OUR FEATURES MAISON BALZAC OBUS SARAH KELK STYLEPHILES
RADICAL YES BEE ONE THIRD GREENHOUSE INTERIORS LANGDON LTD
THE LIFE STYLE EDIT YOUR CURATION OF LIFE & STYLE
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RADICALYES
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RADICAL YES
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MAISON BALZAC
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GREENHOUSE INTERIORS
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OBUS
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BEE ONE THIRD
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SARAH KELK
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LANGDON LTD
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THE STYLEPHILES
and our team. EDITOR Heidi Albertiri editor@thelifestyleedit.com.au
ART DIRECTOR Emma Cheg. emma@thelifestyleedit.com.au
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All imagery supplied by Interviewees. Direct credit given where supplied. COVER PHOTO: SUPPLIED BY RADICAL YES
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JUNIOR CONTENT WRITERS Rhiannon Lewin Miray Bakaroglu
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EDITORSLETTER
heidi albertiri With Australia under scrutiny for the political misfortunes of our questionable leaders it is nice to know that the creative community in which we live and breathe is well and truly strong, growing and firm in its direction. THESEPTEMBERISSUE
Australia is home to some of the most extraordinary, creative, inspiring, passionate people I know and to be surrounded by that on a daily basis you sometimes take it for granted. It’s when I take a moment to reconnect to the stories that I am in awe of our peers and the beauty that they are creating on a daily basis. Gone are the days that having a “creative “ career is frowned upon, creative business is now a treasured commodity and it is thriving. For a touch of inspiration and insight into what makes creative businesses tick then read on. The following pages are testament to the reality that we are strong. It’s not always an easy journey, creating constantly and holding yourself accountable to yourself, but as you will see in the stories below the commitment is unwavering. As always when I re read our interviews I well up with a tear, feel honoured to have been given an inside glimpse into such personal journeys and blessed to be able to share with you some of these amazing beings doing their thing. Read on my friends, you are in for a treat. Hx
TLSE Founder and Editor.
A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
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RADICALYES
radical yes Radical Yes make practical footwear for modern women. Radical Yes work towards creating a brand and product that is conscious and considered of everything we do throughout all their processes. They believe and follow the mantra of conscious product, conscious manufacturing and conscious retail. VISIT www.radicalyes.com.au @radicalyes
[T] Your shoes are created to ‘liberate and empower women’. That’s quite a huge weight on shoes. How do you go about doing that? [R] At Radical Yes we believe to do your best work, you need to be coming at the world from a place of feeling grounded, centred and in control. We believe our flat shoes help do this by allowing you the freedom to move gracefully through modern life. We also believe we make shoes for women who dress for themselves - independent free thinkers. We like to call it Flat Shoe Liberation.
Why Radical Yes? What inspired you to begin your journey? The ‘radical’ came from the desire to do something different to the mainstream fashion industry we had worked in. From the way we originally built our collection around one last (the shape that is the foundation of the shoe), to only making flat shoes, to making online our main channel. The ‘yes’ is an homage to my mum, who was an eternally positive and strong woman who instilled in me the desire to question things and the belief that women can achieve anything they want. I started the brand when I had taken a year away from working in fashion to complete my yoga teacher training. Then when I was teaching yoga I couldn’t find a shoe that I could throw in my bag to wear from yoga, to the gallery, to the shops, to pick up kids...without them being ‘running shoes’.
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A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
I felt there must be other women out there who wanted a flat shoe that also looked sharp while feeling casual. It turns out there was!
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Being a small business competing with big players, what sets you apart from everyone else? What do you believe your distinguishing feature to be? I think our independence and our point of view helps set us apart and our one - on - one personal relationship with our customers. I will often sit down and ring a handful of our customers personally to talk through what they want, what they love and even what they may not like about our products. This is an important part of our design and marketing process. As a small business we also believe we can be more nimble, innovative and fluid than bigger businesses.
As seasons change so does our wardrobe choices. What ensures that your products remain multi-seasonal?
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Because our products are designed with function in mind, we see a lot of them as ‘classic’ wardrobe staples. Slip ons, trainers, ballets, slides etc. All styles that can often transcend trends - but can also stay on trend through our use of materials, colour palettes and variation in shape.
