FK chats to Sophie of fun and dreamy kids label Bed Toppings, debuting at the Brisbane Finders Keepers!
Tell us a bit about Bed Toppings and the dreamy products we can expect to discover?
Bed Toppings is all about making ordinary things fun. I love playing with scale and adding character to everyday objects. My first range of single sheets turn beds into giant objects. They use the shape and layers of the bed as a medium. My aim is to make going to sleep fun for little people because it’s such an important part of our day. When kids go to sleep happy they are more likely to sleep through the night and have fun dreams.
What inspired you to start your own label?
As a kid I always wanted to sleep on a giant piece of toast with butter as my sheet and pillow, with a tin spaghetti doona cover. In the summer I would change to a vegemite doona cover. I always wondered why bedsheets are so boring when it’s something that takes up a big space in your room. It feels like an area that’s been hidden away from creativity. So that’s how Bed Toppings started! I illustrate all the designs by hand first and then colour them digitally.
What inspires you?
I’m not Japanese but I feel like I should be! We share a love of cute things and like adding character to everyday objects. I’m so inspired by the way they craft every detail and create such beautiful, detailed packaging. I try to make sure there are lots of little surprising, fun details in my Toppings. I’m also inspired by street art projects such as Slinkachu who experiment with scale and make you smile.
What is your creative workspace like, and what inspires you about your surroundings?
I recently moved from the city to a cottage on a farm near Byron Bay. I have my grandfathers old rolltop desk where I draw and do my other freelance work. My friends say my studio is like being inside a cartoon because of all the trinkets I’ve collected. My colleagues are a grey cat called Buttons and a Jack Russell called Spuds. We make a pretty good team! The area around Byron is full of artists and creative people doing their own thing. It’s been the perfect place to start a new project and be able to have a warehouse where I store all my precious Toppings.
What challenges have you faced starting your own label, and what are some things you love about it?
I love the emails I get from people! It’s funny, once you put something out there in the public space people just start talking to you. I get emails from kids and parents that have me in stitches. The hard work is all worth it when I hear from a kid who really loves his Chocolate Bar bed.
I’m used to working as part of a creative team so it was liberating (and scary) producing something all on my own. I soon found out there’s a reason why most bedding has a repetitive pattern… it’s because it’s much easier to produce! It’s also quite tricky choosing which designs to make. Initially I wanted to make 10 but could only afford to make 4 which is why I try to make them unisex. I can’t wait to show everyone my other designs sometime soon.
What aspirations do you have for your label in the future?
I want to keep creating work that surprises you and make you smile. I’ve literally had hundreds of emails from people asking for cot sheets and adult sizes so that’s next on my list. My next release will be some special little cot sheets… they are nearly ready so watch this space! I’m also cooking up other textile ideas that aren’t related to beds and would love to make lemon cordial from my farm.
