The Design Files

Lulamae pop-up shop in Melbourne Central - by Breathe Architects

2009-12-02T22:40:00.004+11:00

Just can't get enough of the pop-up shop at the moment can we? Brunswick-based Breathe Architects have just designed this fabulous one for fashion boutique Lulamae, which just popped up in Melbourne Central this week. Very cute! I really love the tall buildings drawn on the exterior, and the cut-out windows!

On closer inspection, Breathe Architects have a lot of great and quite varied work to their name - including everyone's favourite 'not-so-secret-anymore' cafe - Seven Seeds, and it's smaller CBD sibling, Brother Baba Budan.

OH and they also have a ridiculously cute website.

The fabulous Seven Seeds in Carlton

See!? ridiculously cute website.

Romance alert! - Guy Shield's unique illustrated marriage proposal

2009-12-02T06:00:00.000+11:00

Incredible illustrations by Guy Shield

You guys know I love great illustration. You may not know that I am also a massive sucker for old-fashioned schmoopy romance... (not that I get much personally!) So this wonderful project by Melbourne illustrator Guy Shield really made my day yesterday! It is SO awesome!

Great illustration + Romance = Guy's latest project - a unique and brilliant marriage proposal!

What a lucky lady! Read the full story here! (brought a little tear to my eye...!)

You should also check out Guy Shield's excellent folio here. Oh, and I just noticed that on his Blogger profile, Guy is apparently just 27. Jeepers.

via Jeremy Wortsman - aka Mr Jacky Winter

THE GREAT DESIGN FILES CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY! (+ reader survey!)

2009-12-01T06:20:00.003+11:00

The Great Design Files Christmas Giveaway prize pool!

It's been hard keeping this a secret for the last few weeks... But today is finally the day to launch The Great Design Files Christmas Giveaway! SO EXCITING! Just look at the incredible prizes up there...!

This giveaway I hope goes some way to say a huge and heartfelt THANKYOU to all you lovely people who read this little blog and give me a reason to write everyday! I wish I could send every single one of you a Christmas present (truly!) - but this is the next best thing!

Above you will see 12 incredible prizes from 12 SUPER generous local designers and retailers. These companies are all genuine Design Files favourites - designers whose work I love, local creatives who I have interviewed and featured on the site over the last 2 years, and fantastic Australian retailers who sell beautiful locally-designed things, and who have been generous enough to sponsor my site this year and offer their gorgeous wares for you guys to win!

In order to enter the Great Design Files Christmas Giveaway, there is one little itsy-bitsy thing you have to do! Please pretty please click here and fill out my first-ever reader survey!

After writing this blog for almost 2 years, I have realised that although you guys know quite a bit about me... but I don't really know much about you! I truly value your feedback, and would really appreciate if you could spend 5 minutes on the survey! Your feedback will really help me make some much-needed improvements to the site in 2010! Click here to take the survey and enter the giveaway!

OK enough chatter... here's the Prize Pool! -

- Stunning deep red Dinosaur Designs 'Shell' salad bowl - rrp $300

- Super-cute stripey Summer Scarf from Melbourne knitwear designer Ella Sanders

- Notemaker fabulous stationery giftpack - pack contains MT Masking Tape Twin Pack (Citrus), MMMG Matryoshka Card (Blue), O-Check Notebook 'Day Book' (Black), Delfonics Wooden Ballpoint Pen (Purple), Delfonics Elastic Notebook Band (Yellow), Rhodia Bloc Pad #08 - (Orange), O-Check 2010 Wall Calendar, MMMG Recycle Bag (Red Grid) - rrp $127.21

- Luscious (and very posh!) Missoni 'Hugo' beachtowel from Safari Living - rrp $297.00

- A giftpack of reusable BYO Coffee Cups from HookTurn Industries (thanks Mum!)

- A beautiful handmade 'Lino Royale' brooch from Melbourne designer Betty Jo

- The fab new David Shrigley doona cover set from Third Drawer Down (which comes in its own printed totebag) - rrp $275

- The gorgeous 'Morning Tea' sterling silver ring set from Melbourne's sweetest jeweller, Victoria Mason - rrp $175

- A prize pack from Kikki.K’s fantastic new 'Bon Voyage' travel range - including Leather Travel Journal, Coated Canvas Passport Holder & Luggage Tag, Sticker Sheet and Gel Pen - rrp $100.

- A delicious Safe Summer Essentials pack from Bloom Cosmetics - including Daily Shield body, face and lip products, Instant Bronzing Gel, Gradual Face Tan and exfoliating gloves!

- A blue signature cushion from Beci Orpin's fabulous new range

- An incredibly generous prize-pack of Murchison-Hume eco-friendly cleaning products including a classic 6-piece boxed set ('premium' glass polish, 'Counter Intelligence' food safe surface spray, 'Spit and Polish' chrome stainless steel cleaner, 'Everyday Furniture Spritzer'. 'Boy's Bathroom' cleaner, 'Effortless' floor cleaner) PLUS a Laundry Soak, Original Garment Groom and Liquid Handsoap! rrp - $140.90

Phew.

In the end there'll be 12 lucky winners, each of whom will receive one of the fabulous prizes above. The winners and prizes with be selected randomly. You have from now until December 24th to complete the survey! At the end of the survey you will be asked to enter your email address - this automatically enters you into the giveaway draw (your email address will be used only for this purpose - promise!).

Thankyouuuuuu! And a HUGE thankyou to all the fabulous Christmas Giveaway sponsors!

Ok I think I need to go and lie down now.

The Cullen

2009-11-30T07:00:00.000+11:00

Melbourne's newest boutique hotel - The Cullen

Did you know that Melbourne has a new designer boutique hotel? Must admit this one kind of crept up on me... I had heard whispers... but didn't realise The Cullen opened this month!

The Cullen is a $48 million(!!), 115-room hotel, and is the first in a series of six proposed Art Series Hotels - a $300 million hotel group conceived by property developer Will Deague. Each hotel is inspired by and named after a prominent Australian Artist - The Cullen takes its name and inspiration from artist Adam Cullen.

Adam Cullen is one of Australia's most collectible artists, and is best known for winning the Archibald prize in 2000 with a portrait of David Wenham. Seven of Cullen's large-scale artworks grace the walls of the hotel foyer, other works and digital prints feature elsewhere in the hotel, and glass screens in each room are watermarked with Cullen's drawings. Each room also features designer details including Kartell ghost chairs and glossy design book! And apparently the hotel also has bikes and smart cars decorated with Cullen's work for guests to hire. Ooh la la!

Well I must say, I think Melbourne is sorely lacking in the boutiqe hotel department. Although I am not sure if a 6-storey, 115 room hotel counts as 'boutique'. Anyway, it looks pretty snazzy, and it doesn't seem too expensive. It'll be interesting to see how the other 5 Art Series Hotels unfold. Next in line is The Olsen in South Yarra, named after celebrated painter John Olsen, which is due to open its doors in March.

Interview - Max Kater of Murchison-Hume!

2009-11-27T07:00:00.001+11:00

The beautiful, non-toxic, eco and kid-friendly, Australian-made Murchison-Hume product range!

Laundry bags and 'Heirloom' dishwashing liquid by Murchison-Hume

Top - Max's vintage apothecary bottle collection which inspired Murchison-Hume's stunning amber-bottle packaging. Bottom - Details from Max's beautiful bright and very organised home!

Oh Max Kater's Sydney home is just stunning, isn't it? How about that blackboard wall in the kitchen? You might recognise these shots from Apartment Therapy a little while ago!)

Now listen. If there is one deliciously luxurious thing you can do for yourself, your home, your family AND our precious environment... it's switch your cleaning products. Murchison-Hume products are the most simple, natural, organic, eco and kid-friendly Australian-made cleaning products money can buy. (And they're not expensive!). They're grey-water friendly, they're packaged beautifully... they're truly the most glamourous and guilt-free way to clean your home!

