Courtney Price is the founder and creative director of Melbourne based fashion brand, Elka Collective.

Established in 2014, Elka Collective is dedicated to the art of creating exquisite garments that resonate with the versatile and relaxed nature of the women who wear them. 

We had the pleasure of catching up with Courtney to learn more about her story, how her background in design and fashion, and of course, her fondest scent memories. 

What inspired you to forge a career in design, and go on to found Elka Collective?

I stumbled into fashion, I studied graphic art and design and was looking for a career in print media, but I accepted a job straight out of uni as a graphic designer for an Australian clothing brand.

Over time I learnt every creative aspect of that brand – graphics, marketing, VM, clothing design, and I fell in love with clothing design. I think there are a lot of great synergies between graphic and garment design.

From there Elka was founded on the side, through a desire of wanting to create elegant simplistic garments, with a relaxed aesthetic, but at an affordable price - a bridge between commercial fast fashion and high end Australian brands.

What inspires your design process?

Travel, streetstyle, interiors, fabrication, social media, friends.

What does a typical day at Elka HQ look like for you?

School drop off, coffee, a quick team chat at our desks. Then I begin working on the most recent collection, sketching, selecting fabrics, approving labdips, followed by a trade meeting to discuss weekly retail and online sales.

I then have design meetings for upcoming retail store concepts, selecting paint finishes, furniture sourcing and so on. I also take part in marketing meetings for upcoming campaigns, and new homepages. I usually eat lunch at Green On opposite our office, then head back into the design room for garment fittings with our fit model and garment tech. 

On the way home, I often listen to a quick podcast, then kids dinner, bath and bed!

How has Elka Collective evolved since launching in 2014? And what’s next for Elka in 2025?

Elka Collective launched in 2014, as a 20-piece summer collection, stocking boutiques with quality garments with a relaxed Australian aesthetic. Fast forward 10 years, and we now have 8 retail stores and 7 David Jones concessions. Our collections have grown with a continuing focus on timeless design, exceptional craftsmanship, and elegant simplicity. 2025 Brings two new retails stores in SA and Melbourne!

What advice would you give to anyone looking to start their own business?

Ensure you have a product that is distinctive and desired. Product is key, if you don’t have quality product you have nothing. Understand your market, identify your competitors. Educate yourself on all areas of the business, start lean, outsource as little as you can to begin with. Things will always go wrong but see them as a lesson.

What is your fondest scent memory, and why?

Growing up my mum wore a gardenia scented perfume, I can’t recall the name, but I’m always drawn to that fragrance in perfume, or candles.

What type of scents are you drawn to?

Gentle florals, woody scents.

Do you change your fragrance to match your outfit, or do you have a go-to scent?

A go to scent - it’s nice to have a signature fragrance.