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Danielle Mulham knows a thing or two about quiet luxury. In fact, she’s partly responsible for its mainstream movement. “As soon as I heard about the trend, I felt like we had been doing that all along, but not noticing that was what it was,” Mulham, swirling a glass of iced tea on Zoom, tells Vogue. “Our brand definitely epitomizes all facets of quiet luxury. It s an accessible trend, and I think everyone looks good in it.”
About a year ago, the Aussie founder and creative director of the linen leisurewear label, Posse, saw a surge in demand for the brand’s Emma vest and skirt set—all thanks to It-girl Sofia Richie Grainge who sported the crisp white linen ensemble during her Cote d’Azur wedding weekend. “I’ve never seen exposure like that before,” she recalls. “Seeing the support from people and just looking back on our wholesome early days to where we are now, is just amazing.” Months later, several more celebrities began to follow suit. Meghan Markle and Katie Holmes were spotted sporting the brand’s Theo dress, while the likes of Lily Aldrige and Selena Gomez have also added Posse pieces into their wardrobes.
As a teenager, Mulham would set aside money from her allowance to buy international magazines that were hard to come by in Sydney. She flipped through editorials styled by Grace Coddington and Edward Enninful, which crystallized her calling in fashion styling. “Back then I thought you could be either a fashion designer or an editor, until I saw the words ‘styled by,’ and I was like, that! That’s what I want to do!”
In college, Mulham pursued a degree in creative direction at the Whitehouse Institute of Design, a “very niche program” she calls, where she collaborated alongside photography students, graphic illustrators, and aspiring fashion designers. Then, while on a family holiday in Bali, Mulham crossed paths with Indonesian artisans who introduced her to linen tailoring techniques. “I worked with these amazing tailors to make a line of linen pieces just for myself. Then when I went back to Sydney, my friends were like, ‘Where did you get that?’ and that’s when it hit me that I could start my own brand with pieces that really speak to my style.” And in 2016, Posse was born.
While in New York, Mulham paid a visit to several vintage stores in search of inspiration for her next collection. She wore a black version of the Emma set under a houndstooth coat, pairing them with her favorite Khaite sandals and accessorizing with statement gold drop earrings. She describes her style as one that embodies the laidback cool of Australian living, but with a touch of elegance. And her style inspo? None other than Caroline Bessette-Kennedy—the archetype of subdued style. “I ve always been drawn to simplicity since I was quite young,” she says. “I just love the look of wearing classic pieces with minimal makeup and tousled hair. I think that s a very Australian way of dressing—not too done up, just effortless.”
On top of running her own business, Mulham is also a mother. She starts her day at 6 AM with back-to-back meetings and shoots throughout the afternoon. So when it comes to dressing for the office, she’s a firm believer in curating a work uniform. “Motherhood has definitely shaped my style. I mean, you go from having half an hour to get ready to four minutes to get ready,” she says. “You have to look at the pieces that you circulate most in your closet and find items that look incredible to you, and that way you get a sense of your daily uniform.”
Earn Your Stripes
This set is made of viscose and is really airy and easy. I love the effortlessness of this look, especially paired with these sandals flats. I adore pieces that transition well from weekdays to weekends, and I find this set to be incredibly versatile. In the morning, I’ll drop off my son at kindergarten, then head to meetings, and wrap up with dinner afterwards. It s just such an easy day-to-night outfit. I also find a vertical stripe to be incredibly flattering. Considering the proportions and the direction of the stripe, I definitely think the choice of material matters too. For stripes, I prefer something more fluid and airy. I love stripes in this kind of fabrication. It’s rare for me to do a head-to-toe stripe, but this look is a little flirty and sweet, so I do think showing a little bit of skin with stripes is important.
Two’s a Party
I feel like I wear the Emma set almost every week. I just love the neckline that we created, and this silhouette took a long time to perfect. I m a big vintage collector, so I feel like I ve spent years and years trying to collect different pieces, and sometimes I purchase and source just for the neckline. There are just so many different elements to get right, and when we’re in fittings, I’m so specific about just showing the collarbones here, perfecting and sweeping that area. But I think in terms of the little features that you want to show that make it just that little bit feminine, and a bit sexy, a boatneck is so flattering on all women. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone who doesn’t suit a boatneck. Just showing off those collarbones I think is a beautiful part of the female figure.
Textural Details
This bag is from one of my favorite brands, Dragon Diffusion. I always have a few different colors; they re just so timeless. I m not a big labels-showing person and I love that they re minimal but crafted with care by their artisans. They re beautiful and special, and they go with everything. And this particular dress that we have from Posse started in a cotton poplin material from a while back. We started developing it about nine or ten months ago. I also just love square necklines and I think a lot of our customers do as well. It’s feminine yet simple with a strappy back, and with the polkadot print, it s not too loud but it makes a statement. It s a minimal yet versatile print that looks great on all skin tones. It s just a lovely, versatile dress for everyday wear and the perfect vacation outfit.
Timeless in Black
This look is definitely a modern Audrey Hepburn moment. I m obsessed with all of her old films from the mid-50s and ‘60s and draw a lot of inspiration from them. I m a big Audrey Hepburn fan, and I think it epitomizes that sense of minimalism that s so classic and timeless. To me, the length of a dress is really important. We spend so much time perfecting the lengths of our pieces, and I love it when a dress hits just right on the ankle bone. When developing our pieces, I want them to be as multi-use as possible. I think it’s just so important these days to invest wisely in pieces and ensure you have multiple occasions to wear each one.
Finding Harmony in Proportions
I love this top that was actually based on our Theo dress. Again, I’m a big fan of a classic boat neckline so I incorporated it into this top. For this update, we ve introduced a chocolate and cream combination. It pairs beautifully with our white trousers, which I personally adore. The leg width is perfect, making it easy to dress up with heels or down with sneakers or sandals. We always are drawn to ’70s vintage style pants, and we just add these feminine touches. It s really hard to find a trouser that has that kind of vintage menswear style but is also flattering around the bottom and waist area, so I really love these pants we’ve created. It s my go-to travel pant; I practically live in these when I m airborne. They re effortlessly stylish and beautifully tailored.
Relaxed Summer Suiting
I’m constantly after that timeless, iconic look, and reinventing it in a modern way. The inspiration often comes from pieces I m missing in my own wardrobe or vintage finds. For example, I wanted a pencil skirt that wasn’t too business-like, which is where linen comes in. Linen fabric is perfect for our hot Australian climate, and making summer suiting more accessible for various occasions was a goal of ours. The Emma vest and skirt combination is really special and unique, especially because it’s made with such wearable fabric. I have so many vintage pieces that still look amazing today and when we created this set I wanted it to be something that would still be relevant in the next 50 years or so.
A Welcome Height Boost
With this look, I really wanted to show the versatility of our pieces. When investing in clothes, I want our customers to know they can wear it with shorts, skirts, trousers, or with a cardigan or sweater over. I find it so enjoyable to just experiment with different styling options. While I m not a huge print wearer myself, I do love a stripe or a polka dot for that touch of fun. Polka dots I find is a great conversation starter. When someone compliments me on the street and I hear them say, “It looks vintage,” it s such a satisfying moment. These trousers and shoes, which have a vintage-inspired flair to it, really complements the look so well. And these shoes! They caught my eye with their ’70s vibe and, I’m not a big fan of heels, but I was drawn to these chunky wedges.
