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TS ‘Artistic EXpPieA-chic trace the hip nesia’s trail to Indo TIC HEDONIS bliss’ HAVEN…
Magali on a morning ‘research mission’
e m o h y l n Our heave BALINESE ZEN DEN
Fashion designer Magali Pascal and her photographer partner fit perfectly into Bali’s melting pot of wanderlust creatives
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The plantationstyle design lends itself to a palette of creamy whites
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RENCH-BORN fashion designer Magali Pascal has just flown back from Tokyo to the Balinese villa she shares with her partner, Australian photographer Matt Neville. Next they’re off to Hong Kong, followed by Sydney… Although the globetrotting couple probably accrue more frequent-flyer points in a year than many would in a lifetime, Magali resolutely calls the Indonesian paradise home. She has an impressive resume: training at the prestigious Paris art school EnsAD and working with Irish designer Sharon Wauchob before launching an exclusive collection for esteemed department store Galeries Lafayette. Magali stopped her “seasonal” visits to Bali a decade ago, relocating permanently to focus on her eponymous brand.
Earlier this year, the bohemian bons vivants completed renovations on their “plantation-style, Caribbean beach house”, which is hidden in a back street cul-de-sac in Bali’s upscale Seminyak district. The breathtaking one-bedroom property is enclosed within a walled courtyard with few doors. Stepping stones lead past a lovingly tendered lawn and palm-shaded aqua swimming pool to a light-filled open-plan living, dining and kitchen area with a soaring pitched roof. “Matt loves white,” laughs Magali, indicating the creamy palette of eggshell and vanilla. It’s the ultimate tropical hideaway with a provincialsurf vibe – Balinese bliss. Low-key luxe all the way, it’s a traditional-modern mix. Retro cinnamon-leather butterfly chairs and industrial lamps are scattered
throughout the pavilion, and a small Hindu flag sways peacefully at the entranceway – remnants of a traditional Balinese house-warming ceremony. Faded apricot Turkish rugs are souvenirs from Byron Bay, while three of Matt’s magnificent photos take pride of place on the walls: a field in Candidasa on Bali’s eastern coast; birds on a stormy day; and the rippling waves of Sydney’s Avalon beach, where his parents live. Timber furniture has been customised from “old Javanese bits and pieces” unearthed at the pair’s favourite antiques warehouse. But the piece de resistance? The zen ensuite where a stone basin and bonsai-clipped tree come second only to the open-air shower. The bustling enclave of Seminyak is so close but it feels planets away while bathing under the naked sky. Bliss.X
ngipani Golden frade onto sca flowers ca ing stones the stepp aded pool h and palm-s
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embellished boleros and beaded harem pants. Feminine but sexy, with hints of lace, studs and cut-outs. “It’s the land of creative people,” says Magali, referencing the area’s melting pot of wanderlust fashion designers, photographers, surfers, DJs and jewellers – many of whom are close friends; artistic expats tracing the hippie-chic trail to this hedonistic haven. On any given day, cafes are filled with adopted sun-kissed locals working from laptops. The Corner Store is “the best brekkie hangout” and conveniently located under Matt’s studio. “Because everyone meets out for meals here, we all know each other,” he says. “It’s a very small island…we’re like a little community.” Pleasure, travel and work coexist in perfect harmony. From birthday celebrations to sunset parties, “after five every evening there’s something on”, says Magali. Race you to the beach. www.magalipascal.com
Channel Magali Pascal’s serene Bali dream house using natural fibres plus a good dash of je ne sais quoi! 3.
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Magali’s e designs arof n a fusio axed Bali’s rel tyle lifes h and Frenc y t i n femini
WORDS: CARLI PHILIPS PHOTOS: MATT NEVILLE
The bedroom shutters open onto a tropical garden
Jazz plays from sculpted wireless Philippe Starck speakers as morning light flickers over the 1930s French steel dining chairs where the twosome have their morning coffee and research blogs for inspiration. If the swell’s up, Matt can’t resist Balangan, “one of the last unspoilt beaches in Bali”. Then it’s off to his nearby photography studio, which has been doubling as a production office for his latest venture – retail stores selling a basics fashion range called From the Label. Next year, the incredibly cool couple hope to join forces for a Japanese-influenced homewares concept shop. By mid-morning Magali is firmly planted in her Denpasar factory, working on ranges for her three Indonesian flagship boutiques and fulfilling international orders. Her stylish aesthetic is a fusion of Bali’s relaxed lifestyle and a certain French je ne sais quoi: boho shirts, silk dresses, glam gypsy blouses,
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er Shower undsky d a nake the and share uite s zen en sai- with a bontree clipped
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8. 1. Coco pendant light, $1500 (www.formfunctionstyle.com.au) 2. Maya Muse cushions, $59 each (www.mayamusetextiles.com.au) 3. Bride&Wolfe circle shelf, $370 (www.brideandwolfe.com.au) 4. Sala Verde ottoman, $562 (www.salaverde.com.au) 5. Eco Chic basket bowls: small, $95 and large, $210 (www.ecochic.com.au) 6. Nina chair, $870 (www.ecochic.com.au) 7. Brown Paper Packages souk basket, $40 (www.brown-paper-packages.com.au) 8. Ikat cushion, $90 (www.ecochic.com.au) 9. Kico coffee table, $499 (www.vastinterior.com.au) 10. Eco Chic vases, $75 each (www.ecochic.com.au) 11. orson & blake lantern, $245 (www.orsonandblake.com.au) 12. Equator Homewares three-seat sofa, $2848 (www.equatorhomewares.com.au)
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