Owner
Role Model Mindset: I support families
Remnant fabric, photo transfers, fashion button
“We didn’t have any great concerns about money when we were growing up. We had a comfortable, privileged upbringing. My Dad was responsible for the business and making the money.
My mum didn’t teach me anything much about money. She’s not interested in money. She’s an intellectual and an academic and a really good citizen. ”
Design
Watching and learning alongside the wonderful Vanessa Lucas in her sunny atelier in Melbourne’s iconic Century building, I was able to test this design with the intricacies of pattern matching.
This design was an early iteration of the simple single front coat that emerged as the basis for many of the other coats. I needed to simplify the production process to meet the deadlines, and so set out to try to find one design that could be modified for each new story’s details.
Fabric
Because it was a remnant length, there was no room for error. I sourced vintage photos and made iron-on transfers to set into the centre of the motifs. It was a hot, anxious process to get the transfers in place and the coat constructed without damaging the fabric.
There was a strong sense of family history in this business owner’s story. To that end, that I hunted for a fabric that conveyed a sense of heritage. Because the family business is a major supplier of tiles and other interior décor materials to the construction industry, this glamourous, sturdy furnishing remnant was perfect.
