Lumen Winter 2018 - Flipbook - Page 17
Alyce Tran was settling in well to life as a
commercial lawyer when all of a sudden
she took the fashion world by storm.
STORY BY KIMBERLEY HOILE
Alyce is the brains behind ‘The Daily
Edited’ (TDE) which in 2014, started a
global revolution in customisable bags and
accessories. TDE has eight stores across the
globe, employs more than 180 staff and has
an annual turnover of $30 million.
Some would see law and fashion as poles
apart, but she said the transition was
not difficult.
“Most businesses at their core have the
same principles. If you’re a lawyer, you have
a client you have to service really well. If
you’re in retail, you have customers that you
have to do an amazing job for,” she said.
“Work hard and stay focused. I would take
anyone in my business who is switched on,
smart and motivated. Never feel like you are
stuck in your chosen field. The saying that
this generation will have up to seven career
changes in their lifetime is true.”
Born and raised in Adelaide, Alyce
was an exemplary Year 12 student at
Wilderness School.
Alyce was seen as a ‘humanities girl’ from
early on and encouraged to pursue a career
in law. She was subsequently offered a full
scholarship to Bond University. However,
she was attracted by the University of
Adelaide’s reputation and opted to stay in
her home city and study a double degree
in Law and Commerce.
With her enviable work ethic, she excelled at
university and won several prizes. She recalls
her time on the North Terrace campus
fondly, indulging in hot chips with gravy
at Mayo Café and enjoying regular catch
ups with mates at the Uni Bar. The annual
Law Ball also was a highlight.
“MOST BUSINESSES AT
THEIR CORE HAVE THE
SAME PRINCIPLES. IF
YOU’RE A LAWYER, YOU
HAVE A CLIENT YOU HAVE
TO SERVICE REALLY WELL.
IF YOU’RE IN RETAIL,
YOU HAVE CUSTOMERS
THAT YOU HAVE TO DO AN
AMAZING JOB FOR.”
After graduating in 2009, Alyce was
employed as an Associate for a Court of
Appeal Judge before starting to work her
way up the corporate ladder. During this
time, she and a colleague started TDE as
a hobby that became a side business. By
2014, she was able to resign from her job
as a lawyer to run the business full-time.
“I love my job. The nature of the work is
really easy because I invented it. The most
stressful feeling I had as a lawyer was that I
didn’t know what I was doing half the time.
There was so much to learn. And when I
was a lawyer, I didn’t want to get anything
wrong for fear of negative feedback.
Now there is basically no wrong I can
do,” she said.
FEELING INSPIRED?
Alyce works seven days a week. But she
makes it work for her lifestyle, family
and friends. Here is an average ‘day in
the life’ of Alyce Tran in her own words.
7am: Wake up to emails from the Northern
Hemisphere team. There may be critical
things that have developed overnight. I
find it really helps to clear out my emails
before getting out of bed.
8am: Personal training every day.
8:45am: Read the Australian Financial
Review and eat breakfast out every day
(that’s my me time).
9:45am: Walk to work through our Bondi
flagship store. I often also walk through
David Jones to visit our staff and check
on the visual displays.
10am: Go into the office and continue to
keep my emails under control. With 180
staff and customers all over the world,
this can be a challenge!
Then go out to a city store to check on an
installation for an upcoming promotion.
12pm: Instagram posts (with in-house
photographer/videographer) Andrew
Christopher, Head of Operations (also an
University of Adelaide alumnus).
“The biggest learning curve for me has
been educating myself on how to manage
a global organisation. I basically just
google everything!”
2pm: Meetings all afternoon. I’m actively
involved in every single design and
creative output for TDE.
Refreshingly, despite her global fashion
empire and incredible success, Alyce
maintains her humility. “People say it’s
so nice you’re still friends with your uni
mates or you’re so down to earth. I find
that amusing. My job has changed but
my personality hasn’t.”
6pm: Go home, have dinner with my sister
who I live with. She’s a fashion editor
for Harper’s BAZAAR, so she’s a fashion
consultant for us at TDE. I love bouncing
ideas around with her.
10pm: Wind down and watch Netflix.
Left: Alyce Tran
Photo supplied by Alyce
Alumni Magazine ~ Winter 2018
15