Starting a business is always a gamble; we’ve seen so many become uninspired because of the challenges. What do you do to guarantee you stay on top? There are no guarantees. Some days are great and some days are really challenging. A long time ago I decided to treat the business as a part of a wider spiritual practice I have, and use it as a kind of test of resilience. And often I think of it in terms of it being ‘my challenge’, my task to solve and an exercise in resolve to never give up. On the more challenging days I lean heavily on my Yoga and meditation practice and always just remind myself of the impermanent and fleeting nature of everything. I also try and remind myself that when things are great, it’s important not to hang onto and attach myself wholly to those positive feelings; impermanence and non-attachment are my guiding principals and probably the reason we are still here 5 years on.
What advice would you give anyone trying to start a small business in the fashion industry - seeing as there’s such an array amount of competition!
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Know your customer - call them personally if you have to. Give them so much love because they have come to you for a product and service that can become a big part of their wardrobe (and in turn their daily life). Beyond that you also have to know your own why. It’s harder to figure out than you think, but once you nail your own purpose everything else will fall into place behind it. Do the work there, find your voice and be consistent with it (never give up), and eventually you will find a unique light to share with the industry. It really is a marathon, not a sprint. Hasten slowly.
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greenhouse interiors Founded by Julia Green, Greenhouse Interiors is the destination for boutique textiles, homewares, fine art and interior styling services. The Greenhouse Interiors team contribute regular editorial features to leading interiors and lifestyle publications in Australia and overseas. They also work with commercial brands and boutique artists from concept development to art direction, set design, styling and wholesale distribution. VISIT www.greenhouseinteriors.com.au @greenhouseinteriors
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[T] Your passion lies within great design and supporting local artists. What drove this passion so much so, that you found yourself building a brand and a business around boutique textiles, homewares, fine art and interior styling services? [J] I became an interior stylist by accident, in truth, I didn’t even know such jobs existed. I met a photographer from Vogue (who bought a couch I was selling off eBay) and he told me I should be a stylist. But I was due to have a baby that day, so parked the idea, and revisited it 6 months later when my mat leave ran out from being a drug pedaller ! (legal one- i sold pharmaceuticals). I called him, and was on a job the next day and have not stopped running ever since. I learned quickly that sourcing was time consuming and you couldn’t always find what you wanted easily, so joining forces with artists for bespoke creations was the go. Then I decided to sell their wares and started GI. It made sense, as I had a strong selling background, and not much of a clue other than intuition about design. So I played to my strengths. The business has grown enormously and organically over the last 8 years and I love seeing so many creatives blossom, we all learn from each other, it’s a positive and supportive environment to work in and be around.
Greenhouse Interiors has now spread to over 10 countries worldwide, did you ever think your brand would become this wide scaled? What do you attribute your success to?
A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
Not in a million years. And let’s be honest, there are smoke and mirrors at play here, I am forever a realist, and brutally honest, so it may sound like world domination, but our representation in other countries is still quite small in the grand scheme! Having said that, when we ship work to New York or Italy, we give each other a high five that people on the other side of the globe dig what we do. It’s awesome we are being discovered so far and wide.
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KAZ CERAMICS | PHOTOGRAPH SUPPLIED BY GREENHOUSE INTERIORS
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FLEUR WOODS | PHOTOGRAPH SUPPLIED BY GREENHOUSE INTERIORS
THESEPTEMBERISSUE
A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
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GREENHOUSEINTERIORS
You are a interior stylist, writer, producer, speaker, brand-ambassador, TV-host, consultant and also a mum to two boys, how do you balance all of this? What is the most crucial part? That word (balance) is totally fictitious, make believe. I don’t think any working mum will tell you it exists. I have an incredibly supportive husband who works in the business on all marketing and back end related duties, and an awesome team of staff that support the dream. I have zero time to myself, work 7 days a week almost (except for sunday when my mum and I do a cook up, listen to music and sing and dance whilst cooking). Occasionally I lie on a couch and watch netflix. But mostly it’s go go go, as I am the ulmitate do-er and best when busy. Down time is not good for me, I over think stuff. So I don’t think about much at all, I just get shit done. The most crucial part is having Adam around to help with the kids, or it simply wouldn’t be happening.
Your brand is passionate about supporting local artists. Why is this important to you and also to the brand? How does your brand achieve this? Yes we sure are. Our little creative community is like a family to me. I would walk hot coals for all of them and they know it. It’s important as the world has been taken over by kmart, and all of that fast fashion and now fast interiors is not made with thought, love, creativity, etc. I like to know a products provenance, and to understand how it came to be. Each piece tells a story, as does the artist that made it. We all have stories, and I think artists are often not good at telling their own, so I free up their time to paint more, make more, and share the back stories with everyone I can. We have a great social media presence and that helps get the word on the street, and also due to the magazine work I do, we have the added advantage of being considered for profiles in those pages. It’s all an honour none of us take for granted. But boy do we all work hard to achieve it all. Nothing falls off trees, it all comes with blood, sweat, tears and very little sleep.
