The Polka

Polka ChocolatePolka ChocolatePolka Chocolate

Chocolate lovers with high design priorities can rejoice.  Polka Chocolate is a brand new NZ producer of the black gold. Made using fairly traded organic cacao beans from the Dominican Republic they have gone into true experimentation mode with their debut range of Sesame Toffee, Crystallised Rose, Salted Hazelnut, Coconut Chip and no frills Original ! THEN they designed that packaging! I spotted and purchased my bar from the Simon James Concept Store and I see that they are at Flotsam + Jetsam in Auckland as well, but if you are interested they advise to drop them an email and they will let you know a stockist nearby. Looks like an online store is in the works too.

 

Posted in food, graphic design, New Zealand | 1 Comment

Tassels

Alexandra ZumboAlexandra ZumboAlexandra Zumbo

Alexandra Zumbo. Riding the perfect balance of tassels vs metals vs colour.

 

 

 

 

Posted in Australia, jewellery | Leave a comment

Takewei

TakewaiTakewai

Australian creative; Chela Edmunds has worked with brands like Vera Wang and DKNY as a textile designer, but in 2012 she returned to her homeland to indulge her love of ceramics and hence Takewei was born. Those beautiful little wombat planters are just part of her growing collection of work.

 

Posted in art, Australia, product | Leave a comment

home candy

Some of you keen eyed design fiends might have already spotted the collaborative collection between top NZ stylist LeeAnn Yare and homewares brand General Eclectic…but I thought I would share you with my favourites anyway (which are topped by those cool little guys above!) The range brings LeeAnn’s love of graphic shapes and block colour to products that includes cabinets, dining chairs, lush velvet vintage inspired cushions to contemporary tableware and storage. You can see more here as well as a list of stockists which include LeeAnn’s bustling colour mecca; Collected .

LeeAnn Yare for Genera EclecticLeeAnn Yare for Genera Eclectic

 

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HAPA - Studio HomeMaureen Taane and Yuri Bacas Hosaka

When I wrote my wishlist of people to interview in Christchurch – Maureen Taane and Yuri Bacas Hosaka of HAPA were at the top. Initially this was due totally to how excited I was to see a brand new NZ focused design store spring up after the 2011 earthquake. But following our afternoon together, my appreciation and understanding of their business was quite different. HAPA is more than a store, it is a positive and exciting project aimed at cultivating local creative talent and giving it a platform. Exciting really is the right word for it.

HAPA - Studio HomeHAPA - Studio HomeHAPA - Studio Home

I had been invited to join the pair at Yuri’s Southshore home for their weekly off site meeting. The fact that the store is a container means that nitty gritty business discussion generally finds little privacy from customers – so lunch at home works well.

It was here while munching on cake and being entertained by Yuri and husband Anthony’s wee girl; Yuki, that I learnt about the roots of this partnership. Up until the February 2011 earthquake, Maureen had managed the city’s most popular and iconic design store; The Vault for 17 years. As someone that grew up in Canterbury I can vouch for the fact that the place was an institution and was responsible for many a perfect gift giving! Yuri trained in Industrial Design with a background of involvement in international start-up scene, most recently participating in the local TEDxChristchurch.

HAPA - Studio HomeHAPA - Studio HomeIt was following the devastating earthquake that spelled the end of The Vault and a vast portion of the local creative industry, that Yuri’s brain got ticking. She began to mull over forming a multi disciplinary space that could help reconnect the community and offer creatives an environment to continue their work. But through her initial research she quickly discovered that suitable commercial spaces were extremely thin on the ground. A downsize of the concept was needed and she settled on a plan for a store.

HAPA - Studio HomeHAPA - Studio Home

She then reached out to her super experienced friend Maureen, who shared her passion and they started to created a plan together. Their store would aim to offer Christchurch designers and creatives an outlet to sell their work – the vast majority of these types of stores had all but gone so there was definitely a niche that needed filling.  At this stage the pair were then able to take advantage of the Business Hub that had been set up at the Westpac Trust Centre, where all resources and support were provided for free.
Despite now hunting for a smaller footprint, the search for a space was drawing dead end after dead end. That was until the Re: START container mall was proposed for the former Cashel Mall location and finally the women had a home for their project. As the only “new” business going in the mall, just 5 weeks to prepare before the opening and Yuri falling pregnant just 2 weeks into their new partnership, the pressure was on!

