Local Makers – Bespoke Bags and Sustainable Design With Kim from Oxlade & Heart
It’s no secret that we are a fan of local maker Oxlade & Heart and the wonderful work they’re creating! Founder Kim Regan is a close friend and inspirational local maker with who we have had the pleasure of collaborating on a number of pieces. However, Oxlade & Heart's range extends far beyond our collaborations and is a wonderful local brand focusing on bespoke items with a zero-waste initiative! How great is that? I wanted to know more about the brand, its humble beginnings, and what the future looks like. Kim Regan happily sat down for a chat about what Oxlade & Heart means to her. Hi there! Who is the creative behind Oxlade & Heart? I'm Kim Regan. I grew up in a creative family; my mother was a potter and my dad was always making or building something. So making was my norm. There was always an emphasis on creative freedom, if you had an idea you made it. At school, my first job was in a beautiful textile store. After school, I studied Interior Design in Brisbane and then traveled the world as a textiles wholesaler. In 2001 I was working in Chelsea Harbour in London within the interior design industry. Chelsea Harbour is the textile hub for textile suppliers from around the globe. The handbag inspiration came from all the beautiful textiles from around the globe. I feel so many of these beautiful textiles weren't able to be appreciated by
5 Bright and Conscious Clothing Brands We Can’t Get Enough Of
Here at Bowerbird, we hold such a focus on the importance of a strong and ethical ethos. We find it incredibly important to take initiative in the making process where you can. Our small team based in Paddington all carry these values in their work to provide conscious clothing and homewares. After all, our products are our responsibility from start to finish in production! Want to know more about what we do as a business to serve both you and the planet? Check it out here! But needless to say, we don't only pay attention to what we are doing as a business! We are constantly looking around us, and being inspired by different brands with a focus on transparency, sustainability and an ethical approach to fashion. We thought maybe you might want to see these too and so we've compiled a small list of our favourite bold, bright and conscious clothing brands with staples to last you through not only this Autumn, but the next one, and the next! Variety Hour Big, bold and bright! The patterns crafted at Variety Hour are nothing short of attention-grabbing. Perhaps most striking about the ethos at Variety Hour is their belief that prints don't need to change every season, in fact they can be timeless. Their painterly prints are designed to make you happy and they are designed to last. Both are qualities we strongly support at Bowerbird. Founded by textile designer, Cassie Byrnes, Variety Hour is a Melbourne
5 Bright and Conscious Clothing Brands We Can’t Get Enough Of
Here at Bowerbird, we hold such a focus on the importance of a strong and ethical ethos. We find it incredibly important to take initiative in the making process where you can. Our small team based in Paddington all carry these values in their work to provide conscious clothing and homewares. After all, our products are our responsibility from start to finish in production! Want to know more about what we do as a business to serve both you and the planet? Check it out here! But needless to say, we don't only pay attention to what we are doing as a business! We are constantly looking around us, and being inspired by different brands with a focus on transparency, sustainability and an ethical approach to fashion. We thought maybe you might want to see these too and so we've compiled a small list of our favourite bold, bright and conscious clothing brands with staples to last you through not only this Autumn, but the next one, and the next! Variety Hour Big, bold and bright! The patterns crafted at Variety Hour are nothing short of attention-grabbing. Perhaps most striking about the ethos at Variety Hour is their belief that prints don't need to change every season, in fact they can be timeless. Their painterly prints are designed to make you happy and they are designed to last. Both are qualities we strongly support at Bowerbird. Founded by textile designer, Cassie Byrnes, Variety Hour is a Melbourne
Local Makers – From Paintings to Fabric with Bowerbird’s Ellie
At Bowerbird we value making with integrity and the work of local makers. So, the majority of our products are made in-house or sourced locally. Each piece therefore has a story worth telling and has inspired us to share them here with you. Bowerbird Collections is a product of the dynamic duo Peta and Ellie Sweatman. Both are creative souls in their own unique way. Pop into the store and you will see the walls covered with artwork by Ellie, some of which, you might be able to spot as the foundation of our signature fabrics.Today we'll peek into the life and process of Bowerbird's own Ellie Sweatman. Questions with Local Maker Ellie Sweatman Ellie Sweatman, a Brisbane-based painter, decided to turn her artwork into fabrics one day when she realised the potential of her paintings. Every fabric that has come from Ellie's artwork tells a unique story in its creation and we thought it was about time we sat down with her to discuss her practice! Hey Ellie! First off as the co-owner and a key fabric designer at Bowerbird Collections, I'd like to ask you how you describe the aesthetic of the company