Murchison-Hume is a small, Sydney-based Husband-and-wife business set to conquer the world. Truly! This inspiring young Australian business is the brainchild of LA-born Max Kater, whose 'light bulb moment' came initially as a response to her kids' allergies. She couldn't find any products on the market that were visually appealing, genuinely green and truly effective - so she made her own!

I find Max's story so inspiring - with no experience in this area, she has grown the Murchison-Hume product range and brand to global recognition and impressive international orders! (They just got their first order from Anthropologie in the US!! Hold onto your seats!). Max is a busy working Mum, and I truly have no idea how she finds the time to run her business from a home office (which double's as her eldest son's bedroom!), between the hours of 9.00am and 3.00pm!

As you'll see below, Max takes it all in her stride - she's unaffected, family-focussed and she has a wicked sense of humour... read on for a thoroughly entertaining insight into the clean, green and very inspiring world of Murchison-Hume!

Tell me a little about your background – what path led you to what you’re doing now?

If someone had told me 10 years ago that I would end up making organic house-cleaning products, I would have suggested a nice cup of tea and a lie-down in a darkened room.

Having said that, my years as a Fashion Editor certainly helped to sharpen my personal aesthetic and my inner Domestic Goddess really kicked into overdrive when I became a Mother. I like to think I’ve brought that mixed bag of skills together in Murchison-Hume. Sexy styling meets domestic practicality…why not?

Tell us about the genesis of Murchison Hume.

Well, imagine the shock of working with the most beautiful clothing, shoes and accessories in the world to using yellow plastic dish brushes and Pine O’Kleen on a daily basis. Ugh! I decided then and there that cleaning products needed a makeover.

How did the concept originally come about?

I guess my “light bulb moment” came soon after having my second son Charles. We discovered that he had inherited my perfect trifecta of allergies; eczema and asthma.

A stylish Parisian friend (aren’t they all?) sent me an article about toxicity in the home and how they can exacerbate allergies and eczema and the more I read, the more I learned that it’s fairly easy to keep a clean house without using products that can be harmful (not to mention downright dangerous!) to our families and the planet. Sadly, there was nothing out there that was appealing visually, genuinely green and truly effective…so I made my own!

Max's son Ben's beautiful blue bedroom

What challenges did you face in realising your ideas, and making your idea a commercial success?

Really the only barrier was time. I’m sure every working Mother can relate to this, but seriously, the real challenge to starting any venture is to be able carve out the necessary time to be creative (while still managing to keep you and your family fed, bathed and clothed). And you can forget about getting your hair done. Learn to embrace the ponytail!

How is it working in a husband-wife partnership!? Can you give us an insight into the structure of the company – do you have other employees, and which significant tasks do you outsource?

Everyone says: “Oh how can you work with your husband, don’t you drive each other crazy all day?!” And the short answer is: “of course!” But I think Husbands can drive you crazy whether or not you’re in business together, don’t you? On the plus-side, I get to sleep with the boss.

Seriously though, I think we have a very complimentary skill set: Peter manages the business end of things, including our small staff of six at the factory and I do the creative bits from my office at home…I live only for art and beauty darling!

Which creative minds did you collaborate with when developing the Murchison Hume range?

I am lucky because my friends happen to be a fairly productive and creative bunch. Susan Sheller from Cotton Love Home was my constant guinea-pig from the very beginning. Shannon Fricke taught me how to enhance the subtleties of colour; Charlotte Sherston encouraged me to write like I speak (a dangerous and controversial idea) and Samantha Wagner (from Sambag) gave me the inspiration and the courage to stick my neck out and take Murchison-Hume from “hobby” into business with gusto!

Did you enlist a designer to help with graphics or packaging? It is so beautifully presented!

Pretty early on, I had a clear idea that my cleaning products would resemble old-fashioned apothecary bottles (which I love and collect). And Geraldine Ward, who is my Graphic Designer and a genius mind-reader, was able to take my ideas and translate them into a logo, labels and a perfect website for us.

Which creative people are you inspired by?

Oh, how much time do you have? Beauty is everywhere. Good design is everywhere and I cast a wide net when it comes to looking for sources of ideas.

In Australia alone, I am inspired by stylists Kristen Bookallil; Glen Proebstel, Sibella Court and Megan Morton who like me, can find beauty in almost anything.

Fashion Designers like Carl Kapp and Josh Goot for their refined take on Australian style, shops like Becker-Minty, Space Furniture and davidmetnicole represent an eclectic mix of everything that good design has to offer and even the Coca-Cola sign in Kings Cross gives me a creative jolt every time I see it!

What does a typical day at work involve for you?

Typically, I try to be up and “dressed” by 7:30am. I put the quotes around dressed because working from home, getting dressed requires little more than a clean face, a neat bun and a T-shirt dress!

After the boys have left for school, I try and make sporadic attempts at exercise (on the Wii Fit). But mostly I spend the day at my eldest son’s desk (which doubles as my office during school hours). When I’m worried or trying to figure something out, I go and do a little tidy up somewhere… I know it sounds slightly OCD, but it calms me down to fold towels or re-organise my sock drawer. Sad, but true.

By 3:00pm the house is full of noisy boys and afterschool activities, snacks, etc. I try to snatch at least another hour or two of work before it’s time to make dinner and then it’s bath, pyjamas, bed and it starts all over again the next day. Clearly I need to get out more…

Refreshing and so inspiring to her that Max manages to run a business from a home office that doubles as her eldest son's bedroom!

What are you most proud of professionally?

Apart from the obvious fact that it’s keeping us in shoe leather, the fact that my quirky little idea is being embraced by people all over the world. Pinch me!

What would be your dream project?

Oh, easy! Re-fitting the Qantas First Class Lounge (and all of its lounges and planes) with Australian-made Murchison-Hume products!

What are you looking forward to?

Being able to entertain at home again, now that the weather in Sydney is warmer!

Max's serene outdoor entertaining area... so very gorgeously Sydney!

NSW Questions –

What/where was the last great meal you ate in Sydney?

My house: employee dinner, last Thursday. We have just employed an American, Peter Lyle, to help me manage things on the domestic front and he made a mustard béarnaise sauce to die for!

Where would we find you on a typical Saturday morning?

At the moment, Saturday morning entails trying to read the papers with my youngest son, Charles (he always hogs the Real Estate section) while his older brother is at cricket!

Sydney’s best kept secret?

I’ll tell you if you promise not to laugh…remember, I am an expatriate and we never really lose our tourist habits: I lovelovelove the Chinese Garden of Friendship at Darling Harbour. Not nearly as cheesy at it sounds (how could it be)? I have a bit of a Koi fetish and I adore sitting in the Lotus Pond Pavilion, drinking tea and throwing bits of Char Siu Bao to the fish. The boys scramble over the rocks and we can languish there all afternoon…heaven!

Max's own watergarden, Koi fish and brand new waterlilies!

Thanks so much for Max for this interview, and for sharing such beautiful photos of her glorious home! I feel I should say, also, that I use Murchison-Hume products everyday at home and I can honestly vouch for their incredible effectiveness! My absolute favourites are the Counter-Intelligence chemical-free food surface spray (truly as effective as Spray-n-wipe - minus the ticklish nose!), and the Everyday Furniture Spritzer, which effortlessly removes sticky marks and gives timber furniture a beautiful sleek sheen. You gotta try it!

Rifle Design - brand new online store (+ GORGEOUS Christmas cards!)

