Fashion Founder: Why Building A Business Will Break You Before It Makes You Stronger - Dona Ida

Thriving Minds with Alberto Zandi · Jun 11, 2026 · 1h 38m

She cried every single day in the school playground.

Now her jeans are worn by celebrities and royalty, including Kate Middleton.

This week Alberto sat down with Donna Ida Thornton, founder of Donna Ida, known in the fashion industry as the Jean Queen, and one of the most distinctive voices in British fashion, to unpack what it really takes to build a brand that lasts for 20 years.

Donna shares how she grew up in Australia, struggled deeply with school, left at 16, worked multiple jobs, saved everything she could, and eventually moved to London to build a life that felt like her own.

But her…