FK talks to Sydney fashion designer, Beattie.

Tell us a little more about your self titled clothing label, Beattie.

My name is Beatrice Lanser, but most people call me Beattie. So when deciding on a name for my own Fashion label I decided on “Beattie” as I knew I would never tire of it and it feels comfortable to me. I once wrote to the Royal Family in England when Princess Beatrice was born to tell them that they may like to call her Beattie as a nickname, as it seemed to work well for me. I have clearly always felt like I had something to say! Not following fashion trends, I seek to make clothes that are fun, special and naive. These are clothes you can wear with your favourite vintage cardigan or the tailored Jacket you stole from your Grandpa or that t shirt you picked up last year. All the fabrics I use are made for royalty – think linen, silk, cotton and wool. The unique textiles are limited editions, designed in house and hand screen printed in Sydney by a wonderful family business. All the clothes are handmade by me in a studio on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, though I am hoping to use some local businesses to help me next year.

Can you share your experiences so far and how it lead you to fashion design?

I grew up learning arts and crafts from my mother and grandmothers and learning how to draw from my architect father. When I was old enough I studied a Bachelor of Design in Fashion and Textiles graduating with Honours in 2003.  After studying, my first job was with Sandra Thom a Sydney Fashion designer who learnt how to drape in India. Everything was made by a team of four people including myself in a small room above a shop in Paddington. Each piece was absolutely unique and contained a variety of vintage fabrics in natural fibres and all handstitched together with quilters running stitch. I then moved to London where I worked in design and quality control for a gentlemans shirtmaker and learnt to love menswear and classic styling. Both these jobs influenced me immensely and when I was brave enough, I started my own fashion label in 2008 that brought together my love of handstitching and classic styling.

We love your unique prints! Where do you find the inspiration?

I like looking at what is around me and then reflecting simple elements into drawings. Things that inspire me are: my friends, vintage fabrics, handpainted crockery, architecture details, the sea, gardens, indoor plants, travels to other cultures and movies that make my heart sing. For instance at the moment I have “Gulgong Bessa” which was inspired by the humble Besser Bricks from this sixties public swimming pool in Gulgong [near Mudgee]. I just love their pattern and repeat and the positive negative space and also the feeling I had swimming there last summer. One of the other prints “Rio boardwalk” was inpsired by a trip I took to Brazil last year. There is this landscapre architect who designed a lot of the public walkways, spaces and gardens in Brazil, Roberto Burle Marx – I was so blown away by his work. Rio Boardwalk is my interpretation of the paving on Copacabana beach promenade. I love designing my own prints , that has definately helped me to stand out in the fashion crowd though it is one of the scariest parts too! As the moments when I decide on my prints and the colourways for the season requires great courage and confidence.

What piece of advice would you give to others starting out?

Be you. Have a go. There are a lot of people who talk about what they want to do, but not many who actually do it. It does take great courage to put yourself out in the world on show and be truly you, but the truth is that only you can do what you can do. So why not do what you love! I also remembering getting overwhelmed as my brain catapulted too far into the future. I found that by starting small and having achievable goals was most helpful to me. So instead of saying I am going to design a whole collection and sell it and manufacture it, I just focused on making this one dress, in 2 colours and my own textile print and see how it goes. I knew I could do that. And I did and it has grown from there.

What creative activities do you enjoy in Sydney?

I actually really love Sydney. I love swimming in the ocean looking at the underwater creatures, it is like a special art gallery that requires goggles to see the colours and shapes. I love going to the Sydney Biennale on the old ferries to Cockatoo Island. I love going to see live music, especially at the Enmore Theatre. The acoustics are amazing and it is such a beautiful building. I really enjoy small cafes in Manly, Surry Hills and Darlinghurst. Sitting in cafes is seriously delightful people whatching. I often get inspired by what people are wearing and what they are talking about. I have also been selling at various markets around Sydney and this is seriously fun. But the people you get to meet, the stories you get to tell, the stories you get to hear, it truly encourages my carnival nature! Rozelle markets is a favourite of mine for seaching for that peice of old fabric or hand printed postcard or an enamel bowl, a perfect Sunday activity.

What can we expect from Beattie in 2011?