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THESEPTEMBERISSUE
Greenhouse Interiors now have over 600,000 external links to GI branded stories, projects, publications and various events. What has made your brand so popular and what do you think makes for good design and styling? It’s a hard one to answer really as I don’t know why, but I would like to think we are a relatable bunch, and not too big for our boots with high brow commentary. We like to enjoy our work, have fun, and I think that is seen and heard. Good design to me is all about intuition and should be individual. I can’t stand cookie cutter stuff, it gives me a rash, and I don’t think good style is about money either. Sure it helps sometimes, but some of the most stylish homes I have visited have just been carefully thought through and considered rather than lined with cash.
What’s next for Greenhouse Interiors; where do you seen the business and the ethos in 5, 10 years?
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I really hope I am on a yacht, retiring, but I’d settle for a dinghy bout now. I need some sleep. I would hope that in 5 years, this business will have a strong TV arm, with big plans on the video front. Plus be a house hold name for individual and bespoke interior products. We will though never forget our humbled beginnings. Or run away with an ego. Our business is founded on loyalty, and the love of what we do.
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KIMMY HOGAN | PHOTOGRAPH SUPPLIED BY GREENHOUSE INTERIORS
PHOTOGRAPHY | MALEIKA HALPIN
BEEONETHIRD
bee one third Bee One Third was created by Jack Wilson Stone with the intention of educating Brisbane’s inner city populace on the importance of bees in our global food system and thus, encouraging urban pollinators back into suburbia. Bee One Third is a humming cottage industry business caring for 120 rooftop & urban hives across the South-East corner of Queensland, covering the tip of northern New South Wales for seasonal hive placements. Their day-to-day roles include a variety of maintenance on hive checks, honey extraction, disease control and prevention techniques and wild colony rescue. VISIT www.beeonethird.com @beeonethird
[T] In 2012 you caught your first bee swarm from a tree at the base of Mount Gravatt. This was the defining moment of BOT. Can you tell us, was this an intentional or accidental discovery? In that moment did you have a vision about starting a bee company in the future? Or was it something that unfolded along the way? [J] The first swarm I ever caught was by absolute luck, without any knowledge of what was to happen from that moment on. I struggled to house that initial colony of bees, they really tested my patience levels from the get go, mainly due to the raw fact I knew nothing of what I was doing. I was just a city kid with an idea of how to engage my community with where their food came from, and bees became my vector. I had no experience in beekeeping, in fact I knew relatively nothing of the impact that bees have on our day-to-day lives. I was quick to register & formalise a business name and company, Bee One Third Pty Ltd, but I certainly didn’t have a vision of what would come to bee in the years that followed. It wasn’t until 3 months later that we were given the opportunity to place a beehive on the rooftop of a local fashion precinct, the James Street Precinct in Fortitude Valley. In hindsight, this was the moment where I realised the idea may have legs.
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Your mantra is ‘From little things, big things grow’. How does this represent your brand and ethos? Our journey with the bee begun from a small swarm of bees, rescued from the branch of a tree in August 2012, the beginning of springtime. That small colony has now over the course of last 6 years, been a mother colony to 16 of our 120 beehives in and around the city. The hives that came from our first ever mother colony, are started by the beekeeper as a ‘split’ of its mother hive. These small colonies are known as ‘Nucleus’ colonies.
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Over the course of the season, the Nucleus colony will gradually expand its foraging range, collecting a broader range of food to fuel & grow the colony in population & size. It is only when the colony is in full health, or at full strength, that they will begin to store any surplus honey that we are able to harvest. This primary philosophy of from little things, big things grow, has been a excellent way to engage our rooftop partners (predominantly corporate & food industry) on the process of how mother nature works. From the beehives to the honey extraction and bottling house, we’ve seen a dramatic increase of our production of seasonal varietals from the various locations across the East coast. In 2012 our average extraction was around 20-30 kilograms per hive, whereby now in 2018, after years of learning the ropes of management & bee stewardship, we harvest 80 kilograms on average per hive, per year!
You’re passionate about developing an ethical, sustainable and environmentally friendly business. Where does your passion for nature’s pollinators stem from? My interest in bees & all pollinating insects stems from a food security angle. Since returning from abroad in 2011, and after working on a number of farms conventional and organic in Europe & USA, I was startled by the lack of connection we had here in Australia to the reality & essential truth of our food system. I was observing (through conversation & observation) a frustrating disconnect between the general consumer and the way in which they had an ever-distant view of where their food was coming from and how it was grown. There is nothing better than seeing the reaction to people engaging with bees for the first time. Often, they don’t know much about the important role bees play in pollinating our food crops, so to be the person who helps them make that link between the farm and their fridge, is quite possibly the best feeling I’ve ever felt. A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
My goal is to pollinate change.
