Building Brands with Creativity, Conviction & Care | Laura Liles, Founder Kinga Csilla & Ciao Ciao Vacation

What does it really take to build two fashion brands while protecting their creative identities, commercial foundations and long-term value?

In this episode of Fashion Business Mindset, Elizabeth Formosa speaks with Laura Liles, founder and creative director of Australian fashion labels Kinga Csilla and Ciao Ciao Vacation.

After spending a decade working across the Australian fashion industry, Laura launched Kinga Csilla in 2017 with a small collection, a $5,000 investment and a desire to create a more considered fashion business and workplace.

Laura shares the realities of building the brand through years of reinvestment, family sacrifice and what she describes as blind faith. She reflects on the early production challenge that forced her to strengthen the business, the importance of learning through difficult moments and the confidence that comes from experience.

The conversation explores Laura’s creative process and how she balances design instinct with customer feedback and commercial performance. She also takes us behind the scenes of her production network across India, Indonesia and China, sharing how she has built long-term relationships while maintaining quality, transparency and artisanal craftsmanship.

Laura discusses the inspiration and strategy behind launching Ciao Ciao Vacation, how she maintains a distinct identity for each label and the different roles wholesale and ecommerce play across the two businesses.

Elizabeth and Laura also explore selecting the right retail partners, supporting independent boutiques, protecting brand value, founder-led marketing and what is connecting with customers in the current fashion landscape.

They also discuss how Laura and her team are using AI across data analysis, reporting, technical processes and supplier communication, while protecting the human creativity at the heart of the brands.

The episode explores:

Laura’s decade of industry experience before starting her own brand

Launching Kinga Csilla with a $5,000 investment and no formal business plan

Building a self-funded fashion business through reinvestment and resilience