Well Beattie is going to get bigger in 2011! I have just gone full time on “Beattie” so that I can open my very own shop in Fairlight (just up the hill from Manly), New South Wales! This is something I have not even dared to dream about too much! So I am pretty excited. The shop will be full of clothing for men and women, accessories, handknits and some other things not to be let out of the bag quite yet. So, new textile designs, new styles, new website and some of the classic old Beattie styles to keep me and my customers relaxed.

www.wearbeattie.com.au

FK chats to Melinda, from Sydney based fashion label Roger + Peach.

Tell us a little about your sweet label, Roger + Peach.
Roger + Peach is a small handmade women’s wear and accessories label of the girly, cute and feminine variety that has been brought into existence slowly but surely by myself. It was originally dreamt up by three friends (myself and my 2 besties at the time) in a dusty lounge room when we were young and naive or vivacious and enthusiastic which is how I like to think of it. We were going to Start Roger + Peach and take over the world from what I remember! I then stuck with the name because it had history (Roger dodger was my car’s name and Mama peachy was my besties car’s name and that’s how we came up with the name) And over time R+P’s aesthetic silently evolved and it is what it is today.

What is your creative background and how did it lead you to where you are now?
I had always been the creative type. After studying Certificate 4 in Design at TAFE I thought I wanted to be an Interior Designer and fashion didn’t really register on my radar. Not long after I had finished this course I got a job at a well know fabric store in the dress department which meant spending many a day dreaming up what lovely garments I could whip together with all the beautiful fabrics surrounding me. It was only then that it finally clicked that fashion was what I wanted to do. I studied an advanced Diploma in Fashion Design and after deciding to leave the course early I rented some studio space. 2 years later, along with lots of learning, lots of mistakes and finally getting my act together to hold weekly market stalls at Glebe and Bondi I have been able to quit my day job and become a fully self employed fashion designer.

What do you find the most challenging about running your label?
Because I am a one woman show I am the accountant, the book keeper, the web designer, the marketing director, creative director, designer, graphic designer, pattern maker, seamstress, quality control officer and sales girl amongst other things which at times becomes very over whelming. This in turn makes organising myself tricky sometimes as I often feel like I need to be doing 20 things at the same time.
I also find it challenging to know when to stop. My partner has banned me from bringing any work home because this is the only time we get to see each other so those few hours every evening we have together have become precious. I am definitely getting better at all the above which is a positive thing and in saying all that, the benefits and pay off’s of running your own business far out way the challenges.

What other creative hobbies do you have?
To be honest I don’t have any other creative hobbies because at this point in time Roger + Peach is a 7 day a week business. Although I do devour magazines at an alarming rate… does that count?!

What are you inspired by at the moment and how does that translate into your range?
At the moment I am working on my summer collection for the markets. This is inspired by water color floral’s which basically translates into pretty colours like peach, Tiffany blue, corals, citrus yellows along with soft flowers like poppies & peonies. This will be translated into soft floaty silk and cotton dresses, skirts and tops that will be screen printed with floral imagery and lots of accessories that combine techniques such as crochet and beading.

What are your dreams for Roger & Peach in the future?
The ultimate dream for Roger + Peach would be to open up a shop stocking not only my range but also supporting local and national designers. All of my stockists have been very supportive and understanding and I in turn would like to be able to return the favour one day to them and to also give small emerging labels the leg up that I have received again and again.

www.rogerandpeach.net

FK talks to lovely Nina from Brissy based fashion label, Kindling

Introduce us to your brand, Kindling.
Kindling is clothing and paper goods created from all that juicy-designy-crafty-moosh that was once ideas in my heart. Inspired by beautiful old teacups, Scandinavian and Japanese design and 1950′s wallpapers, I draw pictures, pattern-make dresses, screen print textiles and hand sew the cutest buttons I can lay my hands on.

What inspired you to start your label?
I was always on the hunt for beautiful vintage fabric from around the world. When I found something amazing I would try to make the perfect piece from it. Sometimes it would work and sometimes I would cry because I knew it was unsalvageable- I knew I had to learn pattern making and how to make clothes properly. I was the only person in my college who didn’t want to have a label but when I finished I could see the potential of my ideas now being a reality as I had skills to make it work every time. Kindling grew from menswear, to children’s tees and now I have worked up to a women’s collection which I love.

