Profile: Soft Constructions

We would like to introduce our new 'profiles blogger', Alira Callaghan. Alira has a strong interest in supporting local artists, designers and creatives and she will be bringing you articles on talented local creatives. The subject of her first profile is Seonaidh Murphy’s Soft Constructions.

What sort of things does Soft Constructions encompass? 
Soft Constructions is a Perth based illustration and design studio focused on creating unique, original and playful designs and products for their customers and clients. I use popular culture as inspiration and then utilise both hand worked and digital techniques (combined with a twist of humour) to create designs that can find themselves on any number of products.  There is a retail side to the business as well as a design side that is more focused on creating custom designs and products for clients such as menus, uniforms, logos etc.

I know you have a background in both art and design, what was it that attracted you to the textile side of design?I had always been involved in working with textiles.  Even at art school I did a lot of experimentation with textiles and sculpture.  I guess there is something about the tactility of it being able to be used to create 2d and 3d shapes.  I enjoy working between the two spheres of art and design because it gives me a creative outlet but I can still be business focused.

Can you briefly explain what is involved in your design process?
I do a bit of trend research and come up with some ideas.  Then I collect imagery and after that I start piecing together my designs.  From there I start incorporating puns and drawing them and painting them as I see fit.  Next I scan the design in and do any digital alterations and edits to it and it gets made into whichever product it needs to be.
 

Images courtesy of Soft Constructions

Does Soft Constructions offer you a creative outlet that is different to when you have done work in the fashion industry?
Definitely.  Soft Constructions allows me to utilize more of my skills and gives me the freedom to cross over into multiple disciplines.  I also get to indulge in my illustration skills, which is great!

A lot of your designs incorporate humour, have you always enjoyed the pun game or did that come through developing your practice?
I’ve always had a bit of a sense of humour.  Some people enjoy it and some people don’t, it wasn’t always very well received when I was in art school.  I feel like I have the ability to switch between serious and funny though and know the circumstances in which to use my comedic devices. 

What is your favourite aspect of your work for Soft Constructions? 
My favourite aspect is constantly growing the business into new and exciting places.  As I grow more opportunities come up and I really enjoy the challenge of being faced with new problems to solve.

Do you try to source your materials and services locally?
I try to source as much locally as I can and if I can’t source it locally I use Australian suppliers.  It can be hard but I seem to be able to make it work at the moment.

Images courtesy of Soft Constructions

How important has it been to the success of Soft Constructions to have support from the community and likeminded people?
It has been really important.  Being able to be inspired by the people around you gives you the strength to grow and flourish as a business.  I love being around people that are as excited as I am to make a difference and create unique and successful businesses.

What project/s are you currently working on?
I have lots of little things in the works.  I have a few custom products with local businesses that I’ll be able to let you in on soon.  I also have plans to grow the business into a very exciting place next year but I can’t say too much.

Where can we find your designs and products?
You can find our products at www.softconstructions.com and in:
Sugar and Nice, Inglewood        The Little Cheese Shop, Bayswater
Common Ground, Fremantle      Kakulas Sister, Fremantle
The Tenth State, Nedlands         Perth Upmarket

And soon to be in: 
Compendium, Fremantle       Addison and Steele, North Perth
Beehive, Fremantle


Alira Callaghan

Stallholder Profile: St Saviours

St Saviours are Matt Bale and Kate Hulett. They were first time stallholders at the July 2013 market and here is a bit more about them:

Tell us a bit about your business.

The concept for St Saviours actually started when Matt and I were on holiday in Perth a few years ago. We re-trimmed one of Matt’s hats while we were in Margaret River, and chatted about how it’s impossible to find non-mass-produced and affordable hats suitable for everyday wear. We both already had a thing for hats at this point…

Fast forward a year and we held our first market stall in London selling a load of hats we’d trimmed with vintage materials, flowers, feathers, interesting ribbons and so on. We sold one hat at our first market, and were completely stoked!

We slowly attracted a dedicated following, and were soon selling weekly at London’s Sunday Up Market, and at summer music festivals across the UK. We ended up quitting our ‘day jobs’ when a buyer from Topshop picked us up for their flagship Oxford Circus store… then Anthropologie on Regent Street… then Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge. The most exciting day was when Kylie Minogue bought one of our hats. We then saw a photo of her in a St Saviours hat, with Stella McCartney at the Madonna concert (cue overexcited screaming)!!

St Saviours was named after the converted vicarage we lived in, in East London. It’s where we did all our work. We left London in January 2013 to start a new life in Perth.

How does the UK compare to Perth in the handmade trade?

