Each International Women's Day, we acknowledge the women and girls who have made it their mission to shape a brighter, more equal future for us all.
“International Women’s Day has always been very close to my heart,” said CAMILLA Founder and Creative Director Camilla Franks. “Every year, in honour of International Women’s Day, we triple the CAMILLA brand’s donations through i=Change to our three women’s charities from €1 to €3 for every online order. We’ve donated over $670,000 hand-in-hand with our beautiful customers.”
Our fearless founder sat down with the team from The Hunger Project to talk about investing in women and accelerating action.
THP: What does investing in women mean to you, and how has this shaped your perspective on leadership?
“International Women’s Day has always been very close to my heart,” said CAMILLA Founder and Creative Director Camilla Franks. “Every year, in honour of International Women’s Day, we triple the CAMILLA brand’s donations through i=Change to our three women’s charities from €1 to €3 for every online order. We’ve donated over $670,000 hand-in-hand with our beautiful customers.”
Our fearless founder sat down with the team from The Hunger Project to talk about investing in women and accelerating action.
THP: What does investing in women mean to you, and how has this shaped your perspective on leadership?
Camilla Franks: I have always had a passion for investing in creativity, in women, in Australian talent. Taking the time and putting in the work to do something right. That flows through every element of my brand and my business. Every piece I create is an investment, a keepsake, a modern heirloom to be treasured, revisited, loved forever and passed down through generations.
I am so proud that CAMILLA is a fierce, fearless, female-founded, female-led business. I’ve made that a priority since the very beginning. But for me, investing in women means not only putting women in strong positions throughout my business, but also nurturing that strength, creativity, artistry and innovation. I’m a big believer in empowering aspiring creatives to unlock their full potential, to share their art and their stories and find their voices. And I’m proud to do that every single day!
We are a global collective of printmakers, storytellers, adventurers and artisans – which, almost unbelievably, is 20 years old now – and together we’ve had an incredible impact.
I’ve always designed to make people feel empowered and free, and that ethos has permeated the entire business. Now, I have a global team, and each of them carries that vision with them as a guide. Whether they work in design, marketing, digital or IT… they all invest the time and the creativity to truly innovate, to craft pieces that empower, stories that captivate and to foster a sense of possibility, and purpose.
Together, we’re paving the way for the next generation of young, beautiful, courageous women. Inspiring, uplifting and fortifying them to take control of their mission and design a world that they're proud to be part of.
THP: If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self as she was just starting out, what would it be – and how do you think she’d react?
Camilla Franks: I don’t think she’d listen, to be honest. She was very rebellious. But, if I could give her one piece of advice, it would be this: “Trust your instincts. Trust your intuition. Be brave. Be kind. Work hard. Laugh at every opportunity. Find the magic wherever you can. And inspire others to do the same.”
I’m proud to say, for the most part, I’ve done this throughout my journey.
She’d probably react by shushing me or rolling her eyes and saying: “Well, obviously.” And then she’d probably do the opposite. So, maybe it’s better I don’t give her any advice at all!
I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved. In fact, the best advice I could give my younger self would be: “You’re doing great kiddo. Well done. Keep it up.”
THP: What’s your go-to pump-up song when you need to feel unstoppable?
Camilla Franks: Unpopular opinion: pump-up music is overrated. Does meditation music count? Because when I need to feel unstoppable, my go-to state is peace, gratitude, compassion and presence. That’s what I need to feel balanced, alive and truly centred in power, passion and my purpose.
My favourite track is O, I Love You by Essie Jain, which is on the Sage Cacao Playlist by the beautiful Frankie Moore.
