THE MAKER'S COLLECTIVE (Debut stall holder)

Tell us about what The Maker’s Collective does and how it all came about…

The Makers’ Collective is made up of The Makers’ Hub, The Makers’ Day, The Makers’ Project Box and, of course, the Makers, our amazing members. The Hub is an inspiring space available for makers, artists and crafters, to use as a drop-in studio. It’s also where we hold all our workshops and some events. The Makers’ Day is a market celebrating everything about making, with interactive stalls, demonstrations and workshops, held twice per year. Our pop-up Hub at Hustle&Scout is like a mini-version of this! The Project Box is a quarterly package sent out in March, June, September and December, filled with 3 awesome projects for you to make at home, one for each month of the year. And our members, are you guys! Memberships are open to anyone, we have 4 different levels available each with different benefits.

What brings you the most joy from your creative practice?

Connecting people, and teaching new skills. I also get a kick out of people saying I’ve inspired them to achieve something great, but that’s just my ego ;)

What are your favourite things about Canberra?

The wide open spaces, the sunshine, the amount of cool things to do and the sense of community that is continuing to grow amongst it’s creative people.

What can market-folk expect to find at the pop-up Maker’s Hub in April?

We’ll be offering some great fashion-based workshops including a mini-silversmithing lesson, working with beaded jewellery, making miniature terrarium necklaces, creating beautiful embellished headbands, and hosting a crochet corner with tips and tricks on how to crochet your own accessories.

[Book your workshop before they sell out!]

What exciting things has The Maker’s Collective got planned for 2015?

We’ve got loads of fun creative workshops coming up this year beginning in the second half of April through to July, as well as a bunch of online e-courses being launched, teaching about small business and design. We’ll also be adding a second little mascot to the team around mid-may, which is pretty exciting!

MY FAVE THINGS

Guilty pleasure: Terrible trashy television. Kardashians. It's the worst/best. (For this reason we don't have Foxtel and I don't watch any television otherwise!)

What you wanted to be when you grew up? So many different things, which is why I became an entrepreneur I suppose!

Fave fashion piece you own: Simple pearl studs. Understated is my middle name.

Fave thing you have made: Too many things to list, it’s so much fun!

Your role model/s: This is actually a hard one. I look up to lots of different people but always try to just strive to be the best version of myself, so don’t want to compare in any way with a role model. Too deep? ;)   

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Be sure to check out the new MAKER'S MAGAZINE - an online magazine packed full of fantastic articles, beautiful imagery and all the inspiration you need to get your creative juices flowing!

 

THE PRODIGAL DAUGHTER (Fashfest feature)

When Phoebe Mwanza moved to Australia 13 years ago, she left her African roots behind. Or at least she thought she did.

Today, this local designer, originally from Zimbabwe, is taking a journey back to her roots through her fashion.

Phoebe, through her label The Prodigal Daughter, seeks to consolidate her two worlds and cultures, marrying Africa’s bold and colourful prints to Australia’s tempered, mute landscape.

‘Each piece I make is more than an item of clothing. It’s a statement,’ says Phoebe. ‘A way of celebrating individuality and the innate uniqueness that each of us are born with.’

 

This is Phoebe’s second time to the Hustle&Scout Twilight Fashion Market.

What will strike you, when you first rock up to her stall, is the splashes of colour and intriguing prints on her fabrics. It’s all the more striking when you consider Phoebe’s background is in law, a profession that makes many fashion fans yawn, with its preference for dull, mono and conservative clothing.

Phoebe arrived in Australia to study law at the tender age of 19. She graduated and then practiced law for 7 years. But something kept stirring in Phoebe, something related to fashion.

 

So last June, she left the legal profession and took the plunge work in fashion full-time.

‘When I was young, I often made my own clothes, including for end-of-year formals,’ says Phoebe. ‘I always wanted to pursue fashion design on a bigger scale.’

Phoebe sources her printed fabrics from different parts of Africa, including Ghana and Kenya, where her garments are also made after being designed here in Canberra.

 

 

Phoebe is also busy sewing for Hustle&Scout but also for FASHFEST.

This will be The Prodigal Daughter’s debut appearance at the four-night, red-carpet event and Phoebe can’t contain her excitement and sense of thrill at being involved. ‘It’s my first big show and I can’t wait for a larger audience to see my work.’ she says.

The collection Phoebe will launch at FASHFEST, entitled Meraki—which means to do something with all your soul—will take the designer to another level.

‘It’s different than my last collection, which only used prints,’ says Phoebe. ‘With Meraki, I’m mixing block colours and prints. There will be something for everyone. Funky pieces, sophisticated pieces and elegant ones, as well as something for day and something for night.’

In the meantime, Phoebe continues her story as The Prodigal Daughter, one who has left, kicked up a bit of a fuss and then returned to her roots.