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PHOTOGRAPHY | MALEIKA HALPIN
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We understand that you hold beginner workshops. What is your aim for this project and why is it so important that this goal be realised? Beekeeping is a hobby that in the past has had very little industry support, leaving new and curious beekeepers to learn the hard way, by themselves and from self-selected ‘masters’. I feel I have been lucky enough to be in the position I am in due to the recent rise in popularity of beekeeping, to educate & inform on the best suited methods, equipment, trials & tribulations dependant on the unique and independent position of the individual. My aim for the beginner beekeepers course is to help the attendee grasp an understanding of whether beekeeping is right for them at this stage of their journey. Many seem to believe beekeeping is an easy, set & forget type activity, when in fact it is a highly interactive, high demand activity that requires the application of all senses, a lot of strength (because honey is heavy!), and general & analytical smarts. We as beekeepers should see ourselves as stewards to the bees, as guardians and caretakers to our most vital pollinator.
Based on your knowledge and experience do you feel as though there should be a wider educational platform on the importance of bees in our communities? What would be the first vital piece of information you’d like people to know?
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This is a great question. As I write the responses to your questions, I am taking a break from an intensive course held here in Sydney by the Wheen Bee Foundation, as part of the inaugural national bee ambassador program. Together, as a group of 14 bee advocates from all over the country, we have been debating the importance (along with a whole web of ideas) of a national training platform for people hoping to get into bees. From my perspective, this could not be more important at this time of growth within the industry. I want people to know that there are beekeepers out there that can answer your questions, big or small, and if you cannot find one or you’re isolated from these communities, I can answer them & direct you to relevant resources. Never fear attending your local beekeeping association or club to familiarise yourself with bees as insects & learn how to handle bees before you commit to purchasing a beehive. Bees are social creatures, so when you become a beekeeper, you are committing to caring for 50,000 stinging insects – bee cautious & bee caring!
What is the next step for Bee One Third? Where do you see yourself in 5+ years? We’ve been so blessed with the organic growth over the course of the last 6 years of Bee One Third. We have just revisited the brands visual identity with our branding partners Studio Gangplank (BNE), allowing us to confidently leap into the next phase of distribution and impact through our retail product lines. We are building our resources up to cater to higher production, higher pollination impact & wider distribution of our gorgeous & delicious neighbourhood honey. Life & business can throw you curve balls every now and then, however in a perfect world, we will be managing a total of 350 beehives in our portfolio across South East QLD and Northern NSW, producing in excess of 40 tons of single source, raw neighbourhood honey, build on our already exciting and diverse range of services and product, while contributing in which ever way we can to Australia’s 14 billion dollar ‘bee dependent’ pollination industry. As the Wheen Bee Foundation puts it so nicely, A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
Food Security needs Bee Security. I believe, without bees, our food system will go bust. TWENTY | 20
BEEONETHIRD
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LANGDONLTD
langdon ltd With a love for making beautiful things, Langdon Ltd design and handmake a collection of handwoven textiles for you and your home. All of their goods are hand woven by artisans in Rajasthan, India using traditional techniques and the finest materials and metallic threads. By purchasing from them you are not only supporting the communities that these goods are created in, you are helping preserve generations of skill and craft. We spoke to Delia, one half of the firecracker duo; read their story, below. VISIT www.langdonltd.com.au @langdonltd
[T] Your passion lies within ‘making beautiful things’. What drove this passion so much so, that you found yourself building a brand and a business around handwoven textiles? [D] We have both always appreciated beautiful things, who doesn’t? Phoebe, the designer in our business, particularly from a young age always loved sparkly, pretty things, particularly anything with sequins. I actually recall her getting a pair of sequinned Mary-Jane shoes as a small child and sleeping in them for weeks. In addition to this we spent the greater part of our childhoods being trawled around fabric markets and haberdashery stores by our mother and grandmother who made virtually all of our clothes and theirs, something Phoebe embraced but I struggled with. I’m sure Phoebe was inspired greatly by her time spent playing with ribbons, buttons and other fabulous embellishments. When we started the business back in 2012 Phoebe designed a range that was largely print based with embellishments, but as time progressed she was drawn more to the handwoven aspect. We’ve managed to increase our range to include a number of different textures and ‘looks’ I suppose to cater for a variety of taste and budgets. Business wise this has been a good move; I feel as we can appeal to all sorts – there’s something in our collection for nearly everyone.