Describe your creative workspace.
Firstly I have one beautifully sunlit fabric/sewing/making room. Secondly, one darkish concrete space under the house with big tables for printing pattern making and cutting. And thirdly, my backyard – where I take my macbook and work on a table under a very old and beautiful frangipani tree surrounded by my vegie patch and the neighbourhood crows and birds.

What advice would you give others starting out?
If you have passion and ideas that are truly yours, that will never run out, so go for it, because there is nothing more inspiring then somebody doing what they love and sharing that with the world.

What do you love about living in Brisbane as a creative?
I live just 200m from the best gelati this side of Italy, (not to mention a plethora of yummy dinner options and cake!) we have beautiful galleries on a beautiful river, a supportive indy designer crowd, and I think we have one of the best indy music scenes – so many great bands it makes me proud!

What are the next stages for Kindling?
The women’s Spring/Summer collection is in production, Christmas card packs are being sampled, and three new illustrations for card designs. On the side I offer illustration for business branding and graphic design and there are few projects brewing there too. I love working with people so its really exciting at the moment!

www.kindling.com.au

FK talks to Jen from Sydney fashion accessories label, South for the Summer.

Give us a summary about what South for the Summer is.
Perhaps you could help me with that one?! I always fall back on Milliner, but I don’t actually make hats, rather headpieces, headbands, crowns, bows etc… I guess South for the Summer is a niche millinery!

What is your background in design and how has it lead to where you are today?
I trained as a makeup artist which is probably why colour is so important to me and my work. When I moved to Melbourne for a couple of years I worked in an old fashioned perfumery where I wore vintage dresses and I began to make ‘20s style hair pieces for myself. People were buying them off my head in the shop. So when I moved back to Sydney for love, I decided it was time to try to make this into a business and almost 2 years later I’m still my own boss. Happiness! (I also credit the Childrens Encyclopedia, Volume 13 “Make and Do”. I’m pretty sure I made every single project in that book in my early years, I’m sure it’s helped along the way.)

What do you love about having your own label?
Everything! It’s the most flexible job, lifestyle wise it couldn’t be better. I can work whenever I want, and I am really productive at night, so I can begin making things later in the day. To be able to use my hands and make things all day long still makes me pinch myself, that this is my own business. When I see people wearing something I’ve made walking down the street – that is surreal.

Describe your creative process.
I am a very tactile person, so it’s easier for me to pick up materials and begin to try to make something from an image in my mind than to draw it first. Generally playing with materials, bending, cutting, sewing, folding, and then something just happens organically. I might have been influenced by a colour in a painting, and all of a sudden an idea just works and translates to something inspired and wearable.

Where do you find inspiration, and what inspires you about your surroundings?
Two colours next to each other can be enough to set my mind in a spin! It can be on a book cover, a rug, someone’s outfit, nature, anywhere. Old children’s books, the simplicity of Bruno Munari and Enzo Mari. I know exactly what I like and what aesthetically pleases my eye. Trawling through books of Art deco jewellery and looking up at art deco buildings in the city inspired the lines and shapes of my latest collection. Shapes, patterns and colours are my big loves so vintage clothing shops like Zoo, visiting the MCA, and endless clicking through beautiful image blogs are constant sources for me. When I have that lightbulb moment it literally fills me with adrenalin and I make and make and make until it’s done. I can’t take my time and wait until tomorrow. My studio is filled with natural light which is really important, and my image boards on my walls have all sorts of pictures, and collectibles hanging from them and it’s funny how something that you see everyday for a year or more, can one day just jump out at you and be responsible for a whole new design direction.

What exciting things can we expect from South for the Summer next season?
Well! Leather is my current obsession and its texture and colours are sublime. I’m playing with new ways and techniques to use it. However, patchworks, embroidery, weaving and clashing colours are on my mind in upside down sort of ways. The best place for clues is on my blog – www.jensouthforthesummer.blogspot.com!

www.southforthesummer.etsy.com

FK talks to the lovely ladies who run Melbourne based Thread Den

Tell us about your store Thread Den and the concept behind it.
Thread Den North Melbourne opened in November 2007, because we saw there was a need for a hub for aspiring designers and for craft enthusiasts to get together and form industry contacts or just meet like-minded people. We believe Thread Den was the first drop-in sewing lounge offering classes and retail under the same roof in Australia. It was really important to us to be involved in the community and be an inclusive, inviting space for both total beginner sewers and experienced crafters and seamstresses alike.

