and narrative converge.

In this edition of Future Makers, Renuka reflects on the defining moments of her career, the mentors who shaped her leadership, and the insights she’s gained navigating an industry where resilience, clarity, and conviction are essential.

1. “What was your first start in the industry and can you share your career journey? Was there a pivotal moment that really set things in motion?”

My entry into fashion was far from conventional, it was inspired by my husband, Christian, an extraordinarily gifted menswear designer. Before that, fashion never featured in my life plan. My world was centred around storytelling, brand strategy, advertising, and marketing, crafting compelling value propositions and deeply understanding audiences has always been my true north.

Rather than unfolding along a fixed blueprint, my career evolved by seizing opportunities. Along the way I built perspective pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in History, a Master’s in Anthropology and Political Communications, an MBA, and even studied professional writing at NYU. I have worked in New York, London, Sydney and Melbourne across a spectrum of disciplines building capability across research and branding to advertising roles, convening diplomatic dialogues for government bodies, and developing commercial strategy at a Big Four consulting firm. Through all of it, the red thread was my fascination with why people act as they do, and how narrative can shift perspectives on a conceptual level.

Returning to Australia in 2011 marked the watershed moment that emboldened us on the business front. There simply wasn’t a luxury menswear label for Christian to work for, not to mention a void in locally made, stylish menswear. That revelation crystallised a unique opportunity: to fuse Christian’s design prowess with my commercial and storytelling acuity, and create something authentic and timeless. 

Our ambition has always been dual-pronged: to leave an indelible impact on fashion industry discourse, and to build something our children will be proud of. From the outset we've laid foundations thoughtfully, grown organically, and remained resolutely focused.

2. “Are there any mentors or influential figures who’ve shaped your leadership style?”

I’ve been fortunate to encounter people who’ve shaped my leadership style not by teaching me functional skills, but by showing me new ways of understanding myself. Each has left me with a different lens through which I see both work and life.

From my first boss in New York, I learnt resilience. In an environment that was fast, chaotic, and unforgiving, she taught me how to withstand the pressure without internalising it, and to keep perspective when everything felt relentless. That ability to reset and move forward has been fundamental to entrepreneurship.

My Partner in consulting showed me the value of patience and the long game. Watching him nurture relationships and build over years rather than months taught me that consistency is just as important as ambition. It’s a principle that underpins how we’ve grown Christian Kimber - slowly, steadily, with strong foundations.

My best friend showed me what it means to trust your own voice. Watching her speak with clarity and conviction, unapologetically standing by her perspective in even the most opinionated rooms taught me to do the same. That quiet self-assurance became a powerful anchor, especially in postpartum recovery, when identity feels blurred and confidence can waver. It's been critical in leading a business where instinct matters as much as analysis.

One mentor has been a reference point for my transition from the structure of corporate life into the ambiguity of building a small business alongside my husband. She embodies the resilience, adaptability, and self-awareness required when your personal and professional worlds are so intertwined, and has shown me that the challenges of that journey can also be the source of its deepest rewards.

A fashion designer friend has been a constant reminder of the importance of staying in your lane. She embodies the discipline of building a business with intention, focusing not on comparison or external validation, but on creating something that aligns with the life you want to live. That philosophy has anchored me to clarity of purpose.

And finally, from my husband Christian, I’ve learnt the value of difference. We are opposites in many ways, his creativity and intuition balancing my structure and analysis but instead of clashing, we’ve learnt to respect and harness that contrast. Working side-by-side has taught me adaptability and the importance of creating space for varied approaches to flourish.

Together, these people have given me lenses rather than tools: resilience, patience, confidence, adaptability, focus, and the humility to embrace difference. Their influence is woven through the way I lead and the way we’ve built a brand that is as much about perspective and narrative as it is about design.

3. “What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced on your pathway, and how did you overcome it?”

Honestly, one of the hardest parts of building a fashion business is managing the sheer volume and velocity of challenges coming at you from all directions. Externally, you're constantly responding to macro shifts - economic, social, political, and environmental. Internally, it's about leading teams, scaling operations, and staying strategically clear in ever-changing conditions. And personally, you’re trying to grow as a human while holding everything together. The pace can feel relentless. 

What’s helped me is staying open and curious, learning from every conversation and not seeing others as competitors, but as part of a wider industry dialogue. I’m less interested in outputs and more in the thinking behind them, what can someone’s journey teach me about discipline or vision? Over time, I’ve stopped chasing external benchmarks. The only thing I ask myself is: how much have I evolved since last year? That shift inward keeps me grounded, focused, and far less distracted by comparison.  

4. “The fashion industry is 76 % female across the board but not at the executive level. Has Australia evolved in supporting women leaders? What can we all do to change this?”

In some ways the industry has made progress, but there is still such a long way to go. What I’ve observed, in conversations with peers, is that the gap isn’t necessarily at the point of entry there are plenty of brilliant women designers, founders and managers, it’s in what happens later in the lifecycle of businesses. The power brokers at that stage -the investors, private equity firms, the boards are still overwhelmingly male. Until we see more women making the funding decisions, shaping the governance, and holding the seats of power that determine whether businesses scale or stall, we will continue to see this imbalance.

I think change happens on two levels. Structurally, we need women represented in investment, on boards, and in the highest decision-making forums to support these female leaders. Culturally, we need to build an environment where women feel confident to back themselves, where their leadership styles are valued, and where the infrastructure exists to support them through the many transitions of life. There is incredible female talent in Australian fashion this is not a pipeline problem. It’s about creating the conditions for that talent to rise, thrive and endure.

5. “What’s one piece of advice you’d share with someone aiming to follow in your footsteps?”

Just start. Do the thing. Don’t wait for the “perfect” moment, you’ll never be entirely ready, and the chaos is inevitable (much like parenting, as I've recently learned). I've watched so many brilliant women around me wait to be 90% ready before they make a move and in doing so, miss their chance altogether. But if you are deeply passionate about your product, your purpose, or your practice, you’ll figure it out as you go.

I often tell people: clarity rarely comes before action. It’s the act of starting, of testing and iterating, that creates the path forward. So don’t wait for a grand plan to materialise. Begin with conviction, stay curious, and build the rest along the way. The chaos will stretch you, but it’s also the crucible that shapes the work into something enduring.

Find more about Christian Kimber here.