Celebrating Australian Designers With Stylecraft

Chest Collection by Greg Natale for Stylecraft, launched at Melbourne Indesign last week.

Silhouette Table Light by Ross Gardam for Stylecraft, launched at Melbourne Indesign last week.

Duet Barstool by Ross Gardam Stylecraft.

Good design is good, but somehow it tastes even better when it’s local, right? Is it just me and my biased ways? Surely not. For far too long the designers and the consumer of design in this country have looked to other places, namely Europe, as the only ‘valid’ producer of good design. It’s as though owning, desiring or specifying anything other than the Italian, the Scandinavian/ Nordic, the British, or the Dutch was not a done thing. Similarly, it’s wasn’t so long ago when us Aussies thought that the only visionary sources of inspiration for the designers were coming from overseas – be it publications, magazines, blogs, other designers etc. Otherwise, forgedaboutit! Well, friends, I’m sure you will all agree that times are a-changin. And dramatically! The landscape of Australian design ain’t what it used to be, and neither is the quality of what’s being produced right here in our back yards. Hallelujah! This is not to say that good quality or good design didn’t exist in Australia in the past. No my darling – this is quite the contrary. I just believe the sentiment amongst us is changing and that we are all starting to open our eyes to what we have right here in this fine country of ours.

So today, in partnerships with our friends at Stylecraft – we shine a little spotlight on the fantastic Australian talent in their stable. Stylecraft have been supporting Australian design and manufacturing for the last 15 years, and their local product offering is getting stronger each year. We are putting their clever Australian Designers on a pedestal, and getting just a little bit under their skin. It’s cool guys – chill – I’m not pulling out my scalpel. Yet. We just asked a few questions in order to find out a little more about their individual personalities and how they approach their work. Shall we?

Australian Designers at Sylecraft.

ROSS GARDAM: What has been your biggest design lesson learnt?

Designing to a concise self generated design brief improved my design output vastly.

GREG NATALE: What is your most Australian Trait?

I take my work seriously but not myself.

Australian Designers Paul Hecker & Keith Melbourne.

PAUL HECKER: What is your nickname and who gave it to you?

Many and varied… some nice, some not so nice! And probably some people don’t say to my face! Many variations on Paul + Hecker… Pauly, Paulipops, Heck, Heckster, Heckle…

KEITH MELBOURNE: Why is Australia the place to be as a designer?

For me it’s a sense of freedom.

Australian Designers Jon Goulder & Stuart Williams.

JON GOULDER: Why did you become a designer?

I did not know I was one but then a magazine told me I was… I was born this way.

STUART WILLIAMS: What’s the best design advice you’ve ever been given?

To be open minded and that design is a vehicle to make anything!

Australian Designers Helen Kontouris & Alexander Lotersztain.

HELEN KONTOURIS: What has designing beautiful objets taught you?

That design is so important! We touch, on average, over 700+ objects daily and so many of them are ugly. I try to design objects that are hopefully beautiful, functional and contribute to making things a little better.

ALEXANDER LOTERZSTAIN: Where is your furniture made and who makes it?

We have manufacturing in: Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales and Queensland. Thank you to all our manufacturers for the beautiful work they do for us.

Yellowtrace Promotion brought to you by Stylecraft.

[Images courtesy of Stylecraft].