What are your individual backgrounds and what lead you to where you are today?
The Thread Den la dies come from pretty different backgrounds. Melissa has a business background, but is also a designer with her own label, Ishee. Kylie completed Costume Design at TAFE and also has her own label, Oh Bluebird. Tennille is our admin guru, while I have a background in English and copy writing. However, we all love vintage fashion, and of course sewing and all things handmade.

What do you look for in the labels & product in your store?
They must be Australian-made, well-constructed, offer something unique, and of course, we love vintage influences.

What has been the most successful aspect of your first store?
The sewing classes for beginners have been a huge hit. We still find our Sewing Basics Module 1 and 2 booking out weeks in advance. We love that some people have now completed all our basics classes, moved on to our advanced projects and are now really accomplished sewers – it makes us feel like proud parents!

What inspires you about your surroundings and what other aspects about Melbourne do you love?
Both North Melbourne and Fitzroy are vibrant communities, with great comraderie between both store owners and the locals. North Melbourne has a lovely laid back, quirky and stylish feel. Fitzroy on the other hand is go-go-go at all hours, with an energetic, eclectic vibe. Of course we love that Melbourne seems to be the craft hub of Australia at the moment, with so many fantastic clothing, accessory and textile designers. We really are spoilt for choice in respect to labels to stock in the store. We often have people coming from interstate to visit Thread Den.

What challenges have you faced working together and running your own business?
We are all confessed workaholics, and often feel that there are not enough hours in the day to bring all of our (somewhat ambitious) ideas to fruition. We’re constantly organising events such as our annual show for Melbourne Spring Fashion Week, our classes program for the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival, taking part in the Stitches and Craft show, or holding our own in-house events. In short, we’re always biting off almost more than we can chew!  However, we’re all pretty good at supporting each other when we’re flat out.

All the specific details:

North Melbourne
Level 1, 16 Errol St
North Melbourne, VIC 3051
Phone: 9329 5305

Opening Hours – North Melbourne
Tuesday-Thursday 12-6pm
Friday 12-7pm
Saturday 10-5pm

Fitzroy
422 Brunswick St
Fitzroy, VIC 3065
Phone: 9486 9821

Opening Hours – Fitzroy
Mon-Thursday 12-6pm
Friday 12-7pm
Saturday 10-5pm
Sunday 11-5pm

www.threadden.com

FK talks to Nathan and Clea, behind Melbourne fashion and jewellery brand, Limedrop who were also featured last December at our Sydney Markets.

Tell us about the Limedrop label and what we can expect to find.
We do both fashion and jewellery. Our clothing has a strong theme each season and plays with proportion, colour and mixture of classic and modern styling. Our jewellery is a little more whimsical and graphic, we take traditionally cute images and add that little bit of mischief. We usually use laser cutting techniques but stick with wood and laminated materials so there is an air of the familiar but a uniqueness that makes it special to each wearer.

When did you start and how has it evolved?
We started Limedrop in Queensland and shortly after moved to Melbourne to grow the label. Our first clothing collection was Clea’s graduating collection and the range has grown in size and strength each season. The jewellery range came about as the result of a mobile that we made for an exhibition held at one of our retailers, Milly Sleeping. We had a few pieces left and made them into necklaces which we popped in the jewellery cabinet on the opening night. There were originally 5 pieces and we’ve just finished our new collection which is 216 pieces.

What is your background and what lead you to having your own label?
Clea has a degree in Fashion from QUT and I have a degree in Marketing also from QUT. We decided to start a label together when we realised it was too much for Clea to take on herself.

What or who inspires you?
We take inspiration from all disciplines of design, internationally and locally. When ever we have a spare moment we take the chance to go over our favorite blogs and design sites. I guess we like aesthetically nice things and looking at what other people have made inspires us to create pieces that hopefully instil the same emotions.

How has the journey been so far of running and growing the label?
Without beating around the bush, it’s been a lot of hard work. But it’s all starting to pay off and the ride has been fun. We’re very proud of what we’ve achieved and are really excited to see what the next year holds for us.