2009-11-26T07:00:00.000+11:00

Holiday (aka Christmas) cards by Anna Bond of Rifle Design, available online here

Wrapping by Anna Bond of Rifle Design

You might remember I met the super-sweet and super-talented Anna Bond of Rifle Design at Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn, NY earlier this year? I love love love her gorgeous illustrations, hand-drawn type and muted colour palette... and her custom wedding stationary is especially gorgeous.

Anna has just launched her very own online store... and can I just say, it is totally, seriously awesome. It is so good that I just purchased all my Christmas cards from there (truly!). I cannot get enough of her beautiful work!

Also (unlike Urban Outfitters) Anna posts to Australia for just US$12! ....and with the exchange rate how it is... there really has never been a better time to go online shopping!

ps)
Anna's blog is amazing
Rifle's portfolio website is amazing

All these gorgeous things by Anna Bond of Rifle Design, available online here

LMNOP

2009-11-25T23:12:00.004+11:00

I continue to freak myself out with a seemingly endless infatuation with styling and design for kids, babies, rugrats. I am totally nowhere near having babies, promise! But the November issue of LMNOP just came out and... well... it's just gorgeous!

Go download it here - it's free, after all!

DIY paper Christmas Critters by Mibo - as seen in LMNOP.

Sydney super-stylish store for tots Manon et Gwenaelle - owned by the fabulous Virgine Batterson - features in LMNOP, and was also featured in the Inside Out Christmas Issue recently (and blogged here a little while ago!)

Monsieur Qui

2009-11-25T07:00:00.001+11:00

Monsieur Qui is a French illustrator who loves - "cats, dogs, handmaded works, brass bands and paste big posters in the streets of Paris".

I love the the mix of girly, flowery illustration and boyish motorbikes and skate culture. Oh and the hand drawn type, of course!

Nice work Frenchie!

Rob Ryan for Urban Outfitters

2009-11-24T07:00:00.000+11:00

New Rob Ryan limited edition Lomo Fisheye Camera from Urban Outfitters!

Rob Ryan + limited edition Lomo Fisheye Camera + Urban Outfitters = AWESOME!!

That's all need to say really.

Oh, except also, Urban Outfitters finally ships to Australia! (Unfortunately they only do international shipping via UPS and it costs $50. Boo!!). Maybe they'll rectify that soon.

ps) if you have not heard of London-based super-famous artist Rob Ryan - I don't believe you! But if you need a reminder of just how fabulous his work is.... look here and here. :)

BYO Coffee Cup

2009-11-23T07:00:00.001+11:00

The BYO Coffee Cup from HookTurn Industries

My Mum is a bit clever. By day, she works fulltime as a creative director in an ad agency here in Melbourne... and in her freetime, she is constantly dreaming up endless fabulous creative ideas - I can't keep up with her energy and motivation... she's truly an amazing Mum!

Mum's latest project is particularly fabulous - the BYO Coffee Cup is a collaboration with her great friends Ren and Saskia. Between them they've started a fantastic little creative enterprise called HookTurn Industries - and the BYO Coffee Cup is their first product! They designed this smart silicone coffee cup to look just like a paper coffee cup - except it's reusable! The silicone keeps your coffee nice and hot, but is cool to touch. And of course it fits neatly under the coffee machine dripper just like a regular take-away cup.

I'm sure you guys have all heard the horrifying stats about how much waste is created each year from un-recyclable paper and polystyrene takeaway coffee cups... the BYO Coffee Cup is a super stylish way to make a simple change in your everyday life, which can have a really positive impact on our environment.

The BYO Coffee Cup retails for AU$10.95. It's available online here.... now wouldn't it make the best stocking filler, kris-kringle, or present for your boss / Dad / kid's schoolteachers? Yes. You know it would :)

ps) HookTurn are looking for stockists! So if you have a cafe / shop / online store and think the BYO Coffee Cup would be a good fit... please get in touch! They would love to hear from you!

BYO Coffee Cups are currently available in black, white and coffee colours, with either black or white lids (in an configuration you want).

Interview - Natalie Bloom

2009-11-20T07:00:00.002+11:00

Natalie Bloom at home

Bloom Cosmetics - Chapel st Store

Chapel st store - floral plaster detail

Natalie Bloom's first book, Beauty in Bloom , gives a personal insight into Natalie and the essence of her beauty brand, and features gorgeous illustrations by Rebecca Wetzler.

I am very excited today to share an interview with Melbourne cosmetics queen Natalie Bloom! Natalie's incredible success with the Bloom Cosmetics brand is well documented... but what you mightn't know is that Natalie first started out in graphic design! Feeling very uninspired in her first job in a small graphic design studio after finishing uni, Natalie started making her own cards and gifts... one thing led to another and before she knew it, Natalie had launched her own business - at the tender age of 22!

16 years later, Natalie's business has gone from strength to strength - Bloom’s range now features over 300 products including colour cosmetics, skincare and a bath and body range, and is stocked across the globe, from From Dubai and Bangkok to London and Beverly Hills. Bloom also has a beautiful flagship store in Chapel st Prahran... and Natalie is very much an inspiration for many young Australian women in business.

Natalie's passion for beautiful design is evident in every facet of her business - from Bloom's gorgeous, varied packaging, to the Chapel st store design and Natalie's recent book, Beauty in Bloom, lovingly illustrated by Rebecca Wetzler. Natalie has collaborated with some fabulous local designers over the years including TDF favourites Neryl Walker and Kat Macleod!

Read on for a unique insight into Natalie's work and home life.. and some seriously gorgeous pics of her products, her inspirations and her beautiful home office!

Tell me a little about your background – what path led you to found Bloom Cosmetics?

After studying Graphic Design at RMIT, I found myself working in a small studio. As the work was terribly uninspiring, I started creating and selling handmade cards and gift ideas in the hope I would feel more creatively satisfied. Before I knew it, my hobby had turned into a business and since then there has been no looking back!

How has your vision for Bloom changed since you first started the company (at just 22!) ?

Over the last sixteen years, Bloom has evolved and matured as a business and brand. The fundamental principles of a spirit of fun, commitment to product integrity and directional design have remained the same though.

Bloom skincare and makeup products

You’ve become a great inspiration for women in business – If you could give just one piece of advice to young women looking to start their own small business, what would it be?

Firstly, you have to love what you do. If you’re not passionate you can’t sustain your business and keep going through the hard times. And secondly, whatever you do, do it with integrity. This has been my mantra for running my business and has been the yardstick that I have measured all my decisions against.

Beauty in Bloom at The Society inc. in Sydney

What does a typical day at work involve for you?

Whilst I’m still incredibly hands on at Bloom, no two working days are ever the same. The only similarity is that each day is pretty chaotic and filled with a demanding mix of meetings and creative brainstorming sessions on product, business and brand development.

Where do you turn for creative inspiration – nature, travel, books, magazines or the web etc?

I’m constantly surprised by the different guises creative inspiration comes in. Whilst I often pour over Greville St Bookstore’s incredible range and am a magazine fiend who never misses an edition of Frankie or Italian Vogue; increasingly I’m turning to blogs for inspiration. Aside from the Design Files (of course!) I regularly visit Meet me at Mikes and Handmade Romance.

Which designers / creative people do you admire?

Where do I begin?! Most of the creative people I admire are very close to home. At the top of my list is my good friend, Mirka Mora, who is an artist in the true sense of the word. Her free spirit, use of colour and part in Australia’s art movement continue to inspire me. I also admire Yeojin Bae and Ortolan who both have a whimsical and feminine aesthetic that is similar to my own and Rebecca Wetzler for her exquisite illustrations in fresh, fluid lines - and work on my book Beauty in Bloom!

A painting of Natalie's family by Mirka Mora

What would be your dream creative project?

