Introducing Homebodii

Interview with HOMEBODII

OWNER & FOUNDER INGRID BONNER How would you best describe the Homebodii brand?

Homebodii is our celebration of what inspires us, our values, and what we love. Our intention is to create a living story through our designs that are the perfect blend of paying homage to classic sleepwear elegance and modern daywear innovation.

I founded Homebodii in 2012, and I am proud and grateful that it has evolved to become recognised for our attention to the small touches and personalisation. We make quality sleep and loungewear garments using a combination of creative intuition and a commitment to our core design values.

Our offerings are meticulous in detail, from design inception to the customer experience at every touchpoint. We love nothing more than the opportunity to provide a peaceful escape in our customer's lives. Our purpose is to serve our community with products that transcend 'just throwing anything on' and becomes a tradition that they look forward to.

You live in the Gold Coast Hinterland, what is it about this lifestyle that you love most?

The Gold Coast Hinterland has so much to offer and has been my home for over 16 years now. We live on a family property that my husband grew up on. We decided early in our marriage we wanted to create a space where our children can run free and grow up amongst the trees and nature.

Have you always loved the country?

You can't underestimate a walk in the country and I feel that we get caught up and forget to spend time outside to appreciate nature and its benefits truly. I can get easily consumed by the fast pace of life and easily am distracted by competing screens and phones. Living on the land amongst the grass and trees gives me balance and a welcome reprieve from a busy or stressful day.

Being a start-up business from scratch, while raising two children, certainly, has its challenges, how do you take time out for yourself?

I have always loved being in nature, but my introvert default mode is to curl up on the couch. When I'm outside, I notice how good I feel. When immersed in nature, I think much clearer and become more creative.

Being at home with my family on the property serves as a welcome sanctuary from the seemingly endless demands of running your own business and makes me not only feel better but gives me something to look forward to coming home to each day. In essence, I am a true Homebody!

Your family and husband also enjoy outdoor activities, what types of activities do you all get up to?

As a family, we love the outdoors. My husband and son like to spend their days on the water. My husband is a keen fisherman, and my son a wakeboarder. On the other hand, my daughter has become increasingly interested in horses and showjumping over the last few years. This passion is reflected in our new Horse print PJs inspired by our Welsh Cob "Mojo." Living on the land and owning animals has taught us many valuable life lessons and forged a genuine connection to nature. The responsibility of looking after a property entailing horses, chickens, and dogs is humbling and a lot of consistent hands-on soul rewarding work. You truly reap what you sow. A little blood, sweat, and tears is a good lesson because it shows you that you're truly alive and a part of something bigger than yourself.

How does this linen range connect with the Australian country?

Within Homebodii, sustainable fabrications combined with soft textures are a must for any of our sleepwear styles. We combine this with one-off hand-drawn beautiful prints that are exclusive to Homebodii.

Within the Australiana collection, we commission renowned Australian illustrator Alexandria Nea to paint a collection of iconic Australian flowers and Animals paying homage to our heritage and land. The fabric is buttery soft and breathable, designed for our Australian climate and to be worn beyond the bedroom.

What is in store for you and your family for 2021?

Homebodii has some exciting new plans in the works. We just launched our new website, which has a much more extensive range of gifting options perfect for Christmas. In addition to the new function of live preview so customers can see their monogram on their pajamas before they receive them. Within Homebodii, we have such a beautiful team of women and, with the support of the incredible team, have plans to open another boutique. How has COVID changed your views on work-life balance or travel?

Covid has most definitely changed the way we conduct our business. The combination of increased use of video conferencing and travel restrictions has meant annual showings in New York, and LA can now occur online. As for supporting local, we have several gift hampers that we sell both in our store at Pacific Fair and online. They include only locally sourced produce and products. I am loving seeing more people explore our beautiful Scenic Rim and all she has to offer.

Your business supports a number of charitable causes, tell us more about this?

We have been partnering with a local women's refuge and the Pajama Foundation for some time. Two local charities where we can see the immediate impact our support has given. I think it's important to re-invest in your local communities and have a more hands-on approach.

Homebodii can be found online at www.homebodii.com, and there store at Pacific Fair. Homebodii has offered SR readers a 10% discount code. Simply enter SENICRIM10 at the checkout.

LEFT: AUSTRALIAN ROMANTIC LONG SLEEVE WITH SHORT MIDDLE: LINEN LONG SLEEVE WITH SHORT IN EGGSHELL BLUE THIS PAGE: RIVIERA PYJAMA SET IN OATMEAL. PHOTOGRAPHY CARIN GARLAND