What do you love most about living and designing in Melbourne?
The life style is pretty damn good. You’ve got to love (and hate) the weather and clothes you’re able to get away with. Our friends are great and the industry here in Melbourne is very friendly and helpful. We’re not knocking other cities, we just like the life we’ve got here in Melbourne!

www.limedrop.com.au

FK talks to Samantha from Sydney based Fashion label Samantha Chan

Can you sum up Samantha Chan the brand in 3 words?
Whimsical, quirky and nostalgic

Where do you find inspiration and what appeals to you?
When designing my range, I will often think of the whole story. The story can be triggered from anywhere; a particular time in history, a character in a film, a theatrical set, a place I have travelled to or a costume in a play. Design images start to form in my head and then they somehow fall together into a collection. I love to take things from the past, dust them off and bring them it into a modern light.

What hobbies or interests do you have which influence the nature of your brand?
I have a love of all design disciplines. After dabbling in design school with graphics, textiles and spatial/environments design, it was fashion that remained closest to my heart. I find myself using my multi-disciplinary design background and translating it into fashion. It has really shaped the way I look at traditional garment construction. I love the unconventional use of traditional details and manipulation of conventional silhouettes.

What has been the highlight of starting your own label so far?
There hasn’t been that one pivotal moment since starting the label that I could call my greatest highlight. Since starting the label I’ve had my fair share of ups and downs. I get excited over the little things; seeing a range fall together, watching a complete collection come down the runway, seeing some one on the street wearing my label and having someone ask me where my dress is from!

What challenges have you overcome to get this far?
Mostly having to take on all the different roles involved in establishing and running a fashion label. It’s not all about tinkering around in a design studio and I learnt that very quickly! I’ve had to get my head around commercial production, marketing and selling my ranges. It can be a bit overwhelming and I sometimes feel like yelling “I’m a designer! I never signed up for any of this other stuff!”

What can we look forward to from you in the next range?
I’m currently designing my spring/summer range for 2010/2011 which is a continuation of my last autumn/winter range ”Odette et Odile”. I was watching a documentary about the Ballet Russe one day and was completely inspired. Odette and Odile are opposing characters from the infamous ballet “Swan Lake”. The good and the evil swan represent purity and innocence verses seduction and temptation. In my next range I want to play around more with detailing and silhouettes inspired by dancers costumes that have a lot of movement and grace.  I also wanted to evoke the temptress and bring a bit of edginess to my style. I’m not quite sure what I’ll do after that…probably stay clear away from anything swan and ballet related! I want to make sure the label keeps evolving and continue to play and experiment with different things.

www.samanthachan.com.au

FK talks to Rabia from Sydney label Ginny & Jude Designs about her range of fashion accessories.

Tell us about the name Ginny and Jude Designs and what we can expect to find:
At its core, Ginny & Jude Designs create items of fancy for the perennially overdressed amongst us. The signature collection of headwear is complemented by seasonally inspired ranges of jewellery, belts, knitwear and clothing. I came up with the names Ginny & Jude after looking through old cigarette card photos of actresses from the early 1900s. Ginny & Jude were two characters that I imagined encapsulating two specifically unique aspects of femininity back then – the sexy, mysterious vamp and the light, mischievous nymphet. Everything I create addresses an aspect of styling these two characters as they flit between seasons and contexts.

What is your background and how does it affect the outcomes of the pieces?
I worked for costume jewellery designer Victoria Spring for several years and her design and production team taught me the basics of construction, form and the skills required to create handmade fashion jewellery. A sense of theatre and whimsy was definitely instilled in me through working there. Every day was another excuse to put together a fabulously over-the-top outfit! Although not as obvious, my formal training as a writer has meant I instinctively make a narrative of every collection I put together.

What inspired you to start your own label?
I had been collecting vintage and antique pieces for years – textiles, millinery, crystals, cabochons, findings – and about 18 months ago, after a gentle push from my friends, I decided that I would do something with them for other people. I wanted to create pieces which were outlandish and theatrical – handcrafted accessories that ‘made’ an outfit.

