Starring on a reality show like The Bachelor is guaranteed to have you labelled as the girl who didn’t quite find love. But Lisa Hyde offers more than the glimpse of her fifteen minutes of fame.
Most Australians know her as the unlucky runner-up of reality TV series The Bachelor. But what doesn’t get reported on is that the Sunshine Coast-born girl has been making moves in the world of fashion for a while. The fashion-forward beauty has gone from sewing doll outfits as a kid, to personally designing pieces for her ultra stylish label Shevoke.
These days, Lisa immerses herself in her studio. She recalls her struggle as an emerging designer in a cut-throat industry. “I owned my first sewing machine at twelve. At eighteen I created a label with a friend. From there, I wanted to work in fashion,” Lisa recalls. “But then, it was hard to get a product known without social media. I struggled for a long time.”
After moving to the Gold Coast to attempt cracking into the fashion industry, Lisa was working in retail when she decided on a complete career change. She completed a Bachelor of Business degree, which helped her give fashion another shot. “I missed design and making clothes for people, so I used the knowledge from my degree and thought I’d try just one more time,” she said. “That’s how we got Shevoke.” Lisa explains the name Shevoke as representative of she who evokes meaning, feeling and response in the fashion she wears. “I want to be different from other brands,” she explains. “My focus is on perfecting the quality of the fabric and the cut of each design, because there’s nothing worse than finding something you love that only lasts one wash.”
In 2015, Lisa hopes to reach the international market, collaborate with more emerging artists and be involved with charity. “My partner Tyson does a lot of work with charities and meeting him has really inspired me,” Lisa maintains. “I want to eventually be able to send profits from Shevoke back to a charity of my choice.”
When asked about advice for aspiring designers, Lisa says it’s all about having fun and enjoying the journey – including the struggles. “I tell people that the passion and love they have for design will get them where they need to be. The journey is the best part, it tells a story of how they became successful, so enjoy it,” she says. “ I’m so proud that I can do something that I love and create clothes that people like to wear. I feel very blessed.”
Photographer: Andrew Wilson | dirty love photography
