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The Wolf Gang’s Vanessa Pearce on Style, Success and Staying Close To Home
From an Adelaide studio to shelves around the world, Vanessa Pearce shares what’s shaped her journey.
Some people have a knack for making the things they love look effortless. Vanessa Pearce is one of them. As the founder and creative force behind The Wolf Gang, she has turned an eye for texture, travel and laid-back style into an Adelaide-born label now recognised well beyond our shores.
This week, Sitchu revealed Pearce as the third face of ADL Fashion Week’s 2026 campaign, The Threads Between Us, a celebration of the people and creative threads shaping Adelaide’s fashion point of view.
We stole a few moments of her time to talk the campaign, The Wolf Gang, and the Adelaide favourites that make a day in the city her own.
What is The Wolf Gang origin story?
It started as an idea: designing the things I couldn’t find anywhere else. Unique treasures inspired by the cities and cultures I’d travelled to, and pieces I wished I could find in stores back home. We began with accessories and artisan-made crochet, and that’s still the heart of what we do, even as the brand has grown into a full lifestyle label.
The Wolf Gang is now stocked globally, from Revolve to Myer. With the world as your market, what’s kept you designing from Adelaide?
Adelaide gives me a slower, easier pace of life. No long commutes, none of the rush that comes with big-city living. That space is what lets me be creative. I get to raise my kids here, send them to local schools, walk to work, and stay close to the things that matter, without the business and distractions a bigger city would bring.
The Threads Between Us campaign is about the people, places and connections that shape Adelaide’s fashion culture. Who are the people here who’ve shaped your journey along the way?
Fellow creatives across fashion, food, music, wine, design and architecture. I’m always drawn to people with stories of local and global success, and to hearing about the journey it took to get there, the highs and the lows included.
Your portrait for the campaign was shot in a location synonymous with Adelaide and styled by Chris Kontos using a mix of archival and contemporary pieces. What was it like being on the other side of the styling process for once?
Being in front of the camera is well outside my comfort zone, but Chris and the team made me feel completely at ease. I love watching someone else style pieces from my own collection and put their own spin on them. It pushes me to see the products differently, and gives them a whole new life.
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The Abrigo Coat and the Luvia Beaded Mini Dress are all over our For You page right now. Take us through these pieces, what inspired them and why you think they’ve struck such a chord?
In a world of neutrals and basics, it’s the pieces that stand out that get remembered. We always come back to the same question: what makes this piece unique, what makes it stand apart from everything else? That question has become core to how we design. Nothing we make is simple or basic – every piece has to earn its place and demand attention. That’s what the brand is built on, and I think it’s why we’re still here ten years on.
Make a style prediction: what are we going to be wearing a year from now?
My prediction is the capri. It started as a trend, but it’s really cemented itself in everyday European dressing, and I think within twelve months, most of us will be wearing some version of it.
When you need a last-minute outfit, where are you shopping in Adelaide?
Straight to Myer in the city, Rundle Street or one of the incredible vintage stores dotted around Adelaide.
What’s your go-to cafe when you need a caffeine fix during a big work day?
Always Homeland Cafe in Kent Town. It’s right near our office and arguably the best coffee in Adelaide.
What’s a hidden dining gem in Adelaide that deserves a little more attention?
My all-time favourite restaurant in Adelaide is Sofia. The vibe, the staff, the food, the cocktails, all of it is 10/10.
When you’ve got a free day in Adelaide, how are you spending it?
Usually with the kids, walking around Morialta or along the Parade. A day trip through the hills, an early dinner at a local pub — that’s a perfect day.
Loved reading about Adelaide through Vanessa’s eyes? Uncover more local gems with our guides to the best coffee shops in Adelaide and the best free things to do in the city.
