You know that giddiness you get when two beloved creatives (designers/musicians/artists/brands) get together and make something new and beautiful together? I’m thinking Liberty and Hello Kitty (genius AND unexpected). Tatty Devine and Rob Ryan (East London quirky AND romantic). Marni and H&M (dear GOD I’m going to have to camp overnight, aren’t I?).
A littler closer to home, Sydney designer Rachel Castle has collaborated with Melbourne-based fashion label Gorman for a limited-edition summer collection of fashion and homewares. I first admired Castle from afar when I was living in London and coveted the sunny range of polka-dot bed linen. As soon as I was back in Sydney I bought four yellow polka-dot pillowslips for our new home.
But I go a little further back with Gorman, and first started wearing the fledgling label around 12 years ago when I was living in Melbourne. I admired the subtle retro sensibility, quality fabrics and new seasonal prints. Since then, the brand has grown and now has boutiques dotted around Australia.
Their collaborative summer collection is fresh, frisky and very Australian (there is a touch of ’80s Ken Done in the colour palette), with a kind of shouty simplicity. Castle’s distinctive hand-drawn lettering, punctuated with pops of neon, features throughout the mostly organic cotton range of simple skirts, shirts, t-shirts, bags, towels and pillowcases. I love the ‘Put the love in the coconut’ beach towel, AU$79, which would make a rather brilliant Christmas present.
The homewares and limited edition embroidered artworks are currently available from Castle’s online shop, and the fashion collection is available from Gorman stores Australia wide.
Montreal-based artist and designer Marc Simard used recycled, off-cut and scrap materials such as leather, wood and fabric to make beautifully designed bags, wallets, satchels and iPhone cases. His bird bags, in particular, demonstrate a wonderful graphic simplicity while paying careful attention to detail.
Take, for instance, the leather sparrow bag (bottom row, US$195), which uses ten different leathers to create a depth of colour and sense of texture in the bird’s wings. The strap is removable so it can be used as a very sweet little clutch. Although I do quite like the look of a wee bird strapped across your body.
Mid-century artist Charley Harper’s minimalist birds were the inspiration behind Simard’s red-winged blackbird bag (top row, US$130), which can also be detached and used as a clutch.
Both bags are available on Simard’s Etsy shop, Broundoor.
It’s no secret that I have a soft spot for a good old print, so I’ve been rejoicing in the print-and-pattern fest that dominated the Spring/Summer 2012 collections. A veritable menagerie emerged this season, with all manner of animals crawling, fluttering and leaping across hems at the likes of Peter Jensen, House of Holland and Mulberry.
But birds were the creature of choice at Kenzo, Carolina Herrera and Marc by Marc Jacobs, and what a dynamic display of colour they made, too. Looks like our feathered friends are here to stay in our wardrobes – for a while, anyway.
{From top to bottom, Carolina Herrera, Marc by Marc Jacobs and Kenzo, via Style.com}
1. PAM for Covers for a Cause iPhone cover, AU$39, from Incu (ships internationally).
2. Lazy Oaf Spaced Out T Shirt, £25, from Lazy Oaf (ships internationally).
3. Tatty Devine future Mystic Cluster Bracelet, £33, from Tatty Devine (ships internationally).
4. Lazy Oaf In the Mix Blue Rucksack, £35, from Lazy Oaf (ships internationally).
5. Urbanears Plattan headphones in turquoise, 60EUR, from Urbanears (ships internationally).
6. Archie Grand Celebrities I Met and Liked notebook, AU$19.95, from NoteMaker (ships to selected international countries).
7. Lazy Oaf Pink Rosy Bear Girl's Sweatshirt, £40, from Lazy Oaf (ships internationally).
8. Marc by Marc Jacobs jumble-embossed neoprene laptop case, £45, from Net-a-porter (ships internationally).
9. Diana multi–pinhole operator camera, £46, from Selfridges.
10. Apple Notes, AU$9.95, from Raw Space (contact Raw Space for international deliveries. UK readers can purchase Apple Notes from the V&A for £4.50.
