WYA Rising Star Finalist 'Julie Dahl Joergensen'

Dec 13, 20243 min read

Julie Dahl Joergensen is the founder and CEO of Oceanform, a company she co-founded with William Nicholson. At 21 years old, Julie is driven by her entrepreneurial spirit and passion for sustainability and innovation. Originally from Denmark, she began her entrepreneurial journey at 19, frustrated with the outdated yacht uniform market. Julie left her job on board to create meaningful change and set new standards in yacht uniforms.

With a "can-do" attitude and a strong embrace of her perfectionism, Julie tackles challenges head-on, striving for excellence in all her endeavors. Along with her business partner, William, she is dedicated to redefining crew uniforms for the future of yachting. Julie is fluent in both Danish and English and is currently based in Denmark.

What do you do in Yachting?

In the yachting industry, I run a uniform company called Oceanform, specializing in providing high-quality, custom-designed uniforms for yacht crews.

What was your field of study, and where did you pursue your education?

I attended a Business High School in Denmark and, after graduating, immediately ventured into yachting. During my time in the industry, I noticed a significant gap in the uniform market, which sparked an opportunity I couldn't ignore. I quickly realized there was no time to waste in pursuing this idea.

Beyond formal education, my journey has been largely shaped by hands-on experience and learning by doing.

What was your field of study, and where did you pursue your education?

Beyond formal education, my journey has been largely shaped by hands-on experience and learning by doing.

How did your career in yachting begin?

My career in yachting began when I stumbled upon an Instagram ad for an introductory yachting course. At the time, I had no idea what it entailed, but the idea of traveling while earning money immediately captivated me. What was initially planned as a three-month adventure unexpectedly turned into a two-year journey.

I had always dreamed of running my own company, particularly a clothing brand. Little did I know, this path would unexpectedly bring everything together in ways I hadn’t anticipated.

Can you share a memorable experience or significant achievement in your yachting career?

One of my proudest achievements has been redefining what it means to be a responsible company in our sector. After personally experiencing a need onboard, my business partner and I decided to fully commit ourselves to Oceanform. Over the past two years, we have focused on product development and building strong relationships with our clients. The positive feedback we've received has been incredibly rewarding, especially seeing people recognize and appreciate our products.

Taking a risk by introducing a modern approach to uniforms was uncertain at first, as we weren’t sure how the industry would react. But the response has been overwhelmingly positive, and in less than a year since our launch, I’m proud to say we’ve made a meaningful impact in the industry, demonstrating what a truly modern uniform brand can look and feel like.

What makes this journey even more significant is that everything we’ve accomplished has been driven solely by the two of us — through our knowledge, decisions, and personal funding. I’m incredibly proud of that. We’ve established a strong brand identity, used our experiences to create something better, and are revolutionizing the industry. We're changing perspectives on uniforms while developing a sustainable product that supports a responsible supply chain.

What current projects or goals are you focused on?

I’m currently focused on scaling Oceanform by expanding our product offerings, deepening our sustainability initiatives, and strengthening our market presence.

Our biggest project right now is developing several new designs, including the highly anticipated Off-Charter collection. This will allow us to offer a comprehensive, one-stop uniform solution for our clients.

Together with my business partner, my primary goal is to establish Oceanform as the leading provider of sustainable and innovative yacht uniforms. We aim to be known for our commitment to quality, design, customer satisfaction, and charitable initiatives. As first movers in this space, we’re dedicated to bringing fresh perspectives and solutions to the market.

We refuse to settle for anything less than excellence and are continuously pushing the boundaries of innovation in our field.

While there are still many milestones ahead within the yachting industry, our long-term vision is to extend Oceanform’s reach beyond superyachts and into the broader luxury hospitality sector, including high-end hotels, private jets, resorts, and restaurants.

With the right timing, I see this expansion as a natural evolution for Oceanform.