Describe the creative process
Generally it starts with the smallest idea – the light in an old photo, the shape of leaves, evocative smells – pretty much any single thing that stands out. I think ‘well, that’s pretty neat’, and play and build upon it until I’ve created something complete. It’s not a very conscious activity; it’s more like colour-coding ideas. A great deal of my work is made from vintage and antique materials that I restore by hand before re-imagining into something new and unique. The craftsmanship and care intrinsic to each of these small pieces of history provide my most constant source of inspiration.

What are some of the challenges you faced running your own business?
Being the director, designer, production team, PR and marketing manager, web technician, book-keeper, graphic designer, data entry clerk and stylist can be overwhelming. It’s an awful lot of work for one brain to keep up with, but I now have the most wonderful holistic understanding of my business. Thankfully I work best when required to multi-task!

What can we look forward to from Ginny & Jude Designs in 2010
Currently I’m working on ‘Harlequin’; my Winter 2010 collection. Its focal point is a delicious colour palette of cream, buttercup, coral, blue and green with accents of charcoal, black and navy. In winter when clothing tends towards the darker hues, this will be a fabulous range of accessories to inject colour and spirit: fluffy pom-poms, pearls, stripes, and structured dyed quills and straw. I’m quite excited about it as it’s a bit of a departure from previous work I’ve done and feels like the most ‘complete’ collection I’ve put together so far.

www.ginnyandjude.com

FK talks to Ping from The Empress Dowager’s New Jewels about her creative world. The Empress Dowager’s New Jewels was featured at the last Sydney Markets in December.

Introduce us to The Empress Dowager’s New Jewels and what can we expect to find?
The Empress Dowager’s New Jewels are my cheeky take on those old-school over-the-top drippy-drapey heirloom jewellery. They are made with “gems” fashioned from scraps of jewel-hued Marimekko textile that I’ve collected over the years, new fabric that I can’t help buying and also those that I’ve “reclaimed” from things like vintage cushion covers and clothes that I don’t use anymore. The “gems” are then put together in “settings” that resemble those of the old expensive numbers but in more exaggerated and abstract forms. I think of them as caricatures of the real deal.
You can expect to find overstated and drama-mama 100% hand-stitched (with love!) neckpieces that are all one-offs. They make a super-amplified statement but do not weigh a tonne and will not turn your neck all green and rashy if you are one who is allergic to certain metals. Unlike the heirloom pieces, you can safely wear and show them off without having to pay a hefty sum in insurance.

What is the story behind the name and what inspired you to start?
The name is a very obvious spin on Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Emperor’s New Clothes”. The Empress Dowager’s New Jewels is similarly about how we look at things and why we choose to see them the way we see them – like how I look at the shower cap-like pieces that I’ve modeled out of cloth and see “precious stones”. Not “Empress”, “Queen” or “Princess” but “Empress Dowager” because it’s a Chinese thing and it’s the family’s nickname for the grandma (quite a tyrannical matriarch like the notorious Empress Dowager Cixi) who taught me how to make these “gems” when I was a little girl.
We used to make things like blankets, rugs and placemats from these “gems” then but it was not until late-2008 that I decided to re-explore the method again, to make wearable objects out of them.
I’ve had all these ideas for The Empress Dowager’s New Jewels floating around in my head for ages but I’ve never had the time to see them to fruition because of my time-and-energy-sapping day-job. After I quit that job and while looking for a new one, I had all the time in the world to translate those ideas into tangible pieces and to my surprise, they worked! And I’ve not stopped since.

What is your creative process and what inspires your work?
The Empress Dowager’s New Jewels, in the beginning, were inspired by designers/artists who make things that perform their intended functions but not from the traditional materials that we have come to expect. Like wearable dresses made out of paper instead of cloth, plates that look like china but are shaped from paper, or a blow-up Chesterfield sofa made from PVC instead of leather. Things with an added twist that will make me to do a double-take after the first glance of appreciation. Things that are out-of-the ordinary yet subtly so. Preferably with a dose of wit and humour throw in.
Now, a year later, I am still very much inspired by these designers/artists and their work (they keep churning out such good stuff and then there are always new people to discover!) but over the course of the year, I find that I also get a lot of ideas from things that I see all around me – on the streets, on the internet, magazines, books, television, films…everywhere!
The fabric “gems” are like my LEGO bricks. There are only a few sizes of “gems” that I like to use. If I make them too big, they will not hold their shapes and if I go any smaller than the smallest, it’ll be hard to “puff”. And I insist on hand-stitching everything, from each individual “gem” (there is no machine that I know of that can do the job…yet) to joining them together.