The best part of my job is that I often get to work on highly creative projects. At the moment we’re developing an Organic range. It has been a couple of years in the making, but working on this collection makes me feel as though all my dreams have come true! It has allowed me to take pure natural ingredients and create formulas that have such integrity. Plus it has given me an excuse to work with one of Australia’s most exciting artists. Watch this space!

What are you looking forward to?

After a pretty heady year, I’m really looking forward to having a break over Christmas and spending time with my family and loved ones at the beach. I’m also itching to launch our Organic range which will hit stores early next year!

Melbourne Questions -

Where is your favourite shopping/strolling neighbourhood in Melbourne?

That’s easy - Gertrude and Smith Streets!

What/where was the last great meal you ate in Melbourne?

I know it’s the flavour of the month with many Melbournians, but we recently had a stand out meal at Hellenic Republic. I love their no fuss approach while still remaining true to a traditional sensibility.

Where would we find you on a typical Saturday morning?

I love starting my weekend at home. While I read the papers over a lazy breakfast, the kids play amongst themselves. We then take the girls to ballet classes and head to Prahran Market to stock up for the week ahead.

Inspiration wall in Natalie's home office

More home office details

Melbourne’s best kept secret?

Lawson Grove is hidden in a quiet cul-de-sac just around the corner from my house. It’s the perfect spot for coffee and sweet treat and was my ‘home away from home’ while I wrote Beauty in Bloom.

Huge thanks to Natalie for her time, and to Elise at EGPR for facilitating the interview and sending through such a stunning selection of shots! I don't know about you guys... but I'm completely inspired after posting this!

Anthropologie London via Pia Jane Bijkerk's blog!

2009-11-19T07:00:00.001+11:00

All these fabulous photos of Anthropologie London by Zoe Yule, via Pia Jane Bijkerk's beautiful blog.

Oh Sorry. It's Anthropologie Thursday again. I realise I posted about Anthropologie last week. But it is too delicious! I can't help it.

I was just browsing through Pia Jane Bijkerk's fabulous blog... and stumbled across these stunning pics of the new Anthropologie London store (their first store outside the US), posted here by Pia's guest blogger Zoe Yule. Is it incredible or WHAT!? Love Zoe's photos and her wide-eyed excitement after attending the London store opening event in Pia's absence (score!).

You MUST go check out Zoe's full post here... she describes the magical evening in wonderful detail - vertical gardens, tea and delectable cakes, custom art installations by carefully selected UK artists - From beautiful handmade ceramic vessels to 'knitted' pots and vintage quilts refashioned into works of art. Aggh. Aesthetic overload.

But it begs the question... Why do we not have such retail gorgeousness going on here...? Come on Australian retailers.... lift your game!

60 Innovators Shaping our Creative Future - Mini-interview with editor Lucas Dietrich

2009-11-18T15:00:00.000+11:00

Pagespreads from 60. Innovators Shaping our Creative Future - boundary-pushing UK fashion photographer Nick Knight scores a mention, and UK fashion retail patriarch Paul Smith lends his thoughts on innovation in fashion design.

Martin Margiela and Viktor & Rolf are included as influential innovators in the Fashion category.

Parisian photographer / street artist JR creates incredible giant poster portraits as part of his 28mm project. Above - in the Favelas (slums) of Rio de Janeiro, many men have been lost to crime and violence. Women - wives, mothers, sisters and daughters - are central in this troubled society, holding family and community together. JR posted largescale photos of the impressive women he met in Morro da Providencia on facades across the entire favela. The result is spectacular - all across the hillside, these community matriarchs look down protectively upon their neighbourhood. AMAZING or what?? More of JR's incredible work can be seen in the book.

Another fabulous work by Parisian phtographer / street artist JR - he pastes this striking portrait along a steep set of stairs in the Favela Morro da Providencia as part of his ingoing 28mm: Women project.

Today I'm sharing another fab mini-interview facilitated by Melbourne's Kate Scott during her recent internship at Thames & Hudson in London. Not only did Kate manage to secure an interview with Lucas Dietrich, editor of T&H's latest brilliant book - 60. Innovators Shaping our Creative Future... but she also somehow talked T&H into sending me my very own copy to review! Wowsers. How exciting is that?

The book is truly fabulous I must say... It brings together twelve distinct creative areas - spanning street art, photography, fashion design, architecture, sustainable design, new media and more. Each category is curated by twelve different contributors, and the book also includes contributions from established greats in each creative field - these include Tom Dixon and Paul Smith.

The result is a collection of incredible, truly inspiring work from all over the world - If you've ever wondered what all the Maison Martin Margiela fuss was about (like me about 6 months ago), or questioned whether street artists really can make a positive difference in the world... or pondered which international designers really are leading the way in sustainable design, you really must check this one out! You'll be well armed for up-to-date, informed discussion at your next work function, client Christmas party, or just your Auntie's boxing day BBQ!

60. Innovators Shaping our Creative Future

What is your definition of an innovator?

Before we embarked on the project we suspected that no single definition would be applicable across all the areas in which we publish. Hence the division of the book into twelve areas of creative enterprise, curated by twelve critics, writers and curators who are innovators in their own right, to give their assessments. Although there are intriguing resonances among many of the sections, no catch-all definition emerges. The closest I myself have been able to come up with is someone who reframes expectations from within a given discipline or practice to create at a body of work that redefines that discipline or practice for another generation.

What were some of the shared preoccupations of the practitioners featured in this book?
Openmindedness, highly original repurposing of ideas new and old, understanding of the past but focussed on the future.

Did any themes emerge during the production of 60. which you didn't necessarily foresee when you first embarked on the project?

We expected to see preoccupations with the environment, technology, politics and social issues, but many of us have been surprised by just how much ingenuity and fresh thinking you can contain in a 408-page book. It's genuine confirmation of humanity's will to create.

Tell us a little bit about about graphic designers Why Not Associates, and why they were chosen to design 60.

In 1994, Why Not Associates designed one of the most influential and innovative graphic design books ever published, which heralded a generation of publications of books on graphic design and typography in the early days of the internet and web design. Their past achievements and their recent work in the arts sector struck the right balance between their innovative approach to typography and bold statement.

The works featured in this book are overwhelming beautiful. Is beauty always a natural extension of innovation, do you think, or was there a curatorial bias at work?

A great question, which ineluctably leads to a subjective discussion. All I myself can say is that I truly hope beauty is an extensions or byproduct of innovation.

Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto's Final Wooden House in Kumamoto, Japan, 2008.

How do you think this list of 60 innovators would be different if it was published ten years ago, and different again if it was published in ten years time?

Within a 20-year time-frame, I would suggest the names might change but the fundamental preoccupations that innovators grapple with will not: how can improve our individual and collective lives, how can we learn new things and open new minds, how can we preserve our cultures and planet, how can we communicate more effectively. One might perceive shifts in themes or attitudes over the years, but humanity is, after all, evolving, not an accumulation of sea-changes. Which is why we need innovators to stand out, to hold a mirror to ourselves and to suggest novel ways of moving forward to address the future.

La Boca del Lobo (2006) - paper installation by Brooklyn-based street artist Swoon, in collaboration with Alison Corrie and Polina Soloveichik.

Thanks so much to Kate Scott for this fab interview... :) next time you're in a good bookshop I highly recommend checking this one out!

Three of a Kind exhibition

2009-11-18T07:00:00.003+11:00

Artwork by Madeleine Stamer of Little Circus Design

Papercuts by Beci Orpin

'Menagerie' papercuts by Beci Orpin for her 'Menagerie' exhibition in Perth, 2008.

Ceramic artworks by Irene of Iggy & Lou Lou

You might have noticed that colourful little button in the column over there about Three of a Kind... WELL if you were wondering what it's all about, here goes! Three of a Kind is an exciting exhibition which opens this Friday and features the work of three very well known and super-talented Melbourne ladies (who also just happen to be great friends) - Beci Orpin, Madeleine Stamer (of Little Circus Design) and Irene Grishin-Selzer (aka Iggy & Lou Lou). WOWSERS what a line up!!

