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What is 30under30?
30under30 is an Anthill initiative launched in early 2008 to encourage and promote entrepreneurship among young Australians. Each year, we invite our readers to nominate young Australian entrepreneurs deserving of recognition for their outstanding entrepreneurial endeavours. More.
Linda Vydra, VIC (b. 1986)
Name: Linda Vydra
Age: 26 (Born: April 1986)
Gender: Female
State: VIC
Known for: Lydra, Pins by Lydra, Melbourne Laser Cutter, Classic Wedding Invitations
Linda Vydra hasn’t got anything against Louis Vuitton lovers. She just thinks that handbags ought to be more personal (and personable) products — unique to each consumer, impossible to replicate.
Her social enterprise, Lydra, is a mashup of sorts, kind of like the name itself. It marries the coolness of vintage design to a belief in rewarding the labour of the person behind it, creating a special link between the artist and the customer.
All of Lydra’s leather and clutch bags are made from used materials and crafted by local, older Melbourne artisans — those who can remember when ‘vintage’ fashion was still a brand new thing.
“Each product is one-of-a-kind, with its own novel name and a meaningful description,” explains Vydra, 26. “Each fabric is handpicked from a collection of remnant upholstery and leather jackets.”
More recently, she has taken to applying the concept of collaborative art to apparel. Pins by Lydra sells women’s leggings, and artists get a commission from the sale of each garment that bears their designs.
The Pins launch party, held at an art gallery exhibition, helped to accentuate the visual and the sensibility of the product. “We had three gymnasts cartwheel, flip and somersault through the gallery exhibition to some funky tunes,” she says. “It was a fantastic way to launch the new brand.”
Vydra’s 30under30 win is hardly her first recognition. In 2009, her enterprise won $5,000 in the 2009 RMIT Business Competition. She followed that up with a nomination as Australian Entrepreneur of the Year and competed in the Global Student Enterprise Awards (GSEA) in the US.
Reflecting on these achievements, Vydra remarks how one success tends to follow from another: “I think we create our own opportunities and from them more opportunities occur. I think it’s based on a lot of handwork and persistence and getting yourself out there.”
This year, she followed through again by securing a $30,000 grant from the City of Melbourne. That funding has enabled her to open The Creative Hub, a collaborative space with a series of facilities for fashion startups to realize their designs. Among the potential services are other enterprises she now owns, Melbourne Laser Cutter and Classic Wedding Invitations.
For Vydra, it’s all part of the long-term plan.
“The key to success is diversifying yourself during these tough times and continually re-inventing yourself,” she advises. “I also think it’s really important to be a people person and to find good people to work for you.”
Anthill asks: Linda Vydra, what motivates you as an entrepreneur?
I thrive on being able to build something from the ground up. I enjoy seeing projects grow and challenge you. I believe staying informed on others around you is also important.
Pins by Lydra Launch
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To check out the full list of Anthill’s 30under30 winners, click here.
