International Women's Day Edition of Future Makers: Melanie Flintoft Co-Owner of Silver Fleece and Founder of Sunset Lover

For our final International Women’s Day feature, we’re excited to spotlight Melanie Flintoft,  a trailblazer in Australian fashion. 

With a career spanning from her family’s business to creating iconic brands like Finders Keepers and revitalising Silver Fleece, Melanie’s journey is one of resilience, innovation, and a deep commitment to sustainability.

In this interview, Melanie shares the lessons she’s learned along the way, the challenges she’s overcome, and her vision for a more inclusive and sustainable future in fashion. Read on to discover the inspiring path of a true industry leader.

1. How did you get your first start in the industry? Was there a pivotal moment in your career that led you or pushed you to where you are today?

My fashion journey began early, growing up in my family’s business, Garland Fashion Agencies. At 16, I gained invaluable experience at Table Eight under Lisa Ho, solidifying my passion for the industry. After studying fashion at TAFE, I opened a clearance store, launched a wholesale agency, and ran multi-brand retail stores in Adelaide.

In 2000, after having my first child, I created an Australian-made brand focused on upcycled corsets. It grew into Finders Keepers, later expanding into C/MEO Collective and Keepsake, with production moving offshore. My husband and I took the bold step of expanding internationally, setting up agents in the USA and UK. By 2008, while pregnant with our second child, we were managing a fast-growing business from home with 20 staff.

Our fashion house grew into a $60 million enterprise across three countries. However, COVID-19 forced its closure, prompting a new chapter. We launched a fully sustainable brand and later revitalised Silver Fleece, an Australian manufacturer, turning it around in two weeks. Now, we are rebranding Sunset Lover as Crestwell Australia, embracing sustainable knitwear and low-waste manufacturing. This next phase is a testament to resilience, innovation, and a deep love for Australian fashion.

 

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

Absolutely. My leadership style has been shaped by several influential figures throughout my career. Early on, my parents played a significant role in instilling an entrepreneurial mindset in me. Growing up in the fashion industry through their business, Garland Fashion Agencies, I witnessed firsthand the importance of relationships, resilience, and hard work in building a successful brand.

At 16, my work experience at Table Eight under the creative direction of Lisa Ho and the mentorship of the Suskin brothers was a defining moment. Lisa’s ability to balance creativity with commercial success and the meticulous way she approached planning and execution left a lasting impact on me. It was my first glimpse into how strong leadership and vision can drive a fashion business forward.

Later, as we expanded our brands internationally, I was inspired by the global leaders I worked with—agents, distributors, and industry pioneers—who taught me invaluable lessons about adaptability, negotiation, and scaling a business across different markets.

However, I would say my biggest leadership lessons have come from experience—leading teams through high-growth phases, navigating challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, and building a business that values sustainability and innovation. The teams I’ve worked with have also shaped my leadership style; surrounding myself with talented, passionate individuals has reinforced my belief in collaboration, trust, and empowering people to take ownership of their work.

Now, with both companies Silver Fleece (est. 1951) and Crestwell Australia, I lead with a strong sense of purpose—bringing together creativity, sustainability, and Australian heritage while ensuring that we stay true to our values as we grow.

 

3. What has been the biggest challenge you have faced on your journey, and how did you overcome it?

Scaling brands internationally while managing multiple labels and creative teams in a fast-paced environment was both exhilarating and incredibly challenging. The demands of constant innovation, global expansion, and staying ahead in a competitive industry required agility, strong leadership, and the ability to make quick, strategic decisions.

However, the most difficult challenge I’ve faced was navigating the impact of COVID-19 and, more specifically, the administration process that followed. While the pandemic was devastating for the fashion industry, closing a business—one we had built from the ground up into a $60 million company—was even harder. It was an emotionally and professionally defining moment, forcing me to reflect on resilience, adaptability, and what truly mattered moving forward.

This experience, along with the lessons it taught me, played a crucial role in our decision to acquire Silver Fleece. Seeing a 74-year-old Australian manufacturer at risk of disappearing reinforced our belief in the importance of sovereign manufacturing. In just two weeks, we oversubscribed the investment needed to save the company—a testament to Australians’ deep passion for local production.

Looking back, the challenges were immense, but they ultimately led us here. Revitalising an iconic Australian manufacturer and securing its future is an opportunity we are deeply invested in and incredibly proud of.

 

4. Our industry is 76% female, however this is not the case at executive level. Do you believe the Australian fashion industry has evolved over the years, particularly in its support for women leaders? What can we all do to help change this statistic?

The Australian fashion industry has evolved, with more women stepping into leadership, but a gap remains at the executive level. While the workforce is predominantly female, leadership roles—particularly in finance, operations, and boardrooms—are still male-dominated.

At Silver Fleece, we are breaking that mould. We have two female directors and shareholders, and aside from my husband Dean, our entire leadership team is female. Of our 20 staff, 18 are women. This balance reflects our commitment to fostering a workplace where women can lead, innovate, and shape the future of Australian manufacturing.