The Three of a Kind exhibition will feature Beci's detailed and delicate papercuts, prints and handpainted dolls, Irene's well known ceramics (including the cheeky bandit characters pictured above), and Madeleine's multicoloured bird mobiles and limited edition hand-painted prints!

Pop down this Friday evening for the opening and show your support for these three talented Melbourne lasses!

Also, the always fabulous Indie Art & Design blog has just posted two wonderful interviews with Irene and Madeleine which you should totally check out!

Three of a Kind - at Lab X Gallery
40 Pakington st, St Kilda
Opening this Friday Nov 20th - 6.00pm - 8.00pm
Running until November 29th
Gallery hours - weekdays 8.30am - 6.00pm, weekends 11.00am - 3.00pm.

Graduate exhibition time!

2009-11-17T07:00:00.002+11:00

Incredible concrete, stone and metal sculptures by Caleb Shea. Imagine one of these fantastic angular sculptures in your garden. How posh! I think I should buy one before Caleb is super famous. See them for yourself at the RMIT Sculpture show - on until Friday the 20th at RMIT in the city (details below).

More from the RMIT sculpture show ending this Friday... top image is Remains by Lalanya Smith, created from pleated raw silk and shellac. Bottom image is a paper sculpture made from telephone directories by AnnaMaria Plescia.

Love the delicate touches and often miniscule detail in RMIT Drawing student Chloe Vallance's work... These are from A Fine Line - the RMIT Drawing graduate exhibition 0pening this Wednesday 18/11/2009 at 6.00pm, and running until 26/11/2009 (details below).

It's that time of year again... November brings with it the usual pre-Christmas panic, a good week or two of unseasonably warm weather... but more excitingly, it's graduate exhibition time!

Yes that's right, all the clever kids at RMIT, VCA, Swinburne etc are putting the finishing touches on their paintings, drawings, sculpture, graphic design etc, and exhibitions of their work are popping up all over town. I've had a number of emails asking me to attend and/or plug various shows... I'm trying to schedule them in - but disappointingly I am stupidly busy and may not get along to as many as I did last year :( Anyway, thought I should definitely post a list of upcoming shows to encourage you all to get along and support these emerging Melbourne artists and designers! Who knows... amongst them may be the next Collette Dinnigan, Ricky Swallow or Marc Newson!

My top picks are the RMIT Sculpture exhibition, featuring the incredible work of Caleb Shea, Lalanya Smith and AnnaMaria Plescia (images above), A Fine Line - 2009 RMIT Bachelor of Fine Arts Drawing exhibition (Featuring Chloe Vallance's tiny people! - image above), and the RMIT Bachelor of Design show at the Docklands, which incorporates fashion, footwear and textile design under one roof! Sorry for the RMIT-centric focus... no one from any other school has actually sent me IMAGES! If you go to another uni and have some shots of your graduate exhibiton work, send it through and I will add you to this post!

BIG thanks to the wonderful Craft Victoria Blog, who post an exhaustive list of grad shows every year... the list below borrows heavily from one they posted last week over here.

Until 18th November (that is this Wednesday!)

RMIT Bachelor of Design (Interior Design)

Runs from 16/11 - 18/11/2009
Venue: 246 Nicholson Street, Fitzroy
Hours: 12-4pm

Until 20 November (that is SOON too!)

RMIT Bachelor of Fines Arts and Honours in Sculpture

Runs until 20/11/09
Venue: RMIT Building 37, Level 1, Cnr Swanston Street & A’BeckettStreet, Melbourne (Enter from A’Beckett Street)
Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat & Sun 10am-5pm

University of Melbourne Timber Furniture (Architecture)

Dates: 13/11 - 20/11/2009
Venue: Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, Building 133, University of Melbourne, Parkville
Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm

Until 22 November

NMIT Advanced Diploma of Engineering Technology (Jewellery)

Runs until 22/1//09
Venue: Northcote Town Hall, Studio 2, 189 High Street, Northcote
Hours: Open 7 days, 10am-6pm

Shows already started (and running until late November)

La Trobe University Bendigo Bachelor of Visual Arts (Ceramics)

Runs from 13/11 - 27/11/2009
Venue: Bendigo campus in the Phyllis Palmer Gallery within the Visual Arts building.

RMIT Industrial Design

Runs from 13/11/09 - 25/11/2009
Venue: Guildford Lane Gallery, 20-24 Guildford Lane, Melbourne
Hours: Wed-Sun, 12-9pm

NMIT Diploma of Product Design

Runs from 13/11 - 27/11/2009
Venue: Off the Kerb, 66B Johnston Street, Collingwood
Hours: Thu-Fri 12.30-6pm, Sat-Sun 12-5pm

Starting soon and running until late November

RMIT Ceramics

Opening 17/11/2009 6.00pm – 8.00pm, runs until 28/11/09
Venue: Skepsi on Swanston, 670 Swanston Street, Carlton Hours: Tue-Fri, 10.30am-6pm; Sat 12-6pm

RMIT Bachelor of Arts (Textile Design)

Opening 18/11/2009 5-8pm, runs until 2/12/2009
Venue: No Vacancy Gallery, QV Building, 34-40 Jane Bell Lane, Melbourne (enter from Russell Street)
Hours: Closed Mondays, Tue-Sun 11am-5pm

A Fine Line - 2009 RMIT Bachelor of Fine Arts Drawing graduate exhibition

Opening 18/11/2009 6pm, runs until 26/11/2009
Venue: RMIT Building 4, Level 4, Bowen Street, Melbourne
Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-4.30pm

RMIT Bachelor of Fine Arts and Honours (Painting)

Opening 18/11/2009 6pm, runs until 27/11/2009
Venue: RMIT Building 2, Level C & D, Bowen Street, Melbourne
Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-4.30pm

VCA Bachelor of Fine Art

Opening: 23/11/09 6-8pm, runs until 29/11/09
Venue: Margaret Lawrence Gallery, 40 Dodds Street, Southbank
Hours: Tue-Fri 11am-5 pm, Sat & Sun 12 pm-5 pm

RMIT Bachelor of Design - incorporates fashion, footwear and textile design.

Opening 24/11/09 6-8pm ($10 entry free applies), runs until 26/11/09
Venue: Shed 4 North Wharf Road, Docklands, Melbourne
Hours: 11am-7pm

Box Hill Diploma of Textile Arts

Runs until 28/11/09
Venue: Whitehorse Art Space, Box Hill Town Hall, 1022 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill
Hours: Tue & Fri 10am-3pm; Wed & Thu 9am-5pm; Sat-Sun 12pm-4pm

Box Hill Diploma of Arts (Interior Decoration and Design)

Runs until 28/11/09
Venue: Lower Box Hill Town Hall, 1022 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill
Hours: 12th: 12-6pm; 13th-15th: 12-4pm; 16th: 12-6pm

Box Hill Advanced Diploma of Engineering Technology (Jewellery)

Runs until 28/11/09
Venue: Lower Box Hill Town Hall, 1022 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill
Hours: 12th: 12-6pm; 13th-15th: 12-4pm; 16th: 12-6pm, Tue & Fri 10am-3pm; Wed & Thu 9am-5pm; Sat-Sun 12pm-4pm

Round - Swinburne Communication Design Graduate Exhibition

Runs Thurs 26th November and Fri 27th November (12.00pm -8.00pm) and Sat 28th Nov (11.00am - 5.00pm)
Venue: Lot 4 Gallery, 4 Railway Place, Richmond

Bella Foster for Kate Spade

2009-11-16T22:15:00.002+11:00

Kate Spade 2010 Calendar, featuring the gorgeous paintings of Brooklyn-based Bella Foster. (Alas they do not ship outside of the US. Annoying. )

More of Bella's lovely work, found on her blog - Here, There and Them. This is the apartment of her friend Josh Blackwell (whose art is pretty awesome in it's own right).

