Embarking on a journey to redefine narratives and amplifying underrepresented voices, Female Narratives (FN) stands as a testament to seven years of commitment and creativity.

Co-founded by Tijana Tamburic and Franzi Klein, FN has evolved into a powerful force in the creative industry, shaping stories for brands with a focus on authenticity and collaboration.

In an exclusive interview, Tijana and Franzi delve into the origins of FN, their impactful projects, and the women who inspire them. As they navigate the realm of storytelling, FN continues to carve out spaces for women (and this would soon expand to include all underrepresented creatives) to bloom creatively, leaving an indelible mark on the industry.

I'm hopefully correct in thinking that Female Narratives has been a 6-year project which is super impressive. How did Female Narratives first originate? Was it a business that you both consciously set out to make or something that came to you and has developed over time?

T: It has actually been 7 years! We incorporated it in October 2016. But we didn’t really get things moving until around Feb/March of 2017 so we celebrate our anniversary on International Women’s Day. Which we think is quite fitting. I had been thinking about the idea of collective storytelling for brands since 2014, but it was quite broad and not well formed. I just knew, having been a model for 10 years, that I wanted to do something bigger than myself - and for that, I needed a co-founder.

F: We met on a flight to Ibiza in the summer of 2016 and things moved quickly as we saw how our goals aligned - I had the idea of a creative collective for multifaceted people like us for a while - and there was suddenly Tijana talking about something similar and being a born storyteller herself! We sat back to back on my kitchen floor in Soho and realised all the people we wanted to tell stories with were women. So we called a spade a spade and said it was two women setting up a creative agency with other freelance women. The conscious thought was that we wanted to create a space on set that was totally different from some of the experiences we had as models. We wanted a safe, collaborative space for women to bloom creatively. So perhaps we both had ideas and the full concept came once we started to work together. Since founding, our mission and message haven’t deviated.

Photo credit: ***Stephanie Sian Smith***

You've worked with some incredible brands over the years (Merrell, Daye, Bumble, The Stack World, to name just a few), which brand has been your highlight to work with so far and why?

F: We’re in the incredibly fortunate position of having been able to pick and choose the projects we wanted to work on over the years, instead of having to say yes to everything. So we have been enjoying parts of every project. Having said this, Merrell holds a special place in our FN hearts. Over the last 2 years, we created Merrell Hiking Club, a European-wide, all-female, and non-binary hiking club. We got to work with hundreds of very special creatives around the globe on this project and got thousands of people out into nature.

It’s also been the project with the biggest variety of elements we have ever managed: we run digital and IRL communities, hosted 60 events just this year, created a series of MHC merch, shot campaigns, managed PR… the list goes on. It’s been a great journey of challenging and growing our skill sets and flowing within our favorite spaces - building community and the outdoors.

What three things do you always ask potential clients before starting on a creative journey with them?

T:

What is your why and how have you been telling that story?
Are you a B-corp or what are you doing on sustainability?
How are you changing the future for the better?

Which women inspire you both?

T: The list is endless and ranges from the very real Bozoma Saint John to the entirely fictional Mulan.

F: I’m going to say something really obvious - my mum and my grandmother. Both had to face unusual challenges relatively earlier on and became incredibly strong forces for those around them.

I loved your recent 2023 trend report, and noticed a lot of mention of Facebook Groups - I know these are quite powerful community environments but have you both seen success for FN as well as your clients in these digital spaces?

T: We have always been clear that we care about the story and the best way to get it to your audience, rather than focusing on the medium and trying to retrofit your story to fit the medium. We aren’t a TikTok or Facebook agency, we are a story agency. So for Merrell, we did the research and found their most active audience for their demographic was on Facebook. FB groups also provided the right kind of tools we needed for community engagement, a rewards programme, and event planning. This was the right fit for them alongside other platforms (Eventbrite, Instagram, newsletters).

For our community, we find that WhatsApp groups, Google Groups, Instagram, and newsletters work best. Digital spaces are key, even in creating in-person events, and we use the tools that work best for the given project.

I have to add this one in, what's your fave FN piece of merch?!

F: We created every piece with so much thought, care, and love so this is a tough one! If I have to pick one, it’ll be our ‘Summon Your Powers’ long sleeves which we created with Anabell Hawkins and Billy Baxter because it was more than just our logo - a collaborative project between a poem and a designer from New Zealand and us across the globe here in London.

T: Mine would be the ‘Ok, so you’re a rocket scientist’ cap - in homage to the iconic Shania Twain.

What are your 3 absolute go-to things you cannot live without?

T: A head balm I keep in my bag. A great way to quickly have a moment of calm and also a gift I can give to others. Headphones (I have the old cord ones!) as I love to listen to podcasts but find I best absorb them when I’m walking. Emergency chocolate!

F: My journal, noise-canceling headphones (especially for working when in transit, and general for sanity in big city life!) and I know that a phone is too much of an obvious answer, so I’ll make it more specific: Facetime. A lot of my loved ones don’t live in the same country as I do and I often work remotely so I’m very grateful for video calls.

What have you ladies got planned for 2024? Anything big we need to know about?

T: We are excited to continue building and growing Merrell Hiking Club into its third year! We are in the process of confirming a new venue partner for our FN flagship panel series (open to all!) and some amazing B-corp, mission-driven brands in conversation about campaigns.

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Emily King is a writer and founder of the online female-led magazine The C Word Mag. Her online magazine celebrates women and female expression in all forms by publishing content from women of all ages and backgrounds to help elevate female voices. After spending over 8 years in media & marketing, she’s taking the plunge and going freelance. Follow The C Word on Instagram and if you’re looking for a marketing or paid media consultant, check her out on Instagram or drop her an email.