From Brisbane Start-Up To It Girl Brand: The Rise Of Arcina Ori
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By Tahlia Leathart | 2nd September 2025Before Arcina Ori was being worn by fashion’s favourites and flooding your Instagram feed, founder Zoe Calodoukas was just a 22-year-old with seven dresses and an axed European holiday.
“Arcina Ori came from these dresses that I was supposed to take to Europe,” Zoe says. “Then COVID hit, and I just thought, I’m going to make this into a brand.”
It might sound spontaneous, but Zoe had been chasing big ideas since her high school days in Brisbane. “I started my first business when I was 17,” she says. “I had no idea what I was doing – you just figure it out as you go. I’ve made mistakes, I figured it out, and I’ve done things in a way that I think works.”
Fast forward five years and Arcina Ori is now one of Australia’s coolest fashion exports, worn by It-girls, influencers, and brides-to-be all over the world. The label’s ultra-feminine silhouettes and stunning sets have gone global, with international sales now making up 64% of total revenue — 40% from the US alone.
“I have heard from girls in the US that they just love Australian fashion,” Zoe says. “It’s different to what you can get in the US. And I think we’ve got some amazing brands here, and I just don’t see that same really ultra-feminine womenswear in the US as much.”
So, how did a self-taught designer break into overseas markets?
“We gifted as much as we could afford to, especially in the beginning,” Zoe explains. “It’s always a gamble, but the beauty of social media is that one gifting can multiply and be one of your greatest investments. You’ve just got to expect nothing in return and go for it.”
Her behind-the-scenes Instagram videos have also become a cult hit. “I always felt like my customers were only seeing the tip of the iceberg,” Zoe says. “Behind each piece there’s a story, and only me or my team knew it. I just thought, what have I got to lose? Let me share my journey.”
But it hasn’t been all viral moments and photoshoots. “I never studied business, and looking back, I wish I did,” she admits. “I’ve never worked for a fashion label either — so I didn’t even know how a production or warehouse team operated. I learned everything by doing it wrong first.”
Even now, Zoe says her best designs happen when no one’s around. “I don’t actually delegate time to it,” she says. “I’m always most creative when I’m alone, after hours, with my headphones in. I’ll be standing there with a mannequin, letting the fabric drape how it wants to on the body. That’s when the best stuff happens.”
Like the Paloma Dress — one of Arcina Ori’s most iconic pieces. “It’s this black and white dress that flares out — I made it with about 12 metres of fabric,” she says. “I love seeing videos of women spinning and smiling in it at their weddings and parties. That’s what reminds me why I do this.”
Zoe has come to embrace a set of guiding principles that shape how she approaches business: “Work on your business, not in it. Hire people better than you. Stay resilient. And always, always back yourself. You should act like your business is going to be huge, because if it happens, you’ll want everything ready to go.”
Considering she started with a handful of dresses she never even got to wear, we’d say that’s advice worth listening to.
