Paul Conti

General Manager

What does a typical day look like for you?

Trenery strikes the perfect balance between agility and scale. As a relatively small brand team, we’re close to the work—deep in product conversations, creative decisions, and brand-building. At the same time, we have the opportunity to draw on the scale of the wider Country Road Group, collaborating with expert teams and contributing to initiatives that create value across all brands. That means no two days look the same, but at the heart of it all is a passionate team that cares deeply about the work. My role is most often, and most importantly, about creating clarity, removing roadblocks, and ensuring our collective energy is focused in the right direction.

What's the most innovative call you've made?

Innovation at Trenery isn’t about disruption for its own sake—it’s about steady, purposeful progress. Over the past two years, the team has laid a strong foundation, fundamentally reshaping how we design, communicate and connect with our customer. This year, my focus has been on creating the space and clarity for the next phase of that journey.

Some of the changes we’re making feel small but significant, refining our positioning and backing our product strengths. Others are bolder, as we lift our creative ambition and test the edges of what this brand can deliver. Importantly, none of these are my ideas alone—they’re the result of collaboration and trust in the team to explore new ground.

How do you measure success in your role?

I’ve always believed we’re custodians of our brand, not owners. We inherit its legacy from those who came before us, and it’s our responsibility to contribute something meaningful in return. For me, success is about building a culture where people feel engaged, empowered, and aligned to a shared vision—because that’s what allows us to create something truly special, something bigger than the sum of its parts.

Financial results matter, of course—but they’re just the outcome. Success is driven in the energy of the team, the clarity of our direction, and the sense that we’re building something together.

What's the biggest challenge in your role?

In a creative, ambitious brand like Trenery, there’s no shortage of ideas. But making space for what matters—what will truly elevate the brand—takes discipline. I often return to a piece of advice a leader shared with me early in my career: great brands are built by what you choose not to do. I try to lead with that in mind—open to possibility, but anchored in purpose.

What industry change would you fast track?

I’d love to see a shift toward quieter, more honest progress in sustainability. Not just bold claims, but the slower, behind-the-scenes work of evolving business models and design systems to be truly circular and future-fit. At the same time, we’re all navigating how AI will reshape creativity, commerce and connection—so finding human, values-led ways to integrate new technology is a challenge I think we need to face collectively, not competitively.

Andrea Cupac

Head of Design

What does a typical day look like?

As Head of Design at Trenery, my day-to-day involves a dynamic mix of creative and strategic responsibilities. Working with my team, we are deeply engaged in reviewing samples, refining silhouettes and construction details, curating fabric and trim selections, and analysing the performance of current collections. Simultaneously, we are working ahead to define the seasonal colour narrative, develop print stories, and shape the creative direction for upcoming collections.

Collaboration is integral to my role. I partner closely with our in-house design team as well as cross-functional teams—including merchandising, product development and marketing teams—to ensure our creative vision is seamlessly translated across womenswear, menswear, and accessories.

At the core of my responsibilities is the articulation and execution of our brand’s creative vision. Each collection must not only embody our brand DNA but also resonate with the sensibilities of our customer—elevated, considered, and emotionally compelling. The energy and precision of the team make the creative process both inspiring and continually forward-thinking.

What's the most innovative call you've made?

Innovation is embedded in our daily design practice, whether through fabric development, engineered prints and embroidery, or the sourcing and creation of bespoke trims. Over the past year, a key area of innovation has been within our Accessories collections, where we’ve reimagined the design process to explore new shapes, materials, and construction techniques across jewellery, bags, and footwear.

This has involved a more experimental and collaborative approach—pushing boundaries with form, introducing unexpected material combinations, and elevating craftsmanship to ensure each piece feels both modern and aligned with our brand’s luxury aesthetic.

How do you measure success?