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All of your goods are hand woven by artisans in Rajasthan, India and your brand is not only supporting the communities that these goods are created in, but you are helping preserve generations of skill and craft. Why is this important to you and to your brand? generation are going off to university to become professionals and are not interested in continuing the craft. We ensure all of our weavers across our range are looked after and their communities supported. Our manufacturer in Northern Indian for our woollen rug range has a trust that actually supports a 350 child school, and is responsible for their books, clothing, and medical care amongst other things.
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We’re really excited to be bringing out a range of recycled plastic shopper bags and totes in November. These are made by an NGO for underprivileged women. Stay tuned.
Your homewares and fashion accessories use bold, bright prints that are hand created. How does this style represent you and your brand? We both are not shy of a bit of colour. It is nice to stand out a little. Coming back to having our clothes made for us as children, I would plead with Mum to go to a department store like everyone else to get something for an occasion and she would say, everyone will have it! I didn’t appreciate it at the time but it is nice to be different. I think our brand is different and does push the boundaries a little with a twist on the ordinary, like metallic threads through the mundane doormat. Why not?
Langdon Ltd has been featured in a wide variety of publications. What do you attribute your success to and where do you think the brand’s popularity stems from? A lot of hard work to start with, learning from our mistakes along the way and not giving up. Our move to the US market over the last three years has been challenging but a good one for us. We’ve got some great retailers we are working with over there and the US customers are really enjoying the range. Phoebe is designing more and more with these customers in mind. We’ve got some exciting things in the pipeline.
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From start to finish, many hands go into producing one of your wares using traditional techniques. How do your products compare to those produced in mass manufacturing, and why is it important that these skills and crafts be preserved? So many hands. The cotton or wool is hand dyed, matched by eye, spun by hand, woven by hand, washed by hand. I think our products are made with a lot of love and care and there’s something lovely about knowing so many people have been involved with making just one thing. It would be lovely if we could preserve these skills and crafts but there needs to be more of a movement to appreciate these. It’s a hard thing to do with fast fashion and homewares and the low price points that are achieved in mass manufacturing.
Your brand ships worldwide and is becoming increasingly popular. What is it like sharing such a successful brand with your sister? We have our moments, but at the end of the day we love each other and appreciate how different we are. The fact that we are so different is to our advantage and we can both look after different aspects of the business. Phoebe is highly creative where I’m more of a practical “doer”, and even in that sense it is good to get her creative input where I can get stuck in a particular way of seeing or doing something. We are forever learning from each other.
What’s next for Langdon Ltd; where do you see the business and the ethos in 5, 10 years?
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Look I’d like to be retired in Tahiti! (just kidding) but we’d like to see the business bigger and better with more amazing stockists and more people appreciating the hand made nature of our goods and choosing these over fast fashion.
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WWW.NOELLEAUSTRALIA.COM.AU
EXCEPTIONAL COFFEE MADE SIMPLE At KitchenAid, we are dedicated to celebrating the art and craftsmanship of a great cup of coffee. We have traveled the world and studied with top baristas to ensure that our coffee collection is engineered to help you easily brew exceptional coffee at home.
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maison balzac THESEPTEMBERISSUE
Maison Balzac is a collection of perfumed candles and delicate objects created in Sydney. Each product is developed as an ode to memories from founder, Elise Pioch’s, childhood in the South of France. From her experience working in fashion in Paris and Sydney, Elise sought to create a range that was both beautiful and sentimental. VISIT www.maisonbalzac.com @maisonbalzac
[T] Your products are described as “an ode to memories from your childhood in the south of France.” Why is this important to you and your brand and how did your passion for fashion, perfumes and scents turn into a business? [E] After living nine years in Australia, away from France, I felt the need to reconnect with my family and the memories of them, without moving back to France. So I told my favorites moments through fragrances and turned it into a business, using my background in fashion and everything in between.
To enable exhibitors to experience an immerse multi- sensory experience during the 2016 Venice Biennale of Architecture, you created two peculiarly Australian scents. Sense is such a delicate and sensitive field; how did you know what scents to create?
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These two scents were actually created with Lyn & Tony, two outstanding artists who I met as a fashion buyers years before starting Maison Balzac. Lyn & Tony have a fascination and thorough understanding of Australia, the bush, the land, colors, scents and culture. Together we created two fragrances that describe the strangeness and obscurity of this country. It was the perfect olfactive signature for the Australian Biennale and a very proud moment for Lyn, Tony and I.
