Lilly Dawson shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Lilly, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
For as long as I can recall, I’ve been passionate about discovering treasures, especially in furniture. Lately, I’ve been dedicating more time each day to hunting for vintage furniture and one-of-a-kind pieces. The thrill is indescribable, a rush of pure joy that borders on obsession! I designed my former Palm Springs home and my LA apartment with distinctive finds, and recently, I’ve decorated two properties in Australia.
To me, this isn’t work—it’s a labor of love. You can see various finds in these photos actually, some of the most special pieces I have found have been from St Vincent de Paul in DTLA and an array of vintage shops & deceased estates.
Nothing brings me more joy than finding a special furniture item (or even a magic carpet!) and bringing it back to life – while adding to my eclectic collection.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
A BOLD PIVOT TOWARDS A DESIGN PASSION
After two decades of shaping talent in entertainment, Lilly Dawson took a bold leap to pivot her career at 52.
Lilly reimagined her Wild Luxury Collection brand, which was originally founded in Australia. She saw the potential for this new venture to combine her lifelong passions for design, styling and fragrances.
Within a short time, it developed into a successful homewares range which launched in the Middle East at World Expo Dubai. This was the biggest event the region had ever seen, welcoming over 20 million people over its six months.
Wild Luxury Collection was the Official Supplier of candles and homewares across all retail stores and the Australian Pavilion. She also designed and delivered VIP gifting for prestigious brands including Van Cleef & Arpels, Mastercard and the USA Pavilion.
During this time, Lilly also designed the uniform range for the USA Pavilion, as well as producing content for the Pavilion including the Ground Breaking Ceremony Video which was shown at the White House.
While Lilly has enjoyed the success in many corners of the globe that WLC has bought, she is now focused on what, for her is the big dream – sharing incredible fragrances and products with an Australian twist to the US market.
Most recently she has signed a deal with Marriott Hotels to bring her unique blend of wilderness-inspired luxury products to the APEC region. Lilly says “This partnership marks a new chapter for us, and we’re so grateful for the opportunity to share our passion for extraordinary scents with Marriott guests across their portfolio of properties”.
Lilly’s gamble transformed her life and her career. Now, she splits her time between Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Sydney and Dubai – designing and dreaming big. “Just say yes to virtually everything,” Lilly says. “You never know what doors will open, and it may just be exactly what you were looking for”.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
From the age of three to about eight we lived in a farmhouse on the grounds of Carrington Hospital which was established way back in the mid 1800’s as a Psychiatric Hospital in Auckland, New Zealand. My father was a plumber there and looked after a lot of the wards. The hospital was situated on a substantial estate that included nearly 200 acres (approximately 81 hectares) of land. It was an incredible place to spend those years of my life.
From a very early age I was surrounded by people who were very unwell and I feel like that shaped me to want to understand others and have empathy for those in need.
That period of time although I was young and naïve, was my happy place and a lot of the patients in the facility became great friends. Of course it didn’t come without its extremely serious moments – but that’s for another time.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I have worked for myself since I was 23 and lost my first business when I was 28.
I don’t think I fully understood how to manage myself out of the situation.
Being young, inexperienced, under pressure and underfunded took its toll and I should have asked for advice and leant on my mentors a lot more than I did.
Major life lesson for me, although every day brings new learnings for everyone.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
Positivity, creativity, loyalty and a passion for living each day to the fullest.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
That I encouraged people, saw the best in people, gave people opportunities and believed in the power of humanity.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://wildluxurycollection.com/
- Instagram: @wildluxurycollection or @lilly.dawson
Image Credits
Carin Garland – Product Photography + Zoe
Tamara Stafford – Personal Photography
Model – Zoe Harangozo
