Deborah Schürmann

Deborah helps fashion brands grow with her assured combination of corporate communications and retail sales. In 1992, while studying a Bachelor of Communications at QUT, she landed a retail gig at brand-of-the-moment, Esprit, which helped fine-tune Deborah’s ability to empower women with fashion.

Deborah says, “I was drawn to Esprit in its original form — high-quality, colourful basics with a European edge, ahead of its time in promoting sustainable fashion, and diversity in its marketing.”

Fast forward to 1996, and Deborah’s career saw her traversing the globe with corporate communication roles in investment and energy. But the allure of fashion never lost its lustre, and Deborah began to form a vision of her own fashion business.

From beginnings in fashion event management, The Butterfly Agency was born. Deborah and her team have steadily developed it into the premium agency it is today — with long-term fashion clients, thought-leading industry advice, and a refined mix of brands.

From new-season staples to unique statement accessories, Deborah’s brand curation brings vibrancy and timelessness to thriving retailers in Queensland, Northern New South Wales and Northern Territory. “The key to our success is building a strong rapport with retailers and brands.”

When Deborah isn’t liaising with brands or hosting buyers, she loves spending time with her husband and two grown-up sons going to rock concerts, or getting close to nature on hikes through extraordinary parts of Australia.