Worn Store’s Lia-Belle King on Building a Business with Integrity
Creating a life doing what you love is a dream for many and something that Lia-Belle King, co-founder and creative director of Worn Store, has been able to turn into a reality.
Together with her partner in business and life, Lotte Barnes, she has worked hard over the past decade to build a brand dedicated to designing and sourcing furniture with strict sustainability guidelines.
Come listen to our conversation where Lia-Belle shares the couple’s journey to launching Worn, what it was like to be stocked by iconic London store Selfridges, how they have navigated having their designs copied and taking creative risks and trusting your intuition.
THIS EPISODE FOCUSES ON
Growing up on a farm on the Central Coast, NSW with a creative mother
Studying Journalism and PR & working at a fashion magazine
Where & why Worn started
Worn’s initial launch
Lia-Belle’s unconventional & organic approach to marketing Worn
Her experience living in Indonesia
How her & her partner built relationships with local artisans & villagers
Moving to the Byron Bay region
The experience of opening their first mortar & bricks space in Bangalow, NSW
How they started producing clothing
The decision to move away from furniture to become a lifestyle brand
Lia-Belle’s experience with chronic fatigue
Dealing with plaigarism in the furniture & homewares industry
Opening their new space in Binna Burra, NSW
The evolution women & businesses go through in response to what is happening to their life & family
What differentiates Worn from other brands in terms of their sustainability & production practices
Building an elevated brand aesthetic
The importance of trusting your intuition
FEATURED ON THIS EPISODE
Are you a creative business owner? Want a 27-page insider’s guide on the exact steps to grow your dream business? Click here.
Lia-Belle’s shop Worn Store
Worn Store instagram @worn.store
Amanda Chantal Bacon ‘@moonjuice’
Julie D’ O’Rourke @rudyjude
Expanded podcast with Lacey Phillips
Podcast episode ‘Homing In: Mary Portas’
Book Becoming Supernatural by Dr. Joe Dispenza
Book Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Podcast production: Yaga Media