 

 

 

Image credits:

 

Photographer: Vikram Vetrivel

Models: Naomi Isasole Kat and Julie Smith

HMUA: Kate Surplice

Jewellery: Tuga by KZ

Designer: The Prodigal Daughter

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUS' FELT LIKE IT (Debut designer)

Tell us about your label and what inspires your designs.
My label, Jus’ Felt like It, sums up the way I feel about design, felting and making unusual clothing pieces that are usually one-off and virtually never repeated. I am inspired by colour and the texture that comes from combining beautifully dyed Merino wool fibres with other fibres such as silk, alpaca, and interesting threads.

How did you get into felting?

With an occupational therapy background I had explored a wide spectrum of arts and crafts before I stumbled upon felting and thought that I had found my artistic and spiritual home. The process is transformative of the materials and of my artistic vision.

 

What item in your studio could you not live without?

I love using an old-fashioned ribbed wash board to work the fibres and to create strong felt. Apart from that I always make sure I have an array of eclectic music playing in the background to satisfy my interest in world music and the colourful costumes that go with it.

 

What can market-folk expect to find at the April event?

I have been working hard to produce an array of felted collars, strongly coloured wraps and scarves, felted cocoons as well as a good variety of button necklaces to match the other garments.

 

What is it about Hustle&Scout that made you want to be a stallholder?

I like the fact that Hustle&Scout has an innovative fashion focus which suits my desire to explore colour and texture to its limits.

 

MY FAVE THINGS

Guilty pleasure:

I find a glass of wine at the end of a hard day’s felting revives my spirit and helps me think about the direction that my creativity will take next day.

What you wanted to be when you grew up:

As a teenager all I could think about was the glamour of playing guitar and singing my own songs in smoky coffee lounges.

Fave fashion piece you own:

I cherish an orange linen dress and jacket ensemble by Prue Acton.

Fave place to visit in Canberra:

When I visit Canberra I always spend a few minutes looking at the James Turrell “Within and without – Sky Space”

WOOLERINA (Debut Designer)

We hade a chat to Penny Rout, one of the 'jill-of-all-trades' representing Woolerina, a long-standing family business founded by her Father which is dedicated to creating beautiful quality, Australian merino wool clothing.

Tell us about Woolerina and why you decided to establish this label.

Woolerina launched its first range of soft Australian Merino clothing for women and men in 2006.  Business founder, Warwick Rolfe, has had more than 30 years experience in the Australian Wool industry and it was a long-held passion to be able to literally take wool from the sheep’s back and follow it right through to a finished product. The range has grown significantly over the last 10 years, from just 4 styles in 3 colours for women & men, to now over 40 styles which also incorporates a babies and kids range.  

 

Aside from being passionate about the Merino fibre, we are also passionate about being able to produce our range in Australia. Warwick has always said that if he had to take the manufacturing off-shore, he wouldn’t continue. It is something all the staff at Woolerina feel very strongly about.

Why merino, and where is it sourced from?

From Woolerina’s founder Warwick Rolfe’s first day in the Sydney wool stores over 30 years ago, he has had a passion for the natural attributes of the Merino fibre. Warwick works closely with farmers Norm and Pip Smith of Glenwood Merinos from Wellington NSW, to select a fibre which will create the softest but most durable of fabrics for Woolerina’s range of clothing. The Glenwood Merino fibre is completely renewable, sustainable and produced with complete respect for the environment and the Merinos are un-mulesed.

Tell us about your garments that feature prints.

The Woolerina range has traditionally featured block colours, however in 2013 we were looking to do something different, when we were introduced to the talented team at Signature Prints in Sydney. Signature Prints philosophy aligns closely with our own – they also have a passion for natural fibres and utilise water-based pigments in their hand screen printing. Signature Prints are also the custodians to the iconic Florence Broadhurst and Blume libraries, so having access to these amazing collections has been a such a treat! The prints first featured in our 2014 range for women and kids; our 2015 range again features some exciting new prints and colours for women, kids and babies.

What can market-folk expect to find at the April event?

Woolerina’s 2015 Autumn/Winter range will be on display and for sale. This range features our signature long and short sleeve t-shirts for women and men. These garments are designed to be worn next to the skin, where the natural properties of Merino are best achieved. Merino is warm in Winter but keeps you cooler in Summer – it’s the perfect fabric to take with you when travelling! Additionally, we will have our printed tops, leggings and scarves for women, beautiful chunky-knit loop scarves in bright colours for women, and our new men's vest and jumper will all be there! Woolerina’s range is designed as basic fashion – to take you from day to night, from indoors to out –pieces you will cherish for a long time to come!

What is it about Hustle&Scout that made you want to be a stallholder?

Canberra has always been a great place for Woolerina! Hustle&Scout looks a little bit different and we’re excited to see what the evening brings!

 

MY FAVE THINGS

Guilty pleasure:

Time on my own!

What you wanted to be when you grew up:

An airline pilot…or a hairdresser – I’ve been neither!