We have been doing A LOT of research in Perth, and are totally excited by what we’ve seen. There appears to be a super healthy handmade scene – I think the difference in Perth (when compared to the UK) is that there are less opportunities for the designer-makers to be exposed to the consumers. For example, less weekly markets, less festivals with curated shopping areas, less independent shops looking to stock local product, and so on. That’s why design markets, pop-up shops and support from existing retailers are so important – these opportunities encourage growth and development of the creative, handmade scene.

The great thing is that the people of Perth are really supportive of the markets, interesting shops, art/artists, and so on, so it’s the perfect storm of fantastic local supply, and eager demand.

In London, a lot of the markets are starting to become overrun with the ‘same-old-crap’ – lots of mass produced jewellery and fashion imported straight from abroad, so you start seeing different stalls within one market, selling the same stuff. This is so tragic, and means the people who really hand-make their goods are struggling as their products are inevitably more expensive and are swallowed up by the mass-produced rubbish. In addition, the customers start staying away. Why bother coming to a ‘designer’ market, when hardly anyone there is actually involved in the design process?

We found that organisations running the markets In the UK had lax screening criteria for their sellers – this is totally opposite in Perth. It’s like applying for a flipping Visa trying to get into Perth markets! But that’s great, and means customers know they are seeing products which are unique, interesting, well made, locally made, and so on.

Also we’ve seen some fantastic and innovative products, designers and artists in Perth – there is a real buzz in the creative scene which is evidenced through the fab markets, the pop-up shops and the concept stores dotted about town.

The key issue I can see in Perth, and this would apply to many designer-makers, is the access to, and the availability of, materials. It can be a struggle sourcing raw materials locally, and therefore you’re forced to ship items over from the East Coast, or abroad. And of course this means your costs increase before you’ve even started.

What inspires you?

We are very inspired by colour, texture and pattern, so you will see lots of our hats make use of interesting colour combinations and textured trimmings. Matt is currently obsessing over patterns and is designing some patterns for printing onto silk for hat trims and linings, and ladies scarves.

I guess we have an underlying aim to make hats for ‘people like us’, so that inspires us when we’re designing. We want ‘people like us’ to be able to afford them, and have access to them, and want to wear them – we have no grand aims to become the hat supplier to The Queen!


What do you love most about selling at markets?

The market is where we began our hat trade, and we both adore it (though, to be honest, the weekly Sunday early mornings/late nights in London did become mildly tiresome).

The markets are the best way to really ‘sell’ the features of your product to a customer.  I can’t count the number of people who have said “I’m buying this hat because you’re so passionate about it.”

I always say that talking to customers about your product is like going on a City Tour. You learn so much more, and the buildings, monuments and history are much more meaningful when you are with a guide. As a market trader, you are that guide.

And we really love that – chatting to customers about the hats is great fun. We completely missed talking to customers when we launched in Topshop, so much so that we’d often go in and hang around our stall in order to chat with customers.

What materials do you use?

Almost all our winter hats are blocked with wool-felt and the summer styles are generally woven paper, or Panama. We have worked with fur felt, straw, siminay, and other fabrics, but wool and Panama are our favourites. The trims range from millinery petersham, feathers, silk flowers, vintage silk ties, leather, laser cut vinyl… all sorts of things – trimming is the fun part.

What is your favourite part of the creative process?

We don’t work with collections; we are slap-dash and make things as they take our fancy. So this is really fun. If we spot a great silk scarf in a vintage shop – we then see how many uses we can get from the fabric. Pill box hat cover, a bow tie, hat trim… we love transforming vintage items into new products. It’s also exciting when we have new felt colours coming in for the hats, or a batch of newly dyed ribbons. There is always a flurry of excitement when there are new colours to play with…

What’s been your most popular item or line to date?

We sold thousands of hats in Topshop in Oxford Circus, and overall - the ladies fedora shape, was probably our most popular. It’s easy to wear, can look both smart, and casual – and (lucky for us) celebrities are always spotted wearing fedoras. We made an affordable, interesting, not-mass-produced product, which really resonated with the audience.

What new products are you working on?

We are looking into doing more unique hairpieces and hats suitable for weddings/races – without going down the fascinator or huge-80’s-style-hat road.

We are also really keen to continue make our hats with local supplies – which is proving tricky so far…

Where can we find you?

We are in the process of working out how we are going to get our hats ‘out there’ in Perth. We have a very exciting concept in the pipework, which entails hats and more… but it’s too early to talk about that now. In the meantime – we will be signing up take part in Perth’s designer markets, including of course, Made on the Left (if we make it through the screening process!).