To drive real change, we must actively support women in leadership by:

The future of fashion leadership should reflect the talent within the industry. At Silver Fleece and Crestwell, we are committed to ensuring women not only make up the workforce but also have a seat at the decision-making table.

 

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

Listen more than you speak—there’s a reason we have two ears and one mouth. The best insights come from being observant, asking the right questions, and truly understanding the industry and people around you. 

Stay true to your foundations and remain focused. In fashion, trends and external pressures can be distracting, but long-term success comes from knowing who you are, what you stand for, and building with intention.

Tread lightly. Every decision you make—whether in business, design, or leadership—should be thoughtful and sustainable. Impact matters, and creating with integrity ensures longevity.

Be inquisitive. Never stop learning, exploring, and challenging the status quo. The most successful people are those who stay curious and adaptable.

And most importantly—show up. Opportunities don’t come to those who wait. Be present, put yourself in the right rooms, and do the work. Success is built on consistency, resilience, and the courage to take risks.

 

And that’s a wrap on our special International Women’s Day  edition of Future Makers: The Women Shaping Australian Fashion. We’ve been honoured to spotlight the incredible women leading the charge in both fashion and sustainability, breaking barriers, and driving change across the industry. 

International Women's Day Edition of Future Makers: Jac + Jack Founder Jacqueline Hunt

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

Over the next few days, we’ll be spotlighting incredible women in the fashion industry. First up is Jacqueline Hunt, Co-founder and Design Director of Jac + Jack.

Jac + Jack is renowned for its timeless, effortless designs and commitment to quality. The brand focuses on creating luxurious, everyday essentials crafted from premium fabrics.

Read on to learn about how she started in the industry and the pivotal moments that helped her get to where she is today.

1. How did you get your first start in the industry? Was there a pivotal moment in your career that led you or pushed you to where you are today?

 My first design role was based in New Delhi, India, where I was tasked with sourcing and developing Indian handicraft textiles in a modern way for a contemporary market. I was 21, and it was a sink-or-swim moment. Learning to adapt, be resourceful, embrace valuable feedback, and build strong partnerships with suppliers and artisans became the foundation of how I approach business and collaborate with people today. Valuing relationships and building trust has shaped my perspective, allowing me to see the bigger picture, understand my role within it, and confidently cultivate meaningful partnerships.

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

I’ve had a few standout mentors, each with their own style but all sharing a common core. I was especially inspired by those with a clear vision and a forthright approach—it showed confidence and made me excited about where we were headed. Jo Baker, who led a highly successful development company; Adele Palmer, co-founder of Jag; and Mark Keighery, founder of Marcs and a master retailer with a deep understanding of fashion. They all had vision, style, and grit—and weren’t afraid to break the rules.

3. What has been the biggest challenge you have faced on your journey, and how did you overcome it?

Learning to reframe what’s commonly seen as a 'mistake' is crucial. First, it's about accepting that mistakes happen—and should happen—because they provide valuable learning opportunities. It’s also about embracing less-than-perfect outcomes within the broader team. That’s all part of design and the realities of running a business. I encourage our team, and myself, to explore, have confidence, back themselves, and take educated, well-considered risks. And if things go pear-shaped, have a Plan B, learn from it, and adapt.

4. Our industry is 76% female, however this is not the case at executive level. Do you believe the Australian fashion industry has evolved over the years, particularly in its support for women leaders? What can we all do to help change this statistic?

Yes, it has changed—there are now so many great examples of women not only reaching executive levels but also thriving as founders and investors. Women bring a unique approach to management and entrepreneurship, and their success across the industry continues to make that increasingly evident. Keep going!

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

Don’t overthink it, dive in and back yourself.

 

Stay tuned to find out who tomorrow’s featured leader is in our series.

Workforce Needs: Have your say

Help Shape the Future of Fashion Jobs in Australia

The AFC is advocating for better policies to support the fashion and textiles industry—but we need your input. We need to be heard collectively as a sector on skills, especially if your business is struggling with skill shortages. Now is the time for us to speak up.

By completing our Workforce Shortage Poll, you’ll help us provide government decision-makers with real data on the hiring challenges businesses face. 

With this information, the government will have more real data on our sector and the AFC can advocate for:

✅ More skilled migration pathways:
Ensuring roles in fashion and textiles are recognised on the Skilled Occupation List, making it easier to access international talent.
✅ Funding for training and education:
Pushing for government-backed programs to upskill local workers and create a stronger talent pipeline.
✅ Workforce policy changes:
Influencing wage subsidies, employment incentives, and policies that make hiring and retaining skilled workers easier for your business.

Your insights will directly impact AFC’s ability to secure these changes. Don’t miss the chance to have your voice heard—Complete the poll below by 5pm Friday 7th March.

 

AFC submission to the ABS review of the ANZSCO codes

The AFC has made a submission to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Australian & New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) recommending immediate funding to undertake a nationwide review of current, emerging and future TCF manufacturing occupations and match occupations to the ABS ANZSCO codes. 

Our recent report, Victorian TCF Manufacturing: Future Jobs, Technology, and Economic Benefits, highlighted the pressing need to address outdated industry codes. The report revealed the TCF industry value and employment numbers are underestimated and facing severe skills shortages nationally, partly due to historical ABS ANZSCO and ANZSIC codes. Despite this, our report also identified a resilient industry with a strong demand for skilled TCF technicians that is not being met.