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PHOTOGRAPHY | SYLVE COLLESS
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THESEPTEMBERISSUE
Are you planning at all to hold your own branded workshops? If so what would be the number one knowledgeable piece of advice for your customers? This is an excellent idea! If only we had time to stop and share our knowledge of candle making and fragrance creation... our first advice would be to only listen to your own voice when choosing a fragrance. It is so tempting to choose or create scents to please someone else!
What are the most common mistakes you see with people choosing a scent? I don’t think it’s possible to make a mistake when choosing a scent. It always means something particular to someone at a particular time, there is no right or wrong.
What’s next for Maison Balzac; where do you seen the business and the ethos in 5, 10 years? A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
The values and strategy for the business have been the same since day one: we focus on creativity, humility, kindness and organic growth.
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PHOTOGRAPHY | RACHEL KARA
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OBUS
obus Obus creates beautiful and practical wearables for the modern woman. For almost 20 years, founder and creative director Kylie Zerbst and her team have produced many coveted collections, each one thoughtfully designed and curated to form a wardrobe of must have styles. Based in Melbourne, the concept of travel is a constant theme woven within Obus collections, each an exciting new journey inspired by designer Zerbst’s personal wanderings. VISIT www.obus.com.au @obusclothing
[T] Your clothing features natural fibres and exclusive prints, and your manufacturing in Melbourne helps to support the local industry and economy. How is supporting the local industry important to your brand and ethos? [O] It’s important to us that we are helping to support the local industry and economy, and something the entire team at Obus is very proud of. We’ve manufactured the majority of our products locally since we began, and it’s not always been easy. But for a label of our size, which is still relatively small in comparison to many established brands, being able to be in contact with our makers on a daily basis is smart business, as well as being good for the environment and the people who make our clothes.
You have been creating designs for almost 20 years. How do you ensure you keep your products and styles unique? Obus is probably best known for its original prints, which I design around the theme or ‘destination’ of each collection. I gather inspiration from lots of sources - my own travels, time spent with my son and my family, and the natural world. It’s a fun (if sometimes a bit stressful!) part of my job that I love.
Obus also support social enterprises and/or not-for-profits including the Brotherhood of St Laurence, The Unicorn Foundation and many others. Why is this important to your brand and how do you aim to help these organisations further? Obus is a collaborative place to work and we strive to incorporate ideas and goals from all members of the team at all levels of the business. Our staff are very socially minded, and conscious of the fashion industry’s often detrimental effect on the environment, whether it be through the production, manufacture, and waste incurred at each stage of a garment’s life. While we try to minimise it as much as possible, there’s always more to be done - so we try to use our influence in the industry and the support of our customer base to help different causes and organisations where we can.
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The concept of travel is a constant theme woven within Obus collections, how is this style unique to your brand and how has it been received by the Melbourne fashion landscape?
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A big part of our brand is taking our customers on a journey with each collection. An ‘Obus’ is actually a trolley bus used in some parts of Europe, and what inspired that name for the business is that we strive to be inclusive - catering to many different types of women, in the same way that a public bus is there for everyone. Travel is of course also a very big part of my life - I try to get out of the city most weekends and further afield as often as I can to clear my head and keep the creative juices flowing! Melbournians love to support local independent businesses, and our customers are very loyal to our brand and are happy to grow and develop as we do. They also love to dress in clothing that has a story behind it or is unique in some way.
Obus prioritises the use of sustainable materials and fibres such as bamboo, tencel, organic cotton and viscose. How do these sustainable materials compare to those used in mass production, and how do you ensure quality within your products? Our choice to use mostly natural base cloths like linen, bamboo/cotton, Tencel and our swimwear (which is made from 78% recycled polyester) means we’re being kinder to the environment without compromising on quality and comfort. Because fast fashion is made to be throwaway, the materials are low-quality and the tailoring is not designed to last more than a few wears. By using high quality materials and focusing on quality tailoring, an Obus garment’s life with a customer will be long. And given that Obus items are so collectable, one garment may have a few owners in its lifetime!
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We are also obsessed with longevity and versatility of the items we produce… what you buy from us won’t just look good for a week or a season, it will continue to make you look and feel great (and mix and match with other Obus seasonal collections) for years to come.