Web: www.constructedinlondon.com

Write: hello@constructedinlondon.com

Follow: www.twitter.com/StSavioursHats

Like: www.facebook.com/StSavioursHats

Stallholder Profile: Spotlight on Anna Hadwin Crochet Toys

Anna Hadwin of Anna Hadwin Crochet Toys has been a stallholder at Made on the Left markets for many years, always making us squeal at the cuteness of her creations! Let's see what goes on behind the scenes...

Tell us a bit about yourself
I have been crocheting and knitting since I was 5 years old. We moved from the UK to California and it was a great way to keep me occupied. My baby sister was only 6 weeks old. Moving back to the UK I made my first jumper at 8 years old, and I haven’t stopped crafting since.




What inspires you to create?
The joy of making. My husband (Toby) and daughter (Orlando) are both very artistic and their drawings and doodles supply me with many ideas. 
I love yarn, and have a “Wool Mountain” at my house (pictured left).

What materials do you use?
Wool in acrylic, cotton and specialty yarns.

What steps do you take to prepare for a market?

Each market has a different customer base, so I try and tailor products for that market. Then I crochet like crazy!

What’s your number one market tip?

Stay positive and listen to advice from those around you - customers and stallholders. There is a wealth of knowledge out there.

What is your favourite part of the creative process?
Taking time out to plan new designs and seeing them take shape.

What’s been your most popular item or line to date?
Owl, Penguins and my Pirate Bunny. But who wouldn’t love a Pirate Bunny??



What is the most exciting thing that has come out of selling your designs through markets?
Knowing that my products make people happy. I have many repeat customers and am now wholesaling.

What advice would you give someone who wants to sell their crafts?
You might need to compromise with your product. I started out selling baby/children’s knitwear. But in our climate it was just too hard. So I thought toys and hats and home wares was a better choice.



What goals do you have in store for the future?
To keep on crafting and evolving my products. It’s really important to me to make everything myself and I think customers appreciate that.

Thanks, Anna!
xxx MOTL

Stallholder Profile: Spotlight on "Osmosis Designs"

Today's stallholder profile is Annie of Osmosis Designs. Annie has been a stallholder at Made on the Left markets since the third one. Let's go behind the scenes!

Tell us a bit about yourself
I came from a creative family so making is in my DNA! In my time I’ve sold paintings, mixed media work, freehand machine embroidery, hand drawn embossed cards. Now, with osmosis designs, I’ve taught myself vector graphics so I can design pieces for laser cutting and etching. Each piece I make is hand finished, embroidered and assembled.

What inspires you to create?
Anything and everything, but most ideas have a basis in science – the natural world and geometric shapes

What materials do you use?
I use coloured acrylics and bamboo ply for my laser cut pieces and some of these have cross-stitch embroidery on them in either wool or cotton threads.

What’s your number one market tip?
My best market tip is to start as soon as possible and write lists. Tick things off as you go – list stock you need to make, things you need to buy, items you need to take with you etc. Plus be inventive in your display. You need something, either a product or a prop that people will notice and make them look longer at your stall.

What is your favourite part of the creative process?
The design stage – I work hard to make each design idea really work in reality.

What’s been your most popular item or line to date?
My positive/negative shape earrings where one earring is the bit cut out of the other (see picture) They have become my signature piece.

What is the most exciting thing that has come out of selling your designs through markets?
Meeting a wonderful group of like-minded people. There is something quite special about the craft community. They are so supportive and generous.

What advice would you give someone who wants to sell their crafts?
Try to develop your own style with whatever it is you make. That style can be a theme, a colour scheme or a variation of something that nobody else has done. Be original.

What goals do you have in store for the future?
No specific goals – just to keep making and developing my ideas.

Thanks Annie!
xxx MOTL

Stallholder Profile: Spotlight on "Christobel"

Christobel was the winner of our "Best Stall Display" at our Winter 2012 market. Here we find out what goes on behind the scenes.

The Christobel stall at Made on the Left market

Christine Lovitt of Christobel was born in Dublin, Ireland and migrated to Perth in 1988 with her husband and three small children. She has worked as a lawyer since arriving in Perth and only when she changed to part-time hours in 2007 did she find the time to pursue more creative activities.

What inspires you to create?

Sometimes an idea will just come to me – other times I will see something when I am out and about which will give me an idea.

What materials do you use? 

Almost everything I use is pre-loved. I make paper sculptures out of old books, sheet music and atlases, journals using old books covers, jewellery using old bakelite buckles and buttons, cushions out of vintage leather and any other treasures that I pick up from time to time which can be put to another use.

What steps do you take to prepare for a market? 