Bella loves painting bookshelves! This is her own, from her former Bedford apartment and studio.

My love affair with Kate Spade's Behind the Curtain website continues. MAN it is so good. It just introduced me to to Brooklyn-based artist Bella Foster, with whom Kate Spade has collaborated for their 2009 Calendar!

Gorgeous heart-warming colourful paintings... in fact the Kate Spade designers love Bella's work so much they also commissioned illustrations for the new X-ray bag and cosmetics case. Nice work!

Buro North Christmas Trees

2009-11-16T07:00:00.001+11:00

Buro Trees - the eco-conscious, Melbourne designed and manufactured, entirely recyclable Christmas tree alternative! Top - 'Rindd' tree, bottom - 'Frigg' tree.

Buro North is an incredibly prolific, vibrant young Melbourne-based interdisciplinary design studio... you might remember I interviewed their inspiring design director, Soren Luckins, last year?

Buro North are a seriously clever bunch of people... In addition to their fantastic folio of graphic design, industrial design and wayfinding work, Buro North also design super spunky Christmas trees!

I know it's hard to part with the beautiful Christmas-sy smell of a real pine tree... but the Buro Trees do offer a very seductive eco-conscious alternative! Their beautifully designed ply-wood trees come in a range of sizes, and if you buy one, your Christmas carbon footprint continues to shrink as your re-use your tree year after year. A much more sustainable way to celebrate!

Buro's first tree, the 'Rindd' design, won a Premier's Design Award in 2008. This year they've launched two new designs - 'Frigg' and 'Gryder'. I think I love Frigg the best! I think it's the architectural, snow-flake-inspired shape.... super stylish but somehow delicate and pretty at the same time.

Visit the Buro Tree website for more info or to buy a tree.
ps) Buro North also have a fantastic blog.

The 'Gryder' tree

Mini-interview - Henrietta Thompson

2009-11-13T07:00:00.000+11:00

UK design journalist and editor Henriette Thompson (image from here!)

OK so this is a bit exciting... and a bit confusing. Bear with me.

Today is the first of three mini interviews with three different UK-based writers / editors, each of whom have recently published AMAZING design books with Thames & Hudson!

Of course, I am not nearly well-connected enough to obtain such fabulous material single-handedly(!), so these interviews were kindly contributed by Melbourne's Kate Scott, who works at the Australian Ballet, but has recently been in London, doing an internship with Thames & Hudson. Kate has been such a wonderful supporter of this blog for a long time (Thanks so much Kate!!), and so naturally I was super excited when she offered to interview some of Thames & Hudson's current stars for The Design Files! We've struck a little deal and I will do a guest-post or two over on the FANTASTIC Behind Ballet blog at some point to make it even...! Stay tuned!

Here Kate shares some Q&A's with Henrietta Thompson, author of the incredible ReMake It Home book which I shared here a little while ago! Ms Thompson is such an inspiration - a freelance journalist and curator, she's currently Acting Senior Editor of *Wallpaper magazine, and previous roles have included Deputy Editor and Editor at Large at Blueprint, Technology Editor at Dazed & Confused, Editor at Winkreative, Editor at Phaidon, and she also writes regularly on architecture and design for many international magazines and websites including Monocle and the Zaha Hadid blog, if you don't mind! Henrietta also consults on design and trends internationally for clients including Lenovo and Motorola. Phew. Feeling unproductive, anyone?

How did the idea for Remake It Home first come about?

Funnily enough it was actually before the recession was even looming that we had the idea. I think it was actually just that boomtime ‘buy buy buy’ mentality had got a bit boring that triggered it. I’d actually been interested in reappropriation in design for a long long time, and then one day it just clicked that it was actually a really relevant idea. Hacking, customising, getting creative and being resourceful were suddenly all very appealing and different ideas at a time when every magazine headline was on at you to shop more and newness stopped being special. Meanwhile Neal [Whittingon - illustrator] – we’ve been friends for a while – was always making these lovely things, and it was so inspiring.

The concept of 'make do and mend' has a long and illustrious history – why does it fall in and out of fashion, and what do you think has brought about its current resurgence?

There’s obviously the economic climate, but I think people were leaning towards a more make-do-and-mend lifestyle before the recession hit, as I said. Partly this had to do with the environment, and partly the urge to own things which had more meaning and history than the constant stream of stuff coming off some hideous production line staffed by underpaid children halfway across the world. This was: you know what you’re getting, you know where it’s come from (to a point), and you can make it work for you because you’ve nothing to lose by adapting it.

Tell me a little bit about the process of researching this book. Where did the ideas for the projects come from?

Ideally I would have been able to travel the world researching this book – as I’m sure there are so many ingenious projects in far-flung communities that would have been so relevant – but in the end it had to come down to word of mouth and the internet. Neal and I asked pretty much everyone we knew for ideas, and I’m still getting letters and emails with tea towel stories from so-and-so’s grandma in Nova Scotia ... It’s brilliant. There’s also lots of great websites dedicated to DIY and craft.

How did you come to collaborate with illustrator Neal Whittington, and how did the practical process of illustration unfold?

Neal and I used to work together and he seemed the perfect person to illustrate a book like this. We did everything together from the initial proposal to Thames & Hudson, to stressing in the pub over the practical uses for pom-poms.

There's hundreds of projects, but could you highlight one of the weirdest and one of the most wonderful?

The first one I wrote was the Hay Box, which is something I really love – it’s an idea that most people of a certain generation will be so familiar with, but that we’ve completely forgotten today. One of the weirdest is using an old tennis ball to remove scuff marks on the floor, or an old shoe when you’ve lost the bathplug – but people do.

What are some of your favourite websites for design and remaking inspiration?

instructables.com – because it’s got everything on there, from recipes to really odd things that you can’t imagine anyone would ever actually do, but they have ... And it makes the most of the internet as a community to improve and adapt projects infinitely.

superuse.org – for a good mix of design and architecture, this was one of the first sites that seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Remake It.

etsy.com – a marketplace to buy and sell handmade things. It’s more crafty than design, but it’s such a great idea. Plus it’s got the same name as me, which is just spooky.

readymade.com – the website of the magazine, it’s got a really down-to-earth tone of voice and loads of great ideas for reusing things.

presentandcorrect.com – because that’s where Neal lives and it rocks. (ps, there is also a really great interview with Neal on Design*Sponge here!

A huge thankyou to Kate for this great interview...! Stay tuned next week for more of Kate's inspired Q&A's with Lucas Dietrich, editor of Thames & Hudson's latest design anthology - 60. Innovators shaping our creative future, and Dominic Bradbury, author of The Iconic House.

The Anthropologist

2009-11-12T07:00:00.000+11:00

The Anthropologist shares an inspired behind-the-scenes peek into Jane Campion's latest film, Bright Star, sharing a collection of snippets from the making of the film.

Jane Campion's note

Bright Star cinematographer Greig Fraser shares his photos

Seriously, could Anthropologie have it any more sussed? Clearly they already have a cult following in the US and beyond, an unrivaled reputation for visual merchandising and window installation - and of course the most incredible range of eclectic homewares, fashion and accessories. NOW they've launched The Anthropologist. Of course, it is awesome.

The Anthropologist is a kind of a blog/website/online space which seeks to answer the question 'what is inspiration?'. It is based on the idea that 'revealing the passions of one person can result in the progress of many'. This may sound a little cheesy at first, but truly, it is so perfectly executed that you just can't help but be swept up and taken along for the ride...