The ABS ANZSCO codes inform priority lists for skilled migration, training programs and pathways and ensure accurate quantification of employment numbers in the TCF sector. Since the ABS ANZSCO and ANZSIC codes were first released in 2006, there have been significant changes in the TCF manufacturing industry. 

The AFC recommends immediate funding to undertake a nationwide review to identify current, emerging and future TCF manufacturing occupations and match occupations to the ABS ANZSCO list. This would include consultation with industry to capture specific occupation tasks as well as unique TCF specialisation fields. This is critical to ensure training programs work together with industry classifications to support and showcase the breadth of TCF manufacturing jobs to students.

 

Recommendations

  1. TCF occupations are not retired or merged with broader occupation codes.
  2. The following occupations are added to the ABS ANZSCO and ongoing consultation undertaken with the TCF industry to better understand the tasks and specialisations for each occupation  (Garment Technician, Digital Textile and Clothing Printer, Textile Technician (including specialisation: Digital Textile Technician), Textile Designer, Product Developer. 
  3. Specialisations are added to existing occupations in: Production Manager (Manufacturing) - Add Clothing and Textile Production Manager, Clothing Patternmaker - Add Digital Clothing Pattern Maker, Knitting Machine Operator - Add Circular Knitting Technician.
  4. The AFC recommends immediate funding of the AFC to conduct a nationwide study to quantify the TCF manufacturing industry, identify current and future skills gaps and map career pathways to ensure economic security for the female dominated workforce. 

Implementation of the four recommendations will ensure skilled migration pathways and training programs that meet industry skills gaps. If unaddressed, the skills shortages impacting the industry nationally risk being lost and restricting the potential growth of the sector. 

 

Feedback from AFC members identifying skills shortages

“Garment technicians and pattern makers are very different roles with different levels of skills. This would be the same as calling an architect a builder, both very important roles, very different stages. I think this may be happening because of the off-shoring that has happened. A garment technician can work on tech packs but not clothing patterns, they are two very different skill sets.” - RB Patterns on merging Clothing Pattern Maker into Garment Technician job code

 

“Sewing skills is definitely an issue. The big challenge that we see is that it's a skillset that's part of an ageing workforce, and there aren't enough younger people starting in the industry who are learning the basic manufacturing skills and see that as a viable career path, as opposed to the more "fun" and creative side of being a designer.” - Citizen Wolf on the sewing machinists shortage.

 

“The roles we are hiring for today are different to a decade ago. Another gap is the manufacturing skills we lost 30 years ago when production moved offshore — it’s critical that the government invests in the skills and infrastructure to address the skills shortage in Australia with machinists and technicians and enable more local manufacturing, whether that be robotic or through skilled workers. This would help enable Country Road to fulfil the customer demand for Australian-made clothing.” - Country Road on losing critical skills to enable local manufacturing.

 

Next Steps

To ensure a prosperous future for the TCF manufacturing industry, it's crucial to adapt these codes to reflect the evolving landscape of the TCF sector. The AFC will continue to advocate with the ABS to ensure industry classifications better reflect today’s TCF industry, ensuring a robust and skilled workforce that can drive the industry’s growth and resilience.

AFC launches Victorian TCF Manufacturing: Future Jobs, Technology and Economic Growth Report

We’re excited to announce that the AFC have launched the Victorian TCF Manufacturing Report: Future Jobs, Technology and Economic Growth. In partnership with Epson Australia, we have commissioned RMIT to, for the first-time, to quantify the current and future value of the Victorian TCF manufacturing sector.

The Report identifies five key areas to drive productivity, innovation and higher wage growth. Recommendations include: 

The current state of the Victorian TCF manufacturing industry presents a resilient sector in decline. To prevent further decline, “It’s imperative to the future of Victoria’s, and more-broadly Australia’s, textiles, clothing and footwear manufacturing industry that we collectively invest in and preference local. This sector is ours to lose. By implementing these very practical and achievable recommendations we can revive the industry, retain sovereign capability in Australia in TCF manufacturing and empower Australian brands to start, remain or even return on-shore,” Australian Fashion Council CEO, Jaana Quaintance-James said.

The Hon. Natalie Hutchins MP, Minister for Jobs & Industry, Women, and First Nations & Treaty, attended in support, stating that, “Transitioning to advanced manufacturing by adopting new technologies and upskilling will make our industries more efficient and resilient and better to meet market demands”

The report also highlights cost efficiencies and reduced waste that can be achieved should a smart-factory model be rolled out. Smart-factories utilise advanced technologies including digital sampling, digital printing and laser cutting to reduce waste and production lead times. At the launch of the report, a coat was made utilising this concept, made in collaboration with Ngali, RB Patterns, Epson and Select Textiles, and gifted to the Hon. Natalie Hutchins MP. 

 

 

 

 

 

Together, implementation of these recommendations is not just practical but symbolic. They send a message across our country —one that resonates with consumers, the industry, and brands alike: choose Australian.

Read the report HERE.