Donna Cameron is a Personal Style Specialist

Donna Cameron is a Melbourne-based Personal Style Specialist. She volunteers her time to help people counteract damage to their self-esteem and boost confidence and joy. Donna teaches girls how to highlight their positive attitudes through the clothes they wear.

Here she shares how this has helped her grow her personal brand and also launch a non-profit for sustainable fashion.

Q: What is your business about?

A: My longstanding love of clothing, design and experience of workplace communication, guides me in helping clients find their personal style and to convey messages instead of slavishly following fashion.

Q: What social cause do you support?

A: I support various non-profit organisations who have clients requiring extra help with their personal presentation; whether it be what to wear in the workplace or how to present themselves at an interview or when approaching a potential employer.

Q: Why did you decide to donate your time and services to non-profits?

A: I love coaching and guiding people to become independent, to fulfill their dreams and to be confident about having something unique and worthwhile to offer an employer. I get a real buzz out of seeing people gain confidence and achieve something they thought was beyond them.

People often don’t realise they have something an employer can benefit from, and sometimes that’s because they’ve copped lots of criticism from the adults in their lives, who could have been their role models.


Q: How do you help them?

A: I work one-on-one with clients or run workshops for a group of people. It’s most effective if a client has a clear goal in mind.


Q: Do you feel this has helped grow your personal brand as well?

A: My non-profit work has defined me somewhat and given me an edge that many others don’t have. For example, I worked as a mentor with Whitelion for three years, visiting young people (teenagers) in prison. This is very grounding work and gives you a good perspective on the challenges some people face in getting on with their lives.

Q: Tell us about Fashion by Foot

A: When I moved my business into the Preston Zly studio in Fitzroy, I found myself in a really special space. I could watch top independent designers realise their designs and create their pieces. As more and more people asked to come with me into the studio so they too could see behind-the-scenes, Fashion by Foot was born.

I teamed up with my now business partner and fellow Personal Style Specialist, Briar Jasper-Batson, and we run Fashion by Foot together.

Briar and I are united in our distaste for ‘disposable’ fast fashion and unethical manufacturing practices, as well as in our passion for the service and quality that independent designers offer. On this foundation, Fashion by Foot introduces guests to the concept of slow fashion, timeless quality, and mindful purchasing.

We show guests how to analyse a garment based on what will work for them to ensure potential purchases are ‘keepers’. And simultaneously we support micro fashion businesses through introducing new audiences to them, singing their praises and revealing the labour and creative processes that underpin fashion production.


Q: How has this also contributed to growing your personal brand?

A: My name has probably become synonymous with independent, cutting edge and quality locally made fashion.

A value that I always try to maintain is ‘integrity’ and in my view, that aligns much more with quality.

Clients know that because of my work both with Fashion by Foot and with marginalised people in the community, that if they come to me I will be honest, supportive and nurturing in my approach. I’m open-minded, inclusive and very down to earth. These values are important to me.


Q: When you promote / market your brand do you also mention the causes you support?

A: I don’t necessarily mention the causes I support, unless they are relevant.


Q: How has your brand also contributed towards personal fulfilment?

A: I know how important personal presentation is to opening doors, particularly for people in positions of disadvantage. Clothes are anything but insignificant as they convey immediate messages, whether or not we realise it.

I’ve always been passionate about social justice so when I can guide people to take steps towards their goals of financial independence or confidence, I take great personal satisfaction in that.

I’m not sure how much my volunteer work contributes to growing my brand but if I can apply my knowledge of workplace communication and skills in personal presentation to help people reach their potential, it’s my pleasure to do it.