The Brands You Admire Most Almost Didn't Make It: Zimmermann & Showpo's Founding Stories
What do Zimmermann and Showpo, two of Australia's most recognised fashion brands — have in common? Neither started with the right conditions, connections, or timing. What they had in common wasn't talent. It was the decision to try again.
What do successful fashion brands have in common at the start?
Most iconic fashion and lifestyle brands don't start with funding, connections, or a clear plan — they start with a failed business, a garage, or a market stall. The version of success you see today rarely shows you what came before it: the restructure, the pivot, the year it nearly didn't work.
Zimmermann: From a Market Stall to a $1.75 Billion Brand
In 1989, Nicky Zimmermann graduated from fashion college and went straight to her parents' garage. No store. No wholesale accounts. No publicist. Through the week she designed and made garments by hand. On weekends, she carried them to a stall at Paddington Markets and watched women's faces — that was the entire market research methodology.
Today, Zimmermann operates stores across Australia, the US, the UK, Europe, and China, and is valued at $1.75 billion.
Takeaway: Direct customer feedback can be more valuable than any market research budget.
Showpo: From $60,000 in Debt to Shipping in 120+ Countries
Jane Lu left a corporate accounting career to start her first business. It folded, leaving her $60,000 in debt and jobless. A month later, she launched Showpo from her parents' garage with a laptop and two racks of clothes.
It now ships to more than 120 countries.
"My failed business led me to Showpo. Even if it's not a straight path, it could lead to your right path." — Jane Lu
Takeaway: A failed first attempt can be the direct path to the right idea.
The Bottom Line
Neither of these stories started with the right conditions. They started with someone who decided the failure wasn't the final chapter. The brands and leaders who last aren't always the most resourced — they're the ones who kept showing up.
FAQ
What did Zimmermann and Showpo have in common when they started?
Both began with minimal resources — Zimmermann at a market stall, Showpo in a garage — and both founders had faced failure or setbacks before their brand took off.
How did Zimmermann become successful?
Founder Nicky Zimmermann started by hand-making garments and selling them at Paddington Markets, using direct customer feedback as her only market research before growing the brand into a $1.75 billion global fashion label.
How did Jane Lu start Showpo?
Jane Lu launched Showpo from her parents' garage with a laptop and two racks of clothes, one month after her first business failed and left her $60,000 in debt. It now ships to more than 120 countries.