Who are you? Phoebe Miller, 30, Melbourne, Designer & Maker: Simply Phoebe.

Describe yourself in 5 words: Creative, entertaining, resourceful, generous, dreamer.

What is your passion/what do you do? I’m passionate about fashion, craft, style and design.  I currently make a range of fabric neckpieces under my label Simply Phoebe.

When did you develop this passion/choose to follow your passion? Looking back, I’ve always had an interest in fashion and design and a passion.  However for some reason I never considered it as a career path or explored it very deeply.  I think when you do ok at school, you automatically feel steered toward academic rather than creative pursuits and, unless you are one of those amazing 17 year olds with clear passion and vision, it’s much easier to follow the path you think others expect you to.  

It wasn’t until I was well out of school, had completed a business degree and was working in PR that the passion really started to stir.  I was working for a not-for-profit organisation that ran op shops and we were holding a fashion show.  I didn’t have a lot to do with it except helping promote it, but I remember this is when something sparked inside me that made me realise maybe I wasn’t heading in the right direction.  However I persevered for a few years in the world of PR and marketing.  The whole time it never felt quite right, and eventually I enrolled in a part time fashion design course.  By this time I knew I wanted to do something in this world, but the niggling self doubt and feelings of insecurity meant it took me a while to make any further steps.  However, after a lot of soul searching and a lot of encouragement from people around me, about two years ago I realised I needed to listen to my gut and go for it. I’m still working in PR part time, but now I have a lovely balance where I also get to indulge my creative passions.

What inspires you? On a personal level: people with conviction in what they do. From a design point of view: texture, structure, clean lines, classic shapes, colour, and multifunctional design.

Best advice you received on following your passion? It’s good for the soul.  My Mum once said this to me about another creative pursuit when I was at school, but it really resonated with me. The other one is “Do what you love”.  It seems so simple and obvious, but it can be so hard to follow!

Where can people find you? www.simplyphoebe.com.au

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