What Isabelle Quinn Has Learned About Dressing Women After More Than A Decade In Fashion

The IQ cool girl

By Kiri Johnston | 1st June 2026

After more than a decade in business, founder Isabelle Quinn has witnessed not only the evolution of fashion, but the evolution of the women wearing it. As the brand enters a new era with the launch of AFTERSUN, Isabelle reflects on motherhood, creativity, resilience and what she now understands about women that she didn’t when she first launched the label. You’ve spent over a decade building Isabelle Quinn. On a personal level, how has running the brand changed you over the years? When I started Isabelle Quinn, I was so young and simply creating pieces I personally loved wearing. Over the years, the brand has grown alongside me. I’ve become a mother, moved through different stages of life and learnt how to navigate pressure, creativity, burnout, confidence and growth. All of those experiences have naturally shaped the brand too. Running a fashion label for more than a decade teaches you resilience above all else. There are incredible highs, but also moments that challenge you creatively, emotionally and personally. It’s made me stronger, more grounded and far more intentional about what I create and why I create it. Looking back at the evolution of Isabelle Quinn, what does the brand understand about women now that it perhaps didn’t in the early days? In the beginning, the brand was far more trend-driven and focused on creating statement moments. Today, there’s a much deeper understanding of how women actually want to feel in their clothing. Women want to feel confident, effortless, beautiful and, most importantly, like themselves. They want pieces that move with them through different chapters of life, whether that’s travel, celebrations, motherhood, friendships or everyday moments. Now, we design with emotional intention as much as aesthetic intention. What’s one thing about building a fashion brand that people romanticise but is actually really hard? People often imagine fashion as being endlessly creative and glamorous, but the reality is that running a brand is incredibly consuming. You’re responsible for your team, production, cash flow, customers, campaigns and deadlines. The pressure never really switches off. As a founder, you’re emotionally invested in everything, which can make the challenges feel deeply personal. It’s definitely a lot less Fashion Week and a lot more problem-solving than people probably realise. AFTERSUN marks a new chapter for Isabelle Quinn. What do you hope to achieve with the collection, and how do you hope women feel when they wear it? AFTERSUN feels like the most honest version of Isabelle Quinn yet. It’s elevated, refined and intentional, while still holding onto the confident femininity the brand has always been known for. I hope women feel magnetic when they wear it — effortless, confident and undone in the best possible way. The collection was inspired by those summer moments that stay with you long after they’ve passed: warm nights, travel, dancing, salty skin, celebration and freedom. I wanted the pieces to feel memorable and emotional, not simply beautiful. How did AFTERSUN come to life, and what headspace were you in while designing it? AFTERSUN was a highly collaborative process. As Creative Director, I worked closely with the team on the overall vision and emotional direction of the collection, from the mood, colours and silhouettes to the fabrics, styling and the feeling we wanted women to experience when wearing it. We drew inspiration from travel, European summers, vintage glamour, beach-to-bar dressing and the nostalgia attached to summer memories. Throughout the design process, there was a strong sense of evolution. AFTERSUN feels like a more elevated, confident and intentional era for the brand, while still holding onto the spirit that people originally fell in love with. Shop AFTERSUN, available online now.