HAPA - Studio HomeHAPA - Studio HomeHAPA - Studio HomeFittingly – the story  from this point is an incredibly uplifting one. We wrapped up our cake eating and headed back along the bumpy New Brighton roads, threading through the newly opened central city (where I TOTALLY got lost with the absence of all my former landmarks!) to the Re:START mall and the glowing windows of the little HAPA store.

Yuri and Maureen have definitely achieved what they set out to do and are currently working with 127 local suppliers. These include artists displaced from the closed Arts Centre precinct, established local designers and a large number of makers that have been scouted and then developed by the team themselves. Following their opening they watched the shape of the city centre change. What was a predominately a popular shopping area for inner city workers and local visitors now hosts are far larger portion of tourists than before. The support and interest shown by bus loads of cruise ship visitors, Australians and even domestic tourists has been heart warming and unprecedented.

HAPA - Studio HomeHAPA - Studio Home

To date they have resisted the pull of lush trade fairs and instead continue to pour time into sourcing local designers who they then offer support on pricing, branding, packaging and product development. Essentially, an invaluable relationship for many creatives who struggle with the reality of offering something that actually has a market. The shop is littered with “Made in Christchurch” tags and plaques profiling the makers. For customers this adds value and integrity to their choices and for the creatives, a way to further extend their exposure.

HAPA - Studio HomeHAPA - Studio HomeHAPA - Studio Home

Maureen and Yuri are also inspiring in the fact that while HAPA might be their passion, its certainly not their only priority.  Maureen runs the music label Tikidub with her brother and sister, often requiring her to leave town for days at a time. While Yuri juggles caring for her young family and the admin involved in owning the only green zoned house in a block of red zone. Like the rest of Christchurch they have had to deal with the rolling aftershocks and the business issues that accompany that. But. They continue to be future focused, inspiring and …well… completely awesome.

HAPA - Studio Home

All photography by Julia Atkinson for Studio Home

 

WHAT I LEARNT FROM YURI AND MAUREEN:
Change – as scary and as disruptive as it can be, does make way for new opportunity if you choose to be brave enough to take it.

 

Posted in art, Creative HQ, emerging designer, fashion, Home, jewellery, New Zealand, product | 3 Comments

The Dogbox

Patch Work Architecture - image Paul McCredie.When I was in Wellington 10 days ago I was invited by Designmade to speak to local interior designers and industry specialists about the pro’s of having an online presence and demystifying social media. Before my presentation I got to join the rest of the audience to hear about a verrrrryyy awesome and inspiring project taken on by the 3 young architects of Patch Work Architecture.

Ben Mitchell-Anyon, Sally Ogle and Tim Gittos actually quit their jobs with two respected Wellington based architecture firms, to buy a steep hillside section in Wanganui and bring to life an affordable home that they had designed. By bringing to life…I mean actually build it. By themselves.  The story was really quite incredible with massive learning curves, super savvy design and cost cutting and a final outcome of being judged a finalist in the HOME New Zealand Magazine - Home of the Year 2013. I highly recommend taking some time to look through the blog they maintained during the build and jump on board their new Facebook page to watch their body of work develop.

All photography for Paul McCredie for HOME Magazine.
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Posted in architecture, magazines, New Zealand | 2 Comments

Golden Days

Love Katie and Sarah Photography

I’m a bit of a fan of the idea of wearing a sensational dress in place of a traditional white wedding gown. This gold number was actually designed by the bride herself…I think it is incredible! I snapped up a few of these pics to share from the whole day which was shot by Australian creative photography duo; Love Katie and Sarah.  Spotted via greatMelbourne based wedding blog The Lucy Chase Project.

Love Katie and Sarah PhotographyLove Katie and Sarah PhotographyLove Katie and Sarah PhotographyLove Katie and Sarah Photography

 

Posted in Australia, photography, weddings | 2 Comments

The Home Base

Homebase CollectionsYes! I promise I have been working…I just took a short break and somehow ended up in the world of Homebase Collections where everything is deliciously pared back and cosy all at once. They sure do modern rustic well.
Homebase CollectionsHomebase CollectionsHomebase CollectionsHomebase Collections

 

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Sam in the Wolf

Sam YongSam Yong is a self taught (I knnnow…. ridiculous right?!) kiwi artist who has set up camp in Melbourne. He is prolific in his production! Just follow his instagram and you’ll get what I mean… Whether or not he is doing his incredibly intricate pencil work or larger scale painted work – it is all recognisably from his own wild and whimsical world.

Sam YongSam YongSam YongSam YongSam YongSam Yong

 

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Kowtow - Studio HomeKowtow - Studio HomeFrom left: Sarah Meek; PR + Sales Manager, Gosia Piatek; Founder/ Design Director/ Boss Lady and Adrienne Marsh; Designer and Pattern Maker. Absent but loved: Megan Bourke; Dispatch + Production and Yoan Jolly; Graphic Designer.

