Katia Santilli
&VeraYan
Co-founders of Nimble Activewear, an ethically
sourced, sustainable brand launched in 2013 that
now turns over $4 million annually.Yan:“My business partner Katia and I met when we were
- She was the new girl at school and it was an instant
friendship. In Year Nine, we went to this country school
retreat called Marshmead for a term. It was only eight
weeks, but we really had to fend for ourselves, and it
made us very independent. It solidified our relationship;
we become a twosome.
From a very early age, Katia has been driven and
focused. She’s not easily swayed by what other people
think and feel. She knows what she wants, and she’s
confident enough to pursue what she’s interested in. For
me, coming from a migrant background [Yan emigrated
from China as a baby], all I wanted was to fit in; Katia
taught me that it’s okay not to. It’s okay to have your own
ideas. If she hadn’t taught me that, we wouldn’t have our
business today.”
Santilli:“Claudia Santilli is my nonna. She grew up in Italy,
but after WWII she migrated to Australia with my
grandfather, and had to start over. They had to carve out
a new life that looked totally different to the one they’d just
come from. They had no belongings, no home and no
family here. Thinking about that inspires me to be more
resilient. Nonna owned a boutique in Melbourne for over
two decades, importing beautiful handmade leather
handbags, shoes and belts from Italy. She taught me the
importance of doing what you love.
Sadly, she passed away just before Vera and I started
the business, but I still feel her presence. She’d be so
proud of us. Nonna would have totally rocked a pair
of Nimble leggings!”E
Katia (left) wears:top, $290,
SASS & BIDE, sassandbide.com/au;
pants, $480,ANNA QUAN,
annaquan.com; necklace, $465,
SARAH & SEBASTIAN,
sarahandsebastian.com
Vera wears:dress, $895,
ELLERY, ellery.com
Interviews:Lauren Sams; Elle McClure.
Styling:Claudia Jukic.Hair:
Ashleigh Carpenter at Vivien’s Creative;
Katrina Raftery at DLM; Joel Forman.
Makeup:Sylvia Ura at Vivien’s Creative;
Teneille Sorgiovanni at Lion Artist
Management; Danielle Butcher
Fragrance: Women, $100,
CALVIN KLEIN, myer.com.au
WE
ARE
WOMEN
2018