Award-winning designer running global business from Mount Gambier garage

Award-winning designer Ash Kalantarian is building a global business from her garage in a South Australian regional city.

From creating a business in a regional city in the southeastern corner of South Australia to showcasing her products at one of the largest international fashion events in the world, Ash Kalantarian is living proof that dreams really can come true – wherever you live.

Kalantarian, 37, is founder of Ashlee Lauren, an award-winning Australian millinery design company launched out of her garage in Mount Gambier in 2017. Five years earlier, Kalantarian had designed and made bridal accessories for her own wedding; the resulting interest from friends and family to create items for their weddings helped her realise the true potential of what she could offer. “It dawned on me that maybe this could be a little side hustle I could start,” she says.

With the help of her mum, Kalantarian began to create accessories for online store Etsy while holding down a second part-time job and a full-time role as mother to two young children. Then she discovered Instagram – and everything changed. “I’m a graphic designer so when I found Instagram I loved creating great feeds – that’s where I was discovered,” she says. “I was invited to New York Fashion Week in 2017 after I had done some collaborative photo shoots with local photographers and make-up artists. It was a fun experience that turned into an opportunity.”

Showcased in the Fashion Palette Runway at the 2017 event, Kalantarian’s designs attracted a celebrity following. “We worked with Kesha for the Grammy Awards – she wore one of my crowns at the after-party and we were featured in New York Magazine as well, which was really cool,” she says. “That was the moment I thought, ‘I want to see how far I can take this’.”

The answer is – pretty far. In 2018, Kalantarian was engaged in providing wholesale product to Australian department store Myer, and grew her original bridal product range to incorporate spring racing. “I love colour and doing more outrageous designs so that is where I found more fun in my work,” she says.

Ashlee Lauren founder Ashlee Kalantarian. Picture: supplied

The range has since further expanded. “I wanted to gift my brides something special, and found that perfume and scents have a wonderful link to memory,” she says. “So we created a perfume, Seraphina, in 2020 to gift to brides and then decided to retail it as well. That has worked really well.

“We’re also going into the fine jewellery market – we want to expand our range and hopefully head into the international market in 2023.”

All still from her garage in Mount Gambier. “It feels very normal to say I’m working out of my garage in Mount Gambier but I’m sure it sounds strange to other people,” she says with a laugh. “I get phone calls all the time asking me where in Sydney I’m located and can they drop in.”

For Kalantarian, being based outside traditional metropolitan areas has been a key factor in driving her business forward. “Initially, being located in a regional area was my biggest concern because I hadn’t placed myself well for a regional market, both pricing and design-wise – but that’s what has pushed me forward into the national and international markets,” she says. “I do occasionally get local brides but most of my customers are elsewhere in the country and the world.

“With Myer, I was able to get product into all the capital cities and am now branching out into smaller boutiques. My plan is to continue to grow the national retailers this year and then go into the international market the year after.”

Looking back on the rate of her success in such a short period of time still takes Kalantarian’s breath away. “Part of that is that it happened so quickly,” she says.

“Opportunities are thrown at me all the time and I don’t think twice and take them. If anything can top the New York moment, I’m waiting for that – I’m hoping one day something will.

“I have pinch-me moments all the time. Through working with Myer, I got to judge Fashions on the Field at the Melbourne Cup, sitting beside Joanne Mercer and Vogue Australia editor Edwina McCann. It was just an amazing opportunity – they look at my brand and they have no idea where I’m sitting in the world of fashion, but I just took it and thought, ‘Yes, this is exactly where I’m supposed to be’.”