While some might find it restrictive, I thoroughly enjoy having to work within such perimeters. It forces me to creatively use what little that I have available to me to come up with a good product. Like making a Dogme 95 film, perhaps?

How has the journey been so far since you have launched your label?
Like all ventures, self-funded or not, there are ups and downs.
The decision to pursue it full-time, without a day-job for financial back-up, was a big one. It took a lot of getting used to, from getting a steady monthly income to not knowing if I’m going to sell enough every month to make rent. But it was one of those “either-or” situations – making the New Jewels is a very time-consuming process which I don’t think I’ll be able to do if I had continued working at my long-hours back-breaking day-job. Now, I work just as many hours each day on the New JeweIs but I’ve enjoyed and still am enjoying every minute that I’ve spent on them. I still am not sure if I’ve made the right decision but I’m a happier and much healthier person albeit a poorer one.
However, all the doubts get banished to the back of my head when I think of all the lovely people that I’ve met because of The Empress Dowager’s New Jewels. It’s a completely different feeling when I hear strangers tell me how much they love my work compared to hearing the same words from friends, strangers who love them enough to be “swindled” into buying them and some coming back for more. Then there are the other designers/makers who have lavished my work with generous praises when they make things that are more beautiful themselves. It’s all very exhilarating and humbling at the same time.

What was your experience like at the Finders Keepers and what did you learn the most?
At risk of sounding cheesy, it was like a dream-come-true! I’ve been a fan of the Finders Keepers since their early days when they were known as The Hope Street Markets, operating out of a small hired restaurant space in Surry Hills. I said to myself then, “When I finally get my act together to make things to sell, I want to show at this market one day.” You can’t imagine my glee when I received news that my application for a stall at the Spring/Summer 2009 markets has been accepted! To have my work shown next to designers/makers that I’ve admired for a long long time. *Fangirl-like squeals*
And it was so well-organised for an event of that scale! From all the updates that the wonderful and extremely helpful organisers sent out regularly to keep us in the loop to the ease of setting up on the markets days. They made everything such a breeze and I’ll do it all over again if they’ll have me back.
I’ve learnt that, apart from selling, it’s important to have fun too. Get to know your neighbours (we had such a hoot with ours! Hello, Finchbird!), chat to the more established and experienced designers/makers and learn from them, have a good nosey-around and be inspired by their work. Oh, and shop early, before the doors open to the public.

What are you currently working on for 2010?
I’ve started working on pieces for Autumn/Winter 2010.
First up, re-visiting a “setting” – the “Milky Way” – that I developed early last year but have used only once since. It’s a long scarf-like strand of “gems” in various sizes (see pics above)…that you can wear in a multitude of ways.

This Winter, The Empress Dowager’s New Jewels “go to the gym” with a lot of athletic grey coupled with bright bursts of neon mesh.
There will also be pieces in traditional Winter-y fabric such as tweed, suede and tartan in a variety of colourways. And of course more will be added to the bright printed heavyweight cotton range.
A “bejewelled” capelet and hand muff are in the works – more fun things to add to your Winter wardrobe, if I succeed with the prototypes!
Then there are the three special pieces that I have to make for an exhibition (my second!) at the new Gaffa gallery – been wanting to incorporate embroidery and embellishments into the New Jewels so these pieces might be a good start to trying that idea out.
And I really really need to get The Empress Dowager’s New Jewels out there! I’ve spent so much time the last year perfecting them but have neglected the marketing side of things besides taking them to three design markets. Like finding retailers – local, overseas, online, in the “real” world – who might want to stock them. (Retailers, if you like what I do and are reading this, I’d love it if you got in touch!)

I love love love textile and would like to find some textile designers, if they are keen, to have a bit of fun doing a collaboration range together? It would be such an experience to have an opportunity to work with and learn from other like-minded people. Any takers? likklegirl@gmail.com
So many ideas, so much to do but there are only so many hours in one day!

theempressdowagersnewjewels.blogspot.com