Fav fashion piece you own:

No bias at all, but my Woolerina dress – in Winter I describe it as my “tube of warm” – it keeps me so toasty warm and is so ridiculously comfortable, but still manages to be stylish! I can wear layers under it if I need to it, dress it up for evening or wear it out for a casual lunch with a little cardi or vest.

Place to visit in Canberra:

I’m not a Canberra local, I come from Forbes which is 3 hours north-west of Canberra, so my favourite part of coming to Canberra is eating out! Canberra always had a reputation of being a bit boring, however, I certainly wouldn’t say that anymore!

Your role model/s:

My husband Brett and my dad, Woolerina’s founder Warwick Rolfe – they are both really passionate about their respective businesses and work incredibly hard.

CORR BLIMEY (FASHFEST feature)

As a fashion designer student, she showcased a collection on the runway at Sydney Fashion Week, and there’s been no looking back for Corr Blimey’s Louisa de Smet.

One of the stalwarts of the Canberra fashion industry, Louisa’s fashion is often created out of precious and limited runs of fabric. She’ll always be on a mission to stand out in a market saturated with mass-produced clothing. And that’s why Corr Blimey is a perfect fit for Hustle&Scout.

Louisa and her partner, Steve Wright, create pieces that are not ‘mere garments’ but ‘highly wearable, functional sculptures for the human form.’

So what is Corr Blimey anyway?

The phrase has been around for centuries. It made its debut in print in a dictionary of slang in 1889—an exclamation of surprise derived from the phrase ‘God blind me’. And it was in the spotlight in the famous tune ‘My Old Man’s a Dustman’ that soared to number one in the Australian singles charts in 1960.

Fast forward to today and Corr Blimey has built its reputation for stylish street wear for guys and gals, including drop crotch trousers. Louisa says Corr Blimey’s modern take on the famous dustman-style pants is about a relaxed, comfortable fit—concepts very much in line with the brand.

It’s the sculptural approach to streetwear that makes Corr Blimey such a hit with its devoted fans and both Steve and Louisa get a real buzz when they see their designs being worn.

 
‘We’re not interested in massive runs of garments,’ says Louisa. ‘We’re more about bespoke pieces and work often with limited runs of fabric, so when we run out we run out. It just means those who own a Corr Blimey piece own something special. There’s plenty of mass produced clothing available but it’s not where we’re going with our label.’

Travel is important, and Louisa and Steve have hopped on a plane to Berlin several times, finding each visit more inspirational than the last. So it’s no surprise that Louisa’s 2014 collection, launched at FASHFEST last year, was entitled ‘Berlin’. And no surprise that the influence of Germany, and its reputation for amazing design, is an influence with her 2015 collection, ‘Propaganda’, which she’s working on now.

‘Propaganda is all about message with an action,’ says Louisa. ‘It’s a call to arms for good design. We’re trying to send a message that clarity of design can create harmony and balance.’

As a fashion designer, Louisa loves the freedom of creating clothing based on concept and design principles, not the bottom line. ‘Every piece I make has a meaning behind it and is meant to inspire,’ says the designer.

Corr Blimey also collaborates with Louisa’s brother, Aaron de Smet, who studied Gold and Silver Smithing at the ANU School of Art. His sculptural pieces, which can be worn as jewellery or used as objets d’art, are a big hit.

BEING CREATIVE (Debut designer)

Tell us about your label, Being Creative, and how it all began.

I’m an artist/creative-type and work in many media including painting, photography and writing and recently I’ve returned to my roots, ceramics. Testing out new designs led me to smaller one-off wearable art pieces and now I’m revelling in the creative possibilities.

What do you love about working with ceramics?

I love the tactile nature of working with fine clay and the way it can be intricately formed into sculptural pieces. I am a hands-on designer and I enjoy building structures. Glaze and firing technology is a mysterious and awe-inspiring process that turns earth and raw elements into beautiful glass-like objects and I am often delighted by the surprise factor.

 

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

Art is in everything. I am constantly soaking up the beauty of nature and the richness of built structures. I work instinctively, but I am informed by the world around me.

What can market-folk expect to find at the April event?

Unique one-off jewellery designed and hand-made by Jeni McMillan, the artist.

 
 

What is it about Hustle&Scout that made you want to be a stallholder?

Hustle&Scout has a great reputation. I’ve returned to Canberra after living for years in France and would appreciate the opportunity to be part of a vibrant art and design culture.
 

 
 

MY FAVE THINGS

New moons, leaping of cliffs into crystal clear water and creating something unexpected.

Guilty pleasure: Counting my blog hits at 2am

 

What you wanted to be when you grew up: Wonder woman.

 

Fav fashion piece you own: A burnt orange trench coat

 

Place to unwind in Canberra: Mt Ainslie

 

Your role model/s: Frida Carlo and Picasso because they dared to be different.