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How Ulla Johnson Played Fashion’s Long Game

After 25 years in business, Ulla Johnson has reached nine figures in annual sales by charting her own course, from resisting outside fundraising to embracing what she calls “slow fashion.” With a new CEO at the helm, she’s once again looking to enter the next stage of growth her own way.
Ulla Johnson launched her business in 1998
Ulla Johnson launched her business in 1998. (Weston Wells/Courtesy Ulla Johnson)
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BoF PROFESSIONAL

In New York, a city synonymous with the colour black, Ulla Johnson’s bold and bright designs stand out. During last year’s quiet luxury moment, her clothes remained covered in patterns sourced by artisans from India and Kenya. Rather than the sleek, even severe, aesthetic New York brands are known for, the brand embraces a softer, unabashedly feminine style, filled with floral prints, full skirts, ruffles and lace.

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Diana Pearl
Diana Pearl

Diana Pearl is Senior News and Features Editor at The Business of Fashion. She is based in New York and drives BoF’s marketing and media coverage.

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