Fashion brought out my direct and unapologetically opinionated nature from a young age. Perhaps it was this love, and the desire to look and feel good, that drew me to the opportunity to work as Executive Assistant to the late Carla Zampatti AC.
Unbeknown to me at the time, Carla was a migrant who deeply understood the struggles and silent barriers faced by those who looked, sounded or simply were culturally different from the norm.
Working closely alongside Carla wasn’t just a lesson in style and business. It was a masterclass in resilience, innovation and hope.
Hearing Carla’s story — moving to Australia at eight years old, relocating from Western Australia to Sydney as a young adult to pursue her dream in fashion, and starting her business as a young, single mother at a time when women weren’t able to be independently approved for bank loans — was deeply formative.
Carla’s resilience and fierce determination to break through visible barriers, while championing young women from all walks of life, taught me that what makes you different can ultimately become your greatest strength.
Her legacy has profoundly influenced my own journey as a founder in the beauty industry. Creating By Yuliya Fragrances was my way of building a brand that embraces individuality while giving people that burst of confidence they need when walking into a room. I wanted to craft a fragrance that feels both aspirational and accessible.
Young women have been driving a similar legacy, challenging the status quo in the beauty and fashion industries, and creating small businesses with missions grounded in inclusivity and empowerment.
But there is still work to be done.
Today, representation often feels surface level. A diverse face on a billboard. A token model on a runway. True diversity is about decision-making power. It’s about who is in the room when brands are being built, and who gets heard.
Young, diverse women in Australia still face systemic barriers to equitable representation and economic participation, creating a reality where:
- Australian female-founded businesses are less likely to receive start-up funding without a male co-founder
- The gender pay gap, while narrowing, continues to persist, often without meaningful consideration of the realities faced by marginalised groups
- Gender equity initiatives frequently fail to recognise or validate the experiences and leadership styles of culturally and racially marginalised women
That’s one of the reasons I’m so passionate about programs like the Australian Multicultural Foundation Carla Zampatti Scholarship for Young Women. It is an award I’ve recently had the honour of receiving to grow my business and help shape a more diverse Australian beauty industry.
A true full circle moment.
The Scholarship is unique because it’s not just about financial support. It’s about meaningful, long-overdue investment in pathways for young women, whatever their aspirations. It sends a powerful message: You belong here. Your needs are important. Your contributions matter.
Looking ahead, real change will only come when diverse representation is no longer treated as a trend or a box ticking exercise, but as a vital investment in our future across business and communities alike.
It will come when young women from migrant, refugee and underrepresented backgrounds aren’t just given a voice, but have seats at the table, leading the conversations that shape the future. Not only in the industry I hope to lead, but in every industry, from the top down.
Yuliya Lozovyk is the Founder of By Yuliya Fragrances and the winner of the third Australian Multicultural Foundation Carla Zampatti Scholarship for Young Women. You can read more about Yuliya and the Scholarship program here.