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What’s next for OBUS; where do you see the business and the ethos in 5, 10 years? We’re excited about our upcoming Summer collection, which is a celebration of our coastal landscape and the sea. Long term, we’re focusing on improving different parts of the business in small but significant ways, so that as we grow, our commitment to quality, environmental sustainability and product transparency isn’t diminished. That means everything from the fit of a garment to how it’s packaged and posted is under review. We hope that in the next 5 years we can bring more Obus goodness to the world and encourage more people to shop consciously!
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IN CONVERSATION WITH
AS SEEN IN THELIFESTYLEEDIT.COM.AU
sarah kelk Based in Melbourne, Sarah Kelk is a painter whose work is expressive, colourful and abstract. Energised blocks of colour are central to her work, and although traces of structure appear, references to decorative arts, patterns, architecture and nature are visible in a less ordered energy. Her approach is fluid and intuitive, exploring bold structure without abandoning the organic energy that appears at the beginning of each piece. We spoke to Sarah about her recent collab, with Australian brand Thankyou. VISIT www.sarahkelk.com @sarah_kelk
THESEPTEMBERISSUE
[T] The exclusive artwork for the new limited-edition Thankyou hand wash, titled Momentum, draws inspiration from Bangladesh where Thankyou have funded a series of programs. What inspired you about these projects in Bangladesh, so much so, that you created an artwork dedicated to them? [S] When Thankyou got in touch to see if I wanted to be part of their first ever collaboration, of course I jumped at the chance. I’ve been a fan of Thankyou for a long time and love their mission and vision as an organisation. For this particular project I was really inspired by the impact that these programs have on female empowerment as well as the multi layered ‘Momentum’ that is created in a community as a result of these collaborations between women.
These programs are full of opportunities to empower women and provide them with hope for a future without poverty. Why are these programs important to the Thankyou brand, and to you and your artwork? These programs Thankyou fund are all about reducing gender related inequities and empowering women by developing women’s leadership groups to implement and manage the water, sanitation and hygiene facilities. Not only are these programs empowering women, but they are also building their capacity and skills, which has a huge impact on these communities. On a personal level, I was lucky enough to have grown up with some really strong female role models in my family (my sister, Mother and Grandmothers) and they have always been a huge pillar of inspiration and support to me. Because of this, I grew up feeling empowered as a female. I sadly know this isn’t the case for every community, especially in remote and poverty stricken areas throughout the world.
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Anyone who knows me personally knows that I’m all about empowering women. I try to lift people up in all aspects of my life and love that through this collaboration with Thankyou, this empowerment can continue in a larger scale.
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IN CONVERSATION WITH AS SEEN IN THELIFESTYLEEDIT.COM.AU
THESEPTEMBERISSUE
SIX | 06
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SARAHKELK
You’ve been a big fan of Thankyou for a long time, what about their products do you find so enticing and what do you love most about collaborating with them? I‘ve gifted their book ‘Chapter One’ to so many people and am pretty sure I’ve tried every one of their products. I love how they keep their products real (no nasties, not tested on animals), and love their simple and effective branding. But most of all, I love their unwavering dedication to help end global poverty! I’ve loved collaborating with the Thankyou team. It’s extremely refreshing to be working alongside a group of people who not only embody the Thankyou philosophy, but who also add to it!
Recently in 2018, your work has been featured in the likes of Belle Magazine, amongst others. To what do you attribute your success to? I’ve had some wonderful support from Melbourne’s creative community and feel very lucky to be able to spend my days painting. As much as I love to use the word ‘luck’ in term of any successes, I also know how hard I work day in day out. I’m also a firm believer of the ‘do it now policy’, I use it everyday and thank my sister for sharing this great bit of wisdom with me.
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IN CONVERSATION WITH AS SEEN IN THELIFESTYLEEDIT.COM.AU
THESEPTEMBERISSUE
SIX | 06
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Your work has been described as expressive, colourful and abstract. How would you describe your own work, and what is the most important aspect of it? My work is an abstract mix of deliberate shapes and accidental brushstrokes, focusing on colour, texture and various references within that. Think blocks of colour interwoven with texture and pattern. For me, the most important aspect of my work is the creation process. I love putting the first layer of paint on a canvas, at that point there is so much energy within a piece. Even if I have a firm plan of how I want a piece to look before I begin, this often goes out the window once I start painting. I really enjoy getting in the zone with how a piece is developing and more often than not, pieces don’t usually come together as a whole until right at the end. I often find that some of my first layers I like so much that I can’t bring myself to paint over them. The small windows of my first layers in a painting often become my favourite parts.
What’s next; where do you seen yourself and your work in 5, 10 years? I’m not a huge 5 or 10 year planner, preferring to go with opportunities as they arise organically. In saying that, there are of course a few things on my ‘bucket list’ which include painting an entire house (both inside and out) …. if you know of a house I can use, feel free to let me know!