I measure success in two ways. First and foremost, through leadership and collaboration. Fostering a strong, engaged, and creatively empowered team is central to my role. I place great value on the input of each team member, and I’m energised by the collective process of building something meaningful together. Celebrating shared wins and nurturing a culture of openness and innovation is deeply rewarding.

Secondly, success is seeing our creative vision fully realised—whether it’s through beautifully executed campaigns or the in-store experience. One of the most fulfilling moments is seeing our customers engage with the collection, styling the pieces in their own way. It’s a tangible reminder of the emotional connection we strive to create through our work.

What's the biggest challenge in your role?

One of the significant challenges in the current retail landscape is navigating customer uncertainty influenced by global events and the broader economic climate. Throughout my career, I’ve learned to distinguish between what is within my control and what lies beyond it.

While external factors may be unpredictable, I focus my efforts on what I can influence: the creation of beautifully crafted, intentional products that embody our brand’s commitment to quality and detail. By prioritising thoughtful design and exceptional execution, I aim to create collections that resonate deeply with our customers- pieces they will appreciate, cherish, and engage with over time.

What's an industry change you'd fast track?

My aspiration for the industry is to establish a balanced approach to sustainable growth- one that actively minimises waste and environmental impact, while simultaneously encouraging innovation and creative expression.

I believe the future of fashion depends on integrating responsible practices with the freedom to push creative boundaries, ensuring that sustainability and artistry coexist harmoniously to meet both consumer expectations and brand values.

Ella Cottle

Creative + Styling Manager

What does a typical day look like?

Every day’s a bit different — which is probably why I still like it so much. It usually starts with a strong black coffee (driving and drinking is non-negotiable), then straight into the chaos: art directing and styling on set, chasing samples, or making last-minute calls on whether a shoe is “good.” When I’m not on shoot, I’m in the office with the styling and marketing teams reviewing images, tailoring executions for different channels, and generally trying to make everything look beautifully effortless, which is the eternal battle. It’s fast, collaborative, and sometimes unpredictable — but at the heart of it, it’s all about telling great stories through style and making the brand feel elevated, relevant, and quietly confident. Bonus points if no one sees me crawling on set, using my hands as shoehorns.

What's the most innovative call you've made?

This year I’ve been steering the creative beyond just “here are some beautiful clothes” and more towards “here’s how Trenery should make you feel.” Our customer values quality, luxury, culture and comfort, so I’ve been focused on bringing more of that emotional depth into the work. Less surface, more soul.

It’s still a work in progress, but we’re starting to push the edges by casting with more character, choosing locations with cultural resonance, and styling in a way that feels lived-in and purposeful. Essentially, trying to get the brand to speak in full sentences not just pretty pictures. A big part of that has also been weaving more culture into the brand from the way we reference art, design and place, to how we tell stories that feel grounded and considered. It’s about building a world that our customer not only sees themselves in but feels connected to.

How do you measure success?

I measure success by how the people around me are feeling. If the team feels energised, inspired and excited about what we’re creating together, then I know we’re doing something right. I also like to look back from time to time at the week, the month or the year and realise how much we’ve actually achieved. It’s easy to forget in the chaos but when you zoom out, it’s pretty amazing what it all adds up to.

What is the biggest challenge in your role?

For me, the challenge is always the battle between heart and head. The heart wants to do everything all at once, preferably yesterday, but the head (reality) has other ideas. I always want to let the creativity run wild, but sometimes it's about being a bit more realistic and breaking things down into actual, achievable wins. I'm learning that being more pointed doesn't mean being less creative. It just means I can push into new areas more intentionally and steadily, instead of spiralling into 30 new ideas before lunch.

What's an industry change you'd fast track?

If I could fast-track one change, it would be properly valuing creatives. Too often the industry runs on urgency and competition without giving people the space or support they actually need to do their best work. Creativity takes time, trust and room to breathe. It doesn’t thrive in a pressure cooker. I’d love to see a shift toward collaboration over competition and a culture that genuinely nurtures creative thinking instead of burning it out.