Kowtow - Studio Home

The story of Kowtow is refreshingly different from many other fashion brands I have come across. For a start, Gosia Piatek was focused from day one on creating a sustainable business model that could take her onward and upward – it had nothing to do with lofty dreams of being a fashion designer and seeing her name in lights.

Kowtow - Studio HomeKowtow - Studio Home

In 2006 Gosia decided her life as a “snow homie” was drawing to an end. She had chased back to back winters around the world, snowboarding and living the dream. But on her return to Wellington she was determined to find herself a form of self employment – the major question being what exactly would that be?

A large motivating factor was the start up grant of $5000 offered by the government to  those setting up a new small business. Many ideas were weighed up including mobile sandwich deliveries via bike! But with Gosia’s graphic designer boyfriend; Boofa already owning a UK t-shirt label, it seemed like the obvious choice. The government didn’t entirely agree and initially said “No more t-shirt start ups!” However, undeterred, she set about finding a niche and the edge they needed to stand out from the rest.

Kowtow - Studio HomeKowtow - Studio Home

It was on the suggestion of a friend that she look into creating a brand around organic, fair trade cotton. This was a rarely used material at the time and it suited Gosia’s ideas on sustainable business practice. So she got down to some serious investigation. Emails were fired in all directions but it was the first supplier to reply in India that she went with and is still using to this day.  Then she created the concept to combine their cool graphic t-shirts with a CD of unsigned NZ music. Armed with this unique recipe the couple travelled to Australia and met with Universal Store and straight off the bat had an order of 100 units per each of their 6 designs to fill. This was mammoth!

Kowtow - Studio HomeKowtow - Studio HomeWith the procurement of that contract and her tight business plan that she had been guided through on the rigorous government run course – she was subsequently awarded her $5000 work start grant as well as a further $7000 to be paid as an allowance over 7 months. This little business called Kowtow, now had some wheels!

But Gosia wasn’t finished there. Her vision was much larger and she needed more finances to give it momentum. She admitted herself, that the steep learning curve she had experienced in creating the business plan had felt like intensive economic education which gave her belief in what she was trying to achieve. So the plan was presented at the bank who instantly awarded her a loan, as did her parents meaning that within a year she had borrowed everything she needed to boost Kowtow into the future.

Kowtow - Studio HomeKowtow - Studio Home

Guided by her partners vision and experience in the rag trade, the brand concentrated solely on t-shirts and hoodies for a few years. Due to the awesome quality of the fabric, many of these designs can still be spotted walking the streets despite now being up to 7 years old! In 2008 Boofa made the decision to leave the business to study music, meaning Gosia was now without a designer and subsequently the rudder to the direction of the brands look. She quickly re employed former intern and graphic designer; Yoan Jolly who came back on board rich with knowledge from his experience with luxury fashion labels in France and bringing with him a new aesthetic for Kowtow.

Kowtow - Studio HomeKowtow - Studio HomeThen….Gosia met Chelsea Mitchener. The former Starfish Retail Manager had an immense passion for sustainable fashion as well as a super strong and cool personal style.  They put their heads together and took Kowtow through a total re branding process. Gosia herself admitted that up until that time she hadn’t even been wearing the clothing they had been producing! Despite neither of them being trained designers, they developed a whole new collection that was monochromatic, draped and a large break away from their original look. On presenting this to their stockists …. they promptly lost half of them!  This was a pretty scary development but at the same time they were picked up by fashion forward retailer; Fabric and from there the sky was the limit.

Kowtow - Studio Home

Following 2009 and their overhaul they now produce for 4 seasons a year and have agents and promising sales in Australia and the USA.  Over the last 12 months Kowtow has gone from employing 1 staff member to 5 with imminent plans to increase this to 7 by the end of the year. Most importantly, the brand is based on an economically sustainable business model which gives it every opportunity to succeed.

To say I left the Kowtow HQ inspired, would be a massive understatement. The team were vibrant and passionate about their brand at every level – the clothing, the practice, the people and it’s presentation. Everything. I kind of want to put my hand up to be part of it come their next employment round!!

Kowtow - Studio HomeAll photography by Julia Atkinson for Studio Home

 WHAT I LEARNT FROM GOSIA:
A solid, sustainable business plan is the reality to a successful brand.
Don’t forget it.

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Posted in Creative HQ, fashion, New Zealand | Leave a comment