Our next muse is Anika Plowman, founder of Sage Agency and co-host of the Style-ish podcast. Anika is not only a creative entrepreneur but also a thoughtful voice in style and culture, inspiring others with her fresh perspective and authentic approach.

To start, please share a bit about your background and what inspired you to launch your global sales agency, Sage?

I’ve worked in some facet of the retail and fashion industry since I first entered the workforce. One of my earliest roles was at Juliette Hogan, which gave me my first glimpse into the inner workings of a fashion brand. Juliette also supported me in landing my first internship with Showroom 22, which led to a commercial PR role before moving to Melbourne. There’s a natural synergy between PR and sales, which helped me land multiple roles within the Australian fashion industry and helped me find what I was most passionate about.

Sage actually began during Covid-19, when I recognised an opportunity to go beyond sales and support brands end-to-end. Having worked in-house with leading Australian brands and agency side, this gave me a wider scope on brand and sales management and inspired our foundational pillars.

We work closely with our brand partners from inception through to launch, and connecting them with the retailers who could elevate their names even further. Over time, Sage has evolved into a space that naturally supports the brands we believe in, whether emerging labels, evening wear, or accessories. At its core, Sage is an inclusive sales platform that acts as an extension of the teams we partner with.

You moved from Aotearoa to Melbourne 12 years ago. What drew you to this city, and how has it influenced your journey and career? 

I was born in Melbourne and have always felt a strong connection to the city, with my parents having also spent a significant part of their lives here. After graduating from AUT, it felt like the right time to leave the nest, so I made the move to Melbourne, and I’ve never looked back. The opportunities have been endless. I’ve been fortunate to work alongside truly inspiring Australian fashion designers and leading brands, who have not only helped shape the direction of my career but also given me the self-belief to just go for it.

Alongside founding Sage, you also co-host the fashion, brand, beauty and business podcast Style-ish. What do you love the most about this role? 

Style-ish is well outside my comfort zone! It’s taken me a while to find my groove but I’m so grateful for the opportunity to grow, and discover a new-found confidence. Working alongside the Shameless media team, and with Mads and Jo each week, is the ultimate highlight. We’re having the kinds of conversations we’d normally be having in a social setting, and once I realised that, I truly found my rhythm. I feel so thankful for the doors this experience has opened for me.

With such a travel-heavy schedule, how do you maintain a sense of ritual or consistency in your wellness routine? Do you have any non-negotiables?

I’m a creature of habit so love to make time for my daily rituals when on the go. My skin and body care is non-negotiable, but one thing I will never go without is my LED mask. After a long flight, it is such a nice way to heal and hydrate, followed by products like the Elementals skincare range by Skin Moderne for my face, and Tronque Triple Active Body Milk. I alter my routine slightly for a flight, usually using a rose mist hydrating spray, lip mask and Dr Jart Cicapair Serum sheet masks.

How do you define your personal approach to beauty? 

If you’d asked me this five years ago, my answer would have been very different! Now that I’m in my 30s, it’s all about skin-loving ingredients, both in the products I use and through treatments like infrared saunas and LED therapy, supported by a whole foods diet. Over the past few years, I’ve found a new balance, moving away from experimenting with makeup and instead focusing on fresh, hydrated skin. That said, I still love an event that lets me be more playful with makeup, but day-to-day my look is very minimal.

Which Tronque product do you find yourself using most often, and what makes it a standout in your routine? 

I haven’t stopped using Triple Active Body Milk since it launched. Part of my morning ritual is dry brushing before a shower, and lathering the body milk on my skin afterwards. I then apply the Scar Treatment on particular areas that need extra repair.

After a long work trip, I like to use the Firming Body Butter for a week to really intensely hydrate the skin. And when I have the time, the Body Gua Sha is such a nice self care ritual to finish the day with. 

Quickfire questions: 

Favourite self-care indulgence when you need a reset? 

Easy - Infrared saunas. A go-to for my husband and I on the weekends, we love that it’s both a moment to do something for yourself, but also reconnect with each other, no phones present, just ourselves. 

Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? 

Surround yourself with great advisors

One book or podcast you’re loving right now? 

Fashion People with Lauren Sherman

If you could teleport anywhere for a weekend, where would you go?

Puglia

Last song you had on repeat?

Olivia Dean, Man I Need