International Women's Day is here, and we're kicking off the celebration with a special edition of our Future Maker Series. 

First up are Katie Louise and Lilian Nicol-Ford, the creative duo behind Nicol & Ford, a design practice built on storytelling, cultural authenticity and craft. Read on to hear about their journey and what drives them to create with purpose.

1. What was your first start in the industry and can you share your career journey? Was there a pivotal moment that led you to where you are today?

Katie‑Louise
I studied across both fashion and costume, and for a long time I felt like I didn’t quite fit neatly into either world. Fashion felt too commercially driven, and costume felt too contained. I was always sitting somewhere in between, trying to work out where I belonged.

The turning point was realising that being in between was actually the point. The mix of conceptual thinking from costume and the technical and industry knowledge from fashion gave me a really unique skill set. Once I stopped trying to choose one path and instead started applying both, it opened up an entirely new way of working and ultimately led to Nicol & Ford.

Lilian Nicol‑Ford
My background is very much rooted in research, I studied art history and theory at University and have a strong interest in social history. I’ve always been fascinated by how people tell stories about themselves through objects, images and dress.

That research mindset really shapes everything we do at Nicol & Ford. Fashion, for me, isn’t about trends. It’s about narrative, memory and identity. My pathway into the industry was less traditional, but it’s exactly what allowed us to build a practice that’s deeply story‑led and culturally grounded.

2. Are there any mentors or influential figures who played a key role in your leadership style?

Katie‑Louise
Honestly, one of my biggest influences is my wife, Lilian. Building a business together means constantly learning how to communicate, trust and grow alongside someone else. Creatively, I’ve always looked to Jenny Kee and Linda Jackson, true trailblazers of Australian design who carved out space by being unapologetically themselves. More recently, Luke Sales and Anna Plunkett of Romance Was Born have been huge inspirations. Their ability to tell stories and both celebrate and challenge notions of Australian identity through couture‑level technique is unmatched in Australia, and they’ve shown that you can lead with creativity and depth without compromise.

Lilian Nicol‑Ford
I was fortunate to work for Gallerist, Collector and Philanthropist Dr Gene Sherman AM for six years. For me, Gene modelled what an uncompromising vision really took, and taught me to trust in myself even when others can’t see the vision.

Beyond that, my parents have run a small business together for over 20 years. Watching them build something side‑by‑side — through challenges, change and shared purpose — deeply shaped how I think about leadership, partnership and longevity. It also gave me a blueprint for working with your life partner toward a common goal.

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

Katie‑Louise
One of the biggest pressures we’ve faced is the push to commercialise too quickly and the fear of losing creative integrity in the process. In 2022, when we first showed at Australian Fashion Week, we made a really conscious decision to step back and reassess. Instead of chasing immediate commercial outcomes, we refocused on conceptual and technical design - on the stories we actually wanted to tell. That period was about laying strong foundations, knowing that commercialisation can come later, but integrity has to come first.

Lilian Nicol‑Ford
As one of the very few visible trans women in Australia’s fashion industry, I am incredibly proud that our work through Nicol & Ford has given me the space to embrace that path openly.

Fashion has been a powerful tool for me to step into my authentic self. Carving out space for our community, clothing my own and others diverse bodies, and personally physically changing before our audiences’ eyes has reinforced why representation and storytelling matter so much.

4. Our industry is 77% female, yet this isn’t reflected at executive level. Do you think the Australian fashion industry has evolved in its support of women leaders?

Katie‑Louise
There’s no denying the executive level is still heavily skewed towards male CEOs. That said, I think it’s also important to acknowledge the women who came before us — Carla Zampatti AC, Linda Jackson AO, Jenny Kee AO, Vivienne Chan‑Shaw and so many others. They didn’t just lead businesses, they built identities grounded in authenticity, style and cultural confidence. Their leadership created space for designers like us to exist today, and that legacy shouldn’t be overlooked when we talk about progress.

Lilian Nicol‑Ford
While we absolutely need more women in executive leadership, I think we also need to broaden the conversation. True equity means inviting diverse perspectives across race, gender identity, lived experience and specialisation. At this pivotal moment of change in our industry, empowerment shouldn’t be about replacing one narrow leadership group with another. It should be about creating room for many voices and ensuring that uplifting women doesn’t come at the exclusion of others.

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

Katie‑Louise
Study. Study. Study. Education is powerful, and it compounds over time. It took me about 15 years before I was recognised in any meaningful way within the industry, and that’s okay. Be patient, keep learning, and trust that the work will catch up to you.

Lilian Nicol‑Ford
Find incredible people who share your passion and want to come along for the ride. Trust that others will often know more than you in certain areas and don’t shut out different perspectives. And most importantly, don’t do it alone. Find someone to build with.

Find out more about Nicol & Ford here.

Next, we hear from Ashlee Booth, co-founder of Eupheme, on building a womenswear brand rooted in purpose and a distinctly Australian vision.