Among other inspiring creative minds, The Anthropologist features filmmaker Jane Campion - sharing a beautiful collection of behind-the-scenes snippets from her latest film, Bright Star. It is so perfectly put together - moody snapshots taken by the cinematographer, gorgeous little videos and photos of the film's acting workshops and rehearsals... and even handwritten notes from Jane herself, written with such heartfelt warmth and encouragement that you feel she has almost addressed the letter to you personally.

Jane Campion offers handwritten notes of advice for budding filmmakers!

Never have I seen a big name brand create such a clever online presence... a website which you can't help but immerse yourself in, and which readers will be compelled to bookmark and visit regularly simply because the content is so damn good. But perhaps most surprising - The Anthropologist has no visible Anthropologie branding or advertising anywhere at all!!? Now that is inspired.

Art Department sketches from Bright Star

Folded love letter - a prop from the film

Broadsheet

2009-11-11T07:00:00.003+11:00

Broadsheet is a brand new online magazine and directory covering Melbourne events, entertainment, culture and style. I know I know... there's already a million websites/streetpress mags/email-outs etc claiming to keep you in the loop with all this wonderful city has to offer... BUT actually, seriously, Broadsheet is really good. Promise!

The photos are excellent, the writing is intelligent, succinct and accurate... and, refreshingly, the writers do not try to squeeze pretentious subversive gags into every sentence. It's a slick but simple, user-friendly offering, with a clear focus on quality content. Very Melbourne, really.

I like it, I think you will too :)

Melbourne photos by Broadsheet contributing photographer Julia Atkinson

Kikki K Christmas gift guide

2009-11-10T07:00:00.000+11:00

Kikki K Christmas wrapping... cannot get enough of the old duck egg blue + pillarbox red colour palette!

LOVE these felted accessories by Kikki K.... how good is that tote bag? (and only $79.95!) Need. Want.

Colourful Swedish-inspired gifts and stationery...

Christmas is sneaking up on us again... there's a whole lot of red and white going on in shop windows and on magazine covers! (Ps. have you seen the Inside Out Christmas mag yet...? It's ridiculously gorgeous...)

One of the bestest shops for Christmas goodies has got to be Kikki K. Now I know you guys seem to share my enthusiam for gorgeous stationery...(!), so thought should let you know that Kikki K have just launched their Christmas Gift guide! Such gorgeous gifts and wrapping... perfect stocking-fillers for the kids, the office Kris-kringle... random aunties, cousins, nieces, nephews etc that you haven't seen all year but seem to expect a Christmas present anyway.

Ps) Also, I remember last year Kikki K had some really beautiful and very reasonably priced Christmas card packs which sold out too quick for me unfortunately :( Must get in early this year! (Does Mid-November count as early?).

Check out more Kikki K Christmas-sy goodness here!

Sweden seems rather lovely. If you believe the Kikki K Christmas gift guide! Maybe they should do travel brochures also. :)

Spacecraft new store in Hawksburn!

2009-11-09T07:00:00.000+11:00

New Spacecraft store in Hawksburn

Did you know Spacecraft have just opened a second gorgeous Melbourne store in Hawksburn? (my favourite 'South of the river' shopping strip!) As you can see the store looks absolutely stunning... I've no doubt the Southside locals will enthusiastically welcome Stewart Russell's beautiful creations into their hearts and homes!

I totally have to do a Hawksburn shopping guide actually. The condensed pocket of shops clustered near the Malvern rd / Williams rd intersection is truly one of my favourite places in Melbourne to part with my hard-earned money...! I think part of the appeal is that it's not an overwhelming walk - just a small, select handful of fabulous shops including Husk, Plane Tree Farm, Manon Bis, AK Traditions (for unique kids presents)... and now Spacecraft too! Lovely!

Spacecraft Hawksburn
572 Malvern rd
Prahran East

Spacecraft Hawksburn

Interview - Abigail Crompton of Third Drawer Down

2009-11-06T07:00:00.001+11:00

Third Drawer Down designs - 'Tell me When' teatowel by David Shrigley, 'Can We Dance?' teatowel by Camilla Engman... and fabulous Miranda July pillowcases which you may or may not have also spotted a little while ago in Kat Macleod's house!

Teatowel heaven. Top - 'Waiting' by Pietari Posti (Spain). Bottom - 'Why did my dog run away?' by D.O.T.S. (USA/NZ)

Top - Third Drawer Down promo photo featuring many gorgeous Third Drawer Down teatowels! Bottom - the fabulous Third Drawer Down shop in Fitzroy.

Jeremy Wortsman thinks Abigail Crompton is pretty amazing. And if Jeremy thinks someone is amazing, then that's good enough for me!

Abigail is the creative entrepreneur and driving force behind Melbourne's much-loved Third Drawer Down. Third Drawer Down started life 8.5 years ago, creating fabulous limited edition 'too-beautiful-to-dry-your-dishes-with' tea towels, in collaboration with a seemingly endless pool of super-talented local and international artists. But if you thought TDD was just about tea towels, think again! 2.5 years ago, super smart Abi established the Third Drawer Down Agency, working with some seriously famous art museums (such as Tate Modern in London and MoMA in New York) to design and produce customised collectible (yet affordable) products for these highly acclaimed international galleries... Isn't that amazing!?

I am so impressed and encouraged by Abi's incredible achievements with Third Drawer Down! I am also truly inspired by her interview responses below! I particularly love her Louise Bourgeois story... an incredible example of visualising a dream scenario, which then almost instantly becomes a reality! Very Tony Robbins. (in a totally cool, indie, Melbourne kinda way).

In addition to creating limited edition products and consulting to every major cultural institution worth visiting in the world, TDD also curate a fabulous collection of homewares and kooky gifts in their friendly little retail store at 93 George st Fitzroy! I love LOVE the D-Bros apple / pear notepads (pictured below). Need / Want / Now.

Tell us a little about your background – what path led you to what you’re doing now?

Well, it was a “hop, skip and jump” journey to where I am now. My formal qualifications include a degree in Psychology and then many years of Fine Art. The many years were due to the lack of any art experience at school as I was a humanities kind of girl!

Once I realised I wasn’t going to be a Psychologist and I acknowledged my need to explore a more indulgent sense of the world, I sat down and started to draw. I put together a portfolio and got into art school as a Painting Major.

Five years later with exhibitions booked in for the next year, I was offered the position of Product Developer with the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV). Armed with an extensive background in retail from my family life and previous teenage jobs, I felt like I had found my niche in life that enabled my passion for the art world to continue to grow.

After a while, my direction was diverted when I was offered a role with Craft Victoria. This was the best move I have ever made in my employment history, as it opened up so many wonderful opportunities. I found that the craft community was so warm and inter-relational. I was introduced to many different kinds of materials, techniques and approaches in running a creative business.

Ultimately it is passion and integrity that I recognise and apply as my driving force within my own creative practice. I still exist as an artist but in my own mind.

What were your initial goals for Third Drawer Down, and how has the business grown and developed since these early days?

You know, not much has changed in the 8.5 years Third Drawer Down has been active. For sure, I have diversified the business into 3 cross-pollinating areas (project/agency/retail store). But my philosophy is exactly the same in everything that is Third Drawer Down.

When I originally sat down and wrote my vision for the project, I wanted to make art more accessible by taking ubiquitous objects and making them collectible yet affordable. I wanted to collaborate with as many amazing people I could squeeze into my lifetime (self indulgent), and travel the world working with people that have the same mission of finding the perfect balance between art and business.

The Third Drawer Down project (textiles etc.) was built on the premise that it would become a part of tradition, rather than a trend. Tea Towels have been around since the word was created, back in the days of Adam and Eve. So it is not as if Third Drawer Down created anything new. We use an object as a vehicle to something greater, as a conduit to question the formats of what makes art ‘art’.

