Friday, July 17, 2009

Design:Made:Trade and Designboom Mart

Man. I am one exhausted blogger. And the festival isn't even halfway over yet!

Pictures speak louder than words, so please forgive my brevity and check out the pics from D:M:T and Designboom Mart yesterday! Make sure you pop down on the weekend and check it out!

Sally Campbell Handmade Textiles - beautiful quilts and throws made in India, designed by Sydney-based ex-film designer Sally Campbell. Stunning! (That's Sally in the top shot with the red hat on!)

Yellow Diva - loved the oversized gilt frame they added to their stand! Talk about wow-factor! They are launching their fantastic brand new BC1 outdoor chair made from recycled wine barrels.

Victoria Mason gorgeous handmade jewellery - Victoria was one of my very first interviewees back in Feb last year, and I have been coveting that red pencil sharpening necklace ever since! Isn't it lovely? Also loved her new range of stackable rings - I chose tea, sugar spoon and a Nice biscuit! Perfect combination :)

Victoria Mason super-cute shoes and apron combo!

Australian Design Unit showed a collection of work by last year's Springboard participants. The Springboard program aims to assist and mentor emerging designers in areas such an intellectual property, financial management , media relations etc. Fantastic initiative! These shots show clothing by fashion designer Alexi Freeman, and hand-blown glassware by Oliver Smith. Love the inclusion of sketchbook pages and work in progress alongside finished pieces!

Able and Game stationary seem to be taking this town by storm! Super kooky, very funny, and a little Napoleon Dynamite-esque... there were lots of chuckles from visitors to this stall as they read each caption! I especially love the 'bun in the oven' cards!

Amazing seats constructed from a vacuum-moulded(?) plywood top and a milk crate base. Simple, sustainable and handcrafted by designer Simon Ancher, who is based in Tasmania. I see the hospitality orders already....

Pigeonhole - a great curated collection of imported and local stationary, jewellery and nik naks.

Mattt Bags took a little time off from decking out their soon-to-be-opened retail store in Gertrude st, Fitzroy to take part in Design Made Trade! Fantastic bags made and designed right here in Melbourne. Choose your fabric and Mattt will create your dream bag!

Paul Justin's interlocking connectors which formed the basis of the FANTASTIC 'Makedo' exhibtion of re-purposed materials! Many prominent Australian designers from varied disciplines took part in Makedo, using the same basic connectors to impressive new creations from recycled materials. Makedo also have a great blog documenting previous projects and the lead-up to D:M:T (ever seen a giant cardboard gorilla on a skateboard?).

More from the 'Makedo' exhibition - Amanda Henderson of Gloss Creative made the flowers, reknowned Melbourne architect Architect Nonda Katsalidis designed the canoe. Cannot recommend this exhibition enough. You must see it. I want to get me some of those connectors! Think of the possibilities!

More 'Makedo' - love the igloo from Luke Feldman

Akira Isogawa's 'Makedo' exhibit. Gorgeous. Such variety!

More brilliant 'Makedo' creations - Sorry cannot seem to find my notes for the top image! Bottom table is by Chris Connell.

Lox & Savvy - cute Australian-made stationary. Love the pre-made paper chains! For all the time-poor kiddies out there.


Gretchen Hillhouse - delicate ceramic jewellery and those beautiful bowls! Stunning.


Designboom Mart! SO GOOD. Carved resin animal jewellery by Taiwan-based Haoshi.

Designboom Mart - MY FAVOURITE stand! Handmade pieces from Takeshi Iue (Japan). Love the lights! Bought one for my fella (shhh! - he doesn't know yet!). Cute waxed paper bags too.

Designboom Mart - Bright and cheerful bags and laptop bags made from recycled vinyl and fabric scraps, by Indiaan designer Nupur Goenka of Lets.

Designboom Mart - Envelope document/laptop bag and time-wasting sketchpad from 25togo Design Store (Taiwan). Fill in the grey squares on the grid to reveal the image - different image on every page!

Interesting ceramic pieces from the Mixko in the UK - love the nobbly knee ceramic vase and these rings which look like creepy headless babies! The sweet Mixko people were looking a little bit jetlagged having come all the way from England... hope they're feeling better by the weekend!


Design:Made:Trade and Designboom Mart

This weekend, 10.00 - 5.00 Sat and Sun


Melbourne Exhibition Buildings
Nicholson st, Carlton

$10 entry

4 comments:

  1. wow. so much to look at.
    make sure you remember to sleep and eat. can't believe the amount of brilliant blogging going on here!
    you so great.
    see you soon.
    xox

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  2. great post! wish i was there...

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  3. i especially love that you took photos of able & game's stand! how beautiful are those freehand drawings?

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  4. Can anyone remember the name of those amazing lights made out of dyed polyprop looking like a swarm of butterflies? I lost his card already... how sad

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