Holly is the key marketing strategist and creative lead across the Lucas Restaurants portfolio of over 10 restaurant destinations, including 80 Collins favourites Society Restaurant and Yakimono.
Lucas has been fundamental in solidifying the foundation of some of Australia’s most exciting venues, aligning the brands to creative and strategic partnerships and concepts. Holly’s work has inspired the next generation of designers and creative marketers to push the boundaries of the restaurant experience through art, immersive events and experiences.
In celebration of International Women’s Day we spoke to Holly to talk about what has been the driving force and inspiration behind her own career.
What is the most important piece of advice you have been given?
Advice that has stuck with me over the years and what I have learnt from working in an entrepreneurial business is that there is no defined method or formula to follow for success. When pushing boundaries in unchartered territories you need to take risks and take everything as an opportunity to learn. Another piece of advice that has stuck with me is how crucial being yourself and backing yourself is, and having the confidence to take an idea from conception to execution.
What is an important message you want to send to young women looking to step into creative leadership roles?
When starting your career or moving into leadership roles, always work with a business or a brand that aligns to your style of creativity and to your own values. Creatively you want to work within a business or team that you can contribute to and be part of a project that you are personally aligned to in order to find fulfillment.
If you could invite three women that inspire you the most to dinner at Society, dead or alive, who would they be and why?
One thing that the women who inspire me the most have in common is that they are more than just fashion or design or music, they are multi-faceted and look at their crafts from all angles. Three women that inspire me, and I would love to host at Society are Isamaya Ffrench, Rihanna and Patricia Urquiola. Isamaya Ffrench is a British make-up artist, creative director and creator of wearable art who pushes boundaries and challenges beauty norms. She is currently the global beauty director for Burberry and has worked with some of the world’s biggest brands, musicians and creatives. I am inspired by the way she continues to evolve her craft and produce ground-breaking work.
Rihanna, obviously. She has broken the mould of what traditional lingerie is, burying Victoria’s Secret in the process. Rihanna has helped build on and support a platform for diversity and style, and on top of the fact she is an incredible musician, she has evolved what traditional music and fashion is. From the production, music, lighting and design - everything Rihanna touches is well considered as highlighted through her brand Fenty.
Lastly, Patricia Urquiola. Patricia is one of the world’s most sought after and influential figures in architecture and design. Similar to Isamaya and Rihanna, Patricia continues to rethink and reinvent her craft where she stands out for her original designs and is recognised as Designer of the Year by many international magazines. I am inspired by her ability to challenge traditional design and touch on many disciplines including architecture, furniture, product, art direction and more.
What is the inspiration for Society and Yakimono at 80 Collins? What’s next?
With Society and Yakimono at 80 Collins, both restaurants invite our guests on a journey beyond the norm. We never do things traditionally. Our team continues to evolve the menu and beverage offering to keep the flavours ever changing, as well as aligning to strategic partnerships and curating experiences beyond what’s expected, such as Society being the official Melbourne Art Fair afterparty venue.
At Society, we encourage guests to curate their own experience across the Society Dining Room, Lillian or the Lounge Bar with an a la carté offering. It is a bit of a choose your own adventure, but classy, always. As for Yakimono, it’s all about the energy. You can arrive at any time, and enjoy a modern take on a Japanese-style grill menu. The space really represents our love for Japanese cuisine with a heavy focus on cooking over charcoal.
As for what’s next, you’ll have to keep an eye on our social media channels to find out.
Enjoy Yakimono and Society, with bookings available.
Society: https://societyrestaurant.com/
Yakimono: https://yakimono.com.au/