In the midst of the challenges of being a mother to three children and running a fashion label, Danielle Tweedie shares that the inspiration for her brand, SULIS, came from the desire to create a business that allows her to work from anywhere with her kids. The brand initially focused on mother-daughter matching styles but evolved into a family affair, incorporating styles for boys as well. Her design inspiration stems from her daughters and their evolving tastes, as well as a love for old-fashioned romantic gowns influenced by iconic figures like Scarlett O'Hara. When asked about time management tips, she emphasizes the importance of routine, self-nurturing practices like yoga and meditation, and acknowledging overwhelm with grace. The motivation to start the fashion label was intensified after the sudden loss of her brother, prompting her to seize the moment and bring SULIS to life. The involvement of her children in the design process is highlighted, and she hopes to instill in them the belief that anything is achievable with desire, trust, and self-faith. Reflecting on her favorite pieces from the Homebodii collection, she mentions the Farah and Gaylene Robes, appreciating their symbolism of beginnings and resonating with her own romantic style, serving as inspirational markers in her journey as both a mother and a business owner.

Amid family demands, how do you find inspiration for your designs? Any particular sources or experiences that fuel your creativity?

My greatest inspiration when creating SULIS actually came from my girls. We have always loved wearing and playing with matching fashion, infact we became known for it on instagram and worked with countless brands showcasing matching Mother/daughter styles, but as they have grown older their styles have changed and their little personalities really longed to shine. We struggled to find a brand that captured all our styles and we just started drawing and designing what they would like to see and I realised this was bigger than just my own dream of having a fashion label, but it was a dream of theirs too. I also have always loved old fashioned romantic gowns, a huge inspiration was Scarlett O’Hara's famous garden gown, something I grew up watching on repeat as a little girl. Old Hollywood glamours that I always likened to my Nanna for her graceful style. A lot of the women’s pieces I created were inspired by childhood with her, as she always wore beautiful gowns while she did her makeup and dresses that celebrated her feminine form still to this day. It was so empowering as a little girl to look up to such a embodied Woman and I hope to install the same confidence in my children as well. 

Can you share your top tips for managing time as both a mother and a business owner? How do you prioritise tasks without feeling overwhelmed?

It can be tricky, and as the business has grown I defiantly come back to nurturing myself first so I can always give from an overflowing cup rather than an empty one. Because I am still a full-time Mum and running the business simultaneously sometimes in-between drop offs, after bedtime etc I find that I have to have routine, so they know what’s coming up and so do I. One of the biggest causes for overwhelm is when I feel ungrounded, and that often happens when I dont prioritise my time in the morning. My practice of yoga, meditation and journalling for me has become sacred. Not only does it set me up for the day so I can shine for as both a Mother and Business owner but some of my best ideas come flowing in through those quiet moments. If and when overwhelm does flow in I find it helpful to acknowledge it, come back to my breath and always give myself grace and grattiude for all the hats I get to wear.

What motivated you to start your fashion label? How did you navigate the transition from mum to successful entrepreneur?

I have always wanted to start my own fashion label, but I guess doubt always snuck in and not knowing where or how to start. It wasn’t until I lost my Brother 2 and half years ago that it truly sparked my desire to bring SULIS to life. I knew that I had something special to offer and loosing him so suddenly made me realise ‘if not now…then when?”. So I dedicated every spare minute into designing, creating, outsourcing what I didn’t know, learning, asking questions, employing people to bring the vision to life. Whenever I reach a point of resitance  I am reminded of why I began in the first place. I am just so grateful that I started and with each new phase as the business blooms and grows I feel myself blooming alongside it and that’s so empowering.