11. Painted Beauty Glide On Nail Colour Holiday 2010 Collection, AU$22 each, by Mecca Cosmetica.
Phew. I'm a bit puffed. We moved into our new place last weekend and I've been trying to conquer the seemingly expanding mountain of boxes (I think they're breeding) while dealing with a 27-week baby bump and an ever-growing list of utterly mad pregnancy maladies.
But I was so delighted to take a break on the weekend and finally delve into some Australian independent design, in the form of the brilliant Finders Keepers market at Eveleigh's CarriageWorks.
It was my first visit to CarriageWorks and my first real foray into Australian independent design since returning from London. And after covering so many design markets in London (including Bust) and seeing the best of UK talent, I wasn't really sure what to expect. After all, when I left Sydney in February 2007, there wasn't an awful lot happening with local design and craft, but the scene has really taken off since then.
And joy, oh joy, Finders Keepers was an absolute treat! I was not only impressed by the high standard of work but also the diverse and beautifully collated line-up of 75 exhibitors, spanning furniture, fashion, ceramics, textiles, jewellery and stationery. The carefully considered mix of designers offered a new surprise at every turn (my head was just about spinning), neatly avoiding the trap of 'samey-ness' that can sometimes plague design markets.
CarriageWorks itself is a wonderfully cavernous and light-filled industrial location to hold a busy Christmas design market on a humid Sydney weekend, complete with an excellent bar and cafe.
Here are some of my Finders Keepers highlights, with more posts to come over the week. Overseas readers can also purchase some great Australian design by clicking on the websites, which link through to contact details, blogs and online stores.
Super-sweet rabbit characters adorn The Storybook Rabbit's collection of vintage plates.
Loved the 'Noice' biscuit tea-towel at Materialistic's stall.
Sophisticated simplicity from Mr & Mrs White's range of homewares and furniture.
Charming handprinted stationery at Write to Me features adorable vintage motifs.
Cory Child's beautifully pleated fabric necklaces.
Loving Bride and Wolfe's Scandi-inspired circle wall shelves – perfect for collectables and displaying children's figurines.
Vintage fabric and a whimsical timber panel illustration combine to make a gorgeous and unique handbag at Oktoberdee.
The Missing Piece's handcrafted stools feature beautiful organic design and unexpected pops of colour.
The most splendid pre-loved vintage books have been repurposed as journals, photo albums, diaries and sketchbooks at Rebound Books.
'Scratchie' cards, advent calendars and beautiful graphics at TMOD.
Adorable handcrafted creatures (think pugs, owls and foxes) and whimsical embroidery at Cat Rabbit. (Nice website, too.)
Lox+Savvy's brilliant installation of a paper metropolis and eye-popping collection of stationery.
Finders Keepers markets are bi-annual events in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Visit their website (and check out their brilliant blog) for more information about the next event.
For more photos, click here for my Flickr set.
I'm on a roll compiling all my new wee finds into Christmas gift guides. Such fun! Here's one for the girls, starting at £6.75.
1. PPQ Letters SteamCream, £9.95, from Liberty (ships internationally).
2. 3.1 Phillip Lim printed silk-satin bralette, £99, and printed silk-satin shorts, £99, from Net-a-Porter (this links to the UK store, so be sure to select your own country before purchasing).
3. Philosophy limited edition Apricots and Cream shower gel, AU$38, from Mecca Cosmetica (ships to Australia and New Zealand).
4. Comfort and Joy by India Knight, £6.75, from Wee Birdy’s UK Amazon store (ships internationally).
5. Melly Rose gold small face Liberty knot watch, £55, from Liberty (ships internationally).
6. Kimono fabric mirrors, £9.95 each, from Muji.
7. ‘Use my beehive’ tea towel, £11, by Donna Wilson (ships internationally).
8. Vivienne Westwood Chick & Gem Stone Egg brooch, £115, from Vivienne Westwood (ships internationally).
9. L'Artisan Parfumeur Nuit de Tubereuse EDP 100ml, £78, from Space NK.
10. Shall we Dance? by Maggie Alderson, AU$32.95, from Borders (free delivery within Australia). For international shipping, purchase from Readings.
11. Women’s necklace, £29, from Cos (instore only).
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