I have always wanted to work with art museums. I bought an airline ticket 10 years ago and went to all the major art galleries around the world, to experience them personally and professionally. When I returned from overseas, I established the Third Drawer Down project with Limited Edition tea towels. My goal was always to open an agency to work with some of the most inspiring artists of our Century (I like to work with living breathing artists rather than “departed” ones, so I admit contemporary art is my vice).

2.5 years ago through a very natural progression, I established the Third Drawer Down Agency when working on the Louise Bourgeois exhibition for Tate Modern (see question below for more details). Since then our clients include MoMA, New Museum, International Centre of Photography in New York and Tate and Whitechapel Gallery in London and Queensland Art Gallery in Australia.

We are currently working with John Baldessari, Mickalene Thomas, Hank Willis Thomas and many other amazing artists but cannot disclose the details until after the individual exhibition launches in December ‘09 and January ‘10.

What have been some of your favourite Third Drawer Down collaborations?

My favourite collaborations ... mmmmm … well there are a few, and they all carry amazing stories as I have met such remarkable people through collaboration with them.

I have told this story a few times but it remains vividly in my mind. I have always had a major “art crush” on Louise Bourgeois.

Once upon a time, a few years ago, Tate in London invited me to meet with them working with them to discuss projects. The day before the meeting, I walked around Tate with my notebook listing all the artists I have dreamed of working with. Quite a list if I don’t say myself!

So there I was, sitting in the meeting the following day and the Tate opened the dialogue with the forthcoming Louise Bourgeois project, and I jumped in head first, telling them about my list of artists and my personal list being headed by Louise Bourgeois.

My meeting folk looked at each other, and slid a folder across the table, saying ‘”Well Abi, it is Louise Bourgeois we want you to work with”! How is that! I was so buzzed out, she so rocks my world and I couldn’t believe my fate in this scenario.

This was the first major project with a museum and the beginning of the Third Drawer Down Agency. During the fantastic project, I met Louise while in New York and she signed the prototype handkerchief we were developing as one of the editions – it reads “I HAVE BEEN TO HELL AND BACK. AND LET ME TELL YOU IT WAS WONDERFUL”.

What does a typical day involve you for?

My days are pretty wacky now. I split my week with my studio and home office. I have an amazing team at the studio/store who run the production and retail arms of Third Drawer Down with me.

As my clients range from bases in the USA to Europe, I am working from 6.00am in the morning to 11.00pm at night to catch their hours. So in between this timeframe, I can take non-work related “gaps” in my days.

My life is full of excitement, energy and wonder. I have other energetic people doing the things I don’t particularly enjoy eg. bookkeeping. I see myself as an artist spending time in the studio making marks and mixing colours of an idea – one of those work addicted souls really. I love what I do, and have learnt over the years, if you are going to like and respect what you do; you need to work with people you like and respect.

Third Drawer Down products for sale instore and online... Desperately need those D-bros apple/pear notepads!

How is your business structured?

I have an amazing team of 6 lovely people (Kathryn Foster, Brittney Bennett, Annette Wagner, Blythe Neve, Kate MacWhirter and Benn Franzmann) based here and in London. All with their own sense of worldly experience and relationships to art and design. They look after design/production, retail, wholesale, online store, public relations and new business, bookkeeping and the warehouse side of things.

Behind the scenes at Third Drawer Down!

Where do you turn for creative inspiration – nature, travel, books, magazines or the web etc?

I am a total art book and eccentric culture magazine addict! I used to work at Metropolis books when it was in St Kilda, and found this ultimate love for art books with glossy pages, not much writing (no time to read) and a world of visual paradise for my mind.

And travel – my favourite place that is not very far away from here that offers me everything as a sensory overload is Tokyo. I regularly visit once or twice a year for a global catch up.

And the Internet is a given – I wasn’t going to include this one on my inspiration list as it almost conveys that blinking is a device for inspiration.

Which designers, artists or creative people do you admire?

This is a biggy. There are so many “amaaaaaazing” people in the world - doing, making and thinking. So I have broken this question up into 2 parts for each discipline – one is a long term admiration and the second is a ‘now now’ crush that could turn into a long term admiration --

ART
Louise Bourgeois – LONG TERM ADMIRATION
Urs Fischer - NOW NOW CRUSH

DESIGNERS
Bless - LONG TERM
D-Bros - NOW NOW CRUSH

CREATIVE PEOPLE – (creative people are defined as general all rounders, they do lots of things and are hard to fit into one particular box.)
Miranda July - LONG TERM ADMIRATION
Betty Nguyen – First Person Magazine - NOW NOW CRUSH

What would be your dream creative project?

I am doing my dream projects right now.

Apartamento photo

What are you looking forward to?

Next year. Ohhhh, and my trip to Tokyo in a few weeks.

Melbourne Questions -

Aside from your own store, where would you recommend to shop in Melbourne for unique gifts/homewares and/or limited edition artwork?

My dear friend and neighbour (next door) at Lamington Drive have the best-looking limited edition prints on this side of the world. Jeremy and I have started our own mutual admiration society!

Safari Living in East Prahran, Felicity always has such an interesting and eclectic range of objects and textiles from around the world. And check out her new Online Store if you can’t handle crossing the river!

What/where was the last great meal you ate in Melbourne?

The Melbourne Wine Room in St Kilda. The back room is so beautiful, simple, and the food and service is brilliant. A perfect place to share a meal and catch up with old friends.

Where would we find you on a typical Saturday morning?

I love heading down to Café Rosamond in Charles Street (off Smith Street in Collingwood) and eating the best avocado, tomato and fetta on toast ever! Then to wonder around Gertrude Street, pop into the store before detouring to the Avenue Bookstore in Albert Park and be tempted to quench my book addiction yet again before heading home.

Melbourne’s best kept secret?

Well there are 2 new secrets that I have found, both on Smith Street and only doors away from each other.

One is the best chocolatier in Melbourne – called Monsieur Truffe – wow, it is good. Plus they have chocolate appreciation classes each month. I hope they don’t run out of chocolate now!

And the other space is The Social Studio – which everyone should know about, so please don’t keep this one a secret! The Social Studio is dedicated to providing education and employment opportunities to young people from a refugee background through social enterprise.

Third Drawer Down
Museum of Art Souvenirs
93 George Street
Fitzroy

03 9534 4088

Third Drawer Down bedlinen designs

And the winner is...

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Wowsers 92 comments in one day!? Thankyou so much to everyone who entered yesterday's giveaway - and especially for all your kind words about Beci's work and this blog! You guys are the bestest ever ;)

Annnddddd the winner is -

Rachel Lewis! Congratulations Rachel!

Please email me as soon as possible with your postal address details and the lovely Beci will send you your Beci Orpin goodies!

ps) I have finally discovered www.random.org which fantastically chooses a name at random and eliminates the need for me to write down everyone's names and pull the winner out of a hat!! Genius.

Beci Orpin - new range and GIVEAWAY!

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Lovely things from Beci Orpin's latest range

Friendly faces! (Cushion, brooch, pouch, cushion).

Beci Orpin is a bit clever, isn't she? She's just launched her new range of 'functional collectables' - things like cushions, purses, pouches, notebooks and brooches. I love how each piece has Beci's distinctive kooky character - those smiling cushions seem like such friendly faces to share your loungeroom with!

To launch her fab new range, Beci has generously offered a giveaway for Design Files readers! To get your hands on a cute little family of Beci's latest goodies - which *I think* includes a journal set, a leather animal pouch and a brooch - leave a comment here before the end of the day!

Stay tuned tomorrow and I'll let you know who won! Thanks Beci! ;)