Think '80s power dressing' because this is what she is - a driven, young business woman.

At 23 years old Catherine runs swimwear label 'Cantik Swimwear'. Her designs are recognisable around the world and in 2016 Cantik was published in the international magazine, Sports Illustrated.

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Running a swimwear line wasn't always on the agenda for Catherine.

Following high school at St Clare's in Taree, Catherine studied a Bachelor of Arts at University of Newcastle. In her second year she moved to Sydney to major in environmental humanities and development at the University of New South Wales.

"I suppose I wanted both a creative outlet and a new way to challenge myself, so the idea for 'Cantik Swimwear' was dreamt up in a lecture theatre in my final year of uni in 2013," Catherine said.

"I worked two jobs, studied full time and built the foundations for my company so when I finished uni I was able to focus wholly on Cantik."

This focus has resulted in a growing collection of stockists in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, United Kingdom, Indonesia and Central America. Online Cantik draws customers from over 50 countries.

Last year Catherine met with wholesale buyers in New York and this month, June, she will attend meetings in Los Angeles - taking steps towards her goal for Cantik's growth in the US.

Catherine's designs are brought together by her desire "to look to the past and render it new".

Inspirations, to Catherine, include Helmut Newton and Slim Aarons, photographers who captured bold women in luxurious settings. Her love of interior design and architecture has framed Cantik's dedication to bold shapes, construction and colour. Travel, with a home-grown influence, is also present on each style's names including the Tuscan one-piece, the Ubud bottoms and, as featured in Sports Illustrated, the Byron one-piece.

"Sports Illustrated is synonymous with the 80s, edginess, sex appeal and their past issues have been where I have found inspiration for my designs. It's exciting to see Cantik Swimwear alongside many world class labels and being worn by a top model in one of the biggest global magazines."

The Byron one-piece is one of Cantik's most recognisable and popular styles.

"One pieces are demure and very flattering, the 80s fit was really welcomed by young girls and welcomed back by many too."

The Byron's description is said to be for the woman "who feels she was born after her time."

"Think Hot Tuna, Elle Macpherson and Cindy Crawford - everything 80s."

Catherine's influence from former Taree brand Hot Tuna ties to her childhood growing up in the coastal community of Old Bar. Catherine was a member of Saltwater Boardriders and her favourite memories are tied to the water - from surfing at Old Bar's Second Corner to bonfires on the beach.

"Also, let's be honest, I have really fond memories of Old Bar Bakery."

Catherine is now at home on the shores of Sydney's northern beaches, the location of Cantik HQ. Here she has landed her dream office overlooking the beach. This view was swapped in May for Bali, where she had production meetings for Cantik's fourth collection, which will be released later this year. In her down-time Catherine takes her office pool-side.

There are no business suits here, rather Catherine opts for a bikini and a Cantik print kimono.

It's the power dressing of the future.

“Make sure you absolutely love what you do and be prepared to work while your friends play. You must have the self-discipline to say no to certain things and if you get a business loan, be prepared to make sacrifices in order to pay it back quickly and get yourself ahead. Your hard work will pay off in the end.”

“While I think a business degree would be a beneficial starting platform, I haven’t had any formal education in that field and feel that learning as I go is invaluable. Recently I have been reading up a lot on company start-ups and leading entrepreneurs, there’s lot of literature available out there.”

“My biggest challenge in business would be that I have struggled with the art of delegation, which is a necessity for an expanding company. I am slowly learning to let other people help and loosening the reins on what I control. Another major challenge has been in manufacturing, it can be hard finding good suppliers who can work to a tight production schedule.”