First I clear my workspace, then I think about what time of year my next market is going to be and what seasonal things I can make. Then I look at what new treasures I have collected and work out what to do with them. Because I am always making things, one market kind of rolls into the next fairly seamlessly without having to say up all night making enough stock.

What’s your number one market tip? 

Practice setting up your stall at home beforehand so that you can perfect the overall appearance and not be stressed on the day. How your stall looks can make a big difference to how shoppers perceive your products.

What is your favourite part of the creative process? 

Experimenting with new ideas. For every new thing that appears on my stall there will have been an equal number that didn’t work out and ended up in the bin. I love scouring church fetes, Sunday markets and op-shops for old treasures and then the challenge of making something new with them.

What’s been your most popular item or line to date? 

My paper sculptures and my tiny plants in vintage teacups.

What is the most exciting thing that has come out of selling your designs through markets? 

The most exciting thing was getting an order from overseas for some of my paper sculptures which had appeared in a Sydney Morning Herald article on craft markets.

What advice would you give someone who wants to sell their crafts? 

Think about your brand and where it fits in the marketplace, then just get out there and apply for stalls at markets like Made On The Left. It is the best way to test your ideas and to get feedback.

What goals do you have in store for the future? 
Ultimately I would love to have my own studio space from which I could sell my pieces. My husband loves finding and restoring old furniture and both my daughters are very creative so it could be a family venture!

Thanks Christine!
xx MOTL team

Stallholder Profile: Spotlight on "Little L"

Made on the Left first came across Lauren Mills at the KickstART Youth Markets in April of this year. We were so impressed with her display, we awarded her Best Stall Display with the prize being a free spot at the July Made on the Left market. Here we get the scoop on Lauren, her inspirations, creative processes and market tips!  

Lauren with her prize winning display at the KickstART Youth Markets

Tell us a bit about yourself.

My name is Lauren Mills; I am 23 years old and currently finishing my final year of Interior Design at university. I started up my small business Little L at the beginning of this year and have loved every moment of it since.

What inspires you to create?

The materials I use are my main inspiration. I love repurposing old materials and giving them a new life, for example: my stamp collection from my childhood has now turned into necklace pendants and brooches, old books from the top shelf of a second hand store are now a myriad of ornaments and artwork, paper dress patterns are now mini and large bouquets of flowers.

Turning trash into treasure and just making beautiful things is what inspires me to keep on going.

What materials do you use?

As said above I like to reuse old items and repurpose used materials. Books, dress patterns, postage stamps, sheet music, lace, buttons, dominos and scrabble letters make up to main collection of my materials. I also use all recycled pieces of furniture for my market displays, all found at bulk rubbish collections or at second hand markets.

Little L at the Made on the Left July 2012 market

What steps do you take to prepare for a market?

A lot of preparation goes into the week prior to a market, usually I clear out a space in the house like the living room or garage and layout my whole display with all my furniture and pieces so I can get it just right. I get my whole family involved getting feedback and help with planning so everything runs smoothly on the day.

What’s your number one market tip?

Be prepared! I always pack a toolbox with everything I might need from masking tape to blue tack to safety pins to my pliers. You never know what might happen. For outdoors markets tarps are always a good idea especially in winter, and for indoor markets materials to fix your signage and displays with are a must.

Lauren's workspace

What is your favourite part of the creative process?

The best part of the creative process is that moment in the middle when you can finally see your ideas taking shape and coming to life. That point where whatever you’re working on starts to resemble the finished product you have pictured in your head. That’s such a rewarding moment to know you’ve overcome the difficulties of creating and things are finally turning out right!

What’s been your most popular item or line to date?

My most popular item has definitely been the handmade paper flowers from recycled dress patterns. They have consistently sold out and I can’t seem to make enough of them fast enough!

What is the most exciting thing that has come out of selling your designs through markets?

The interactions with all the other market organisers, stallholders and potential stockholders. The contacts and networking that can come from just one market is so inspirational it really keeps me eager to continue my hard work and keep pursuing this dream.

What advice would you give someone who wants to sell their crafts?

I think the best thing to do from the beginning is to research. Research the market, the product, the people you want to sell to and where you will be selling. The market scene in Perth is booming at the moment so now is definitely a good time to get involved, so have confidence in your products and take the chance. It’s a fantastic experience and the people in the Perth market scene are just lovely J

What goals do you have in store for the future?

Ideally I would like to open my own store selling refurbished furniture, and more of my handmade wares. I love what I am doing and love the creative process, but I also love the thought of the people of Perth wearing my wares and having them in their homes. For now I am just happy to get out there and keep holding stalls and enjoying every moment of it. 

Thanks Lauren!
xx MOTL Team