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IN CONVERSATION WITH
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the stylephiles Sharing an obsession for interior design, best friends Steph Waterman and Kaz Bell are content creators, social influencers, design authorities and young business women, who run The Stylephiles. Their unique ability to mix the accessible with the aspirational – the handcrafted statement piece with the timeless classic – has captivated a creative, savvy and highly engaged following VISIT www.thestylephiles.com @thestylephiles
[T] How did your love of travel, decor and design inspire you so much so that you decided to start The Stylephiles?
THESEPTEMBERISSUE
[S] We found a mutual love of interiors and travel shortly after our husbands introduced us. The love was quick and steady and before we knew it, every weekend we were going off on an adventure to source fabric, check out a new store and endlessly talking about all the design hotels and destinations we wanted to travel to. Instagram was a fairly new player in the social media game so we decided this would be where we would catalog all our own ideas and inspiration, with Pinterest in the background as another platform to consolidate our aesthetic. It grew organically from there and created work opportunities for styling, design work and brand partnerships as our community started to cultivate.
You’ve partnered with many popular brands such as Architectural Digest, Tea Two, Cotton On, Mr and Mrs Smith Hotels and Merivale. What do you owe your popularity and success to? And what is it like to partner with such well established brands? Part of our success has been due to an unwavering commitment to our personal aesthetic - we’ve never wavered from that. You won’t ever see us partner with a brand that we don’t already use or admire. For us this is very important as when a brand comes knocking to do a collaboration, they know that our audience is going to be very receptive and engaged. Merivale and Mr & Mrs Smith have been great long-term partners we cherish and work with that constantly marry our love for design, travel and interiors.
The Stylephiles creates content that draws from sources all around the world. What is like for you two to share your creative passion in the form of a business with your friend?
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We love it - it keeps us connected and now that we don’t live in the same country it’s a way to keep collaborating. It can be difficult with timezones and other work and family commitments, but we make the most of when we speak and always have a trip in the works so we always have our next reunion in the diary to look forward to.
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The Stylephiles now has over 100K followers on Instagram. What is the key to running such an aesthetically pleasing instagram and how do you maintain it? We have spent years working on the perfect formula which works for us to make sure we are engaging with our followers, creating the right visual mix and working in a smart and savvy way with our brand partners. We’re constantly getting asked about our strategy and tips for building such a loyal community who are truly engaged. This past year we actually created an eBook to help meet this need - it’s a guide to building a successful Instagram strategy, driving organic reach and engagement and then taking steps to build a brand through content and influencer partnerships. The unique thing about the Stylephiles ebook from the others on the market, is that it is specifically geared to creative Instagram businesses and people; keeping aesthetic at the core of everything. We have so many designers, architects, artists and stylists in our community, we created this with them in mind.
You both have been greatly interested in the creative process of furnishing spaces while creating your own homes in Brooklyn, New York and Sydney, Australia. How does furnishing spaces in Sydney compare to doing so in Brooklyn, New York? Do you find the creative processes very different between the two locations? Yes we do. The biggest difference is in the design influence. In Australia we are heavily influenced by both Scandinavian and Asian design, on each end of the spectrum providing either a super clean and minimal look, or a somewhat bohemian aesthetic with both vintage and handmade furniture and decor easily accessible from India, Indonesia and China. It’s these textural and historic elements which we love the most, allowing you to seamlessly interject these interest pieces amongst your more contemporary furniture. In New York anything imported or vintage is outrageously expensive and exclusive with many people not being able to afford it. This results in American designers making and creating hugely interesting items and using these as highlights in a space. I love the wealth of amazing pottery and ceramics and other handicrafts you can find here. The danger with sourcing within the US is that it’s so easy to fall into the trap of purchasing items from the majors (e.g. CB2, Restoration Hardware, West Elm etc ) as they’re relatively inexpensive and quick and incredibly well ranged. Picking and choosing which high street pieces you place into your home is crucial - ensuring that you go digging for unique items that are not ‘off the rack’ so you don’t fall into this is a design trap and prevent your space from becoming one dimensional. No one wants to live in the manufactured page of a catalog!
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What’s next for the Stylephiles ; where do you see the business and the ethos in 5, 10 years? More travel... lots more travel together to source interesting things for our design community and for our own homes and projects. We see a few more home renovations on the horizon too and look forward to hopefully working on a project together in the future! And of course we are committed to seeing our online community continue to flourish, fostering creative connections between brands, peers and customers.
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