With summer on its way, two fabulous new bedding ranges have landed, both inspired by Australia’s unique and beautiful landscape. And while the ranges feature very different aesthetics, they both celebrate the beauty of this great land.
Kip&Co x Ken Done
This collaboration is such a perfect alignment that I’m surprised it hasn’t happened before now. With their love of bright colours and clashing prints, it’s fitting to see Kip&Co collaborate with Australian icon Ken Done for their latest collection.“I think the shared stuff between us, and Kip&Co, is the love of colour, the love of decoration, the love sometimes of putting two kinds of patterns together to make something else,” says Ken Done of the collaboration.
With Ken’s art epitomising Australia and its luminous, vibrant colours as well as bright sunlight and ocean vistas, the bedding range showcases his signature enthusiasm for colour. Some of our most iconic subject matter features including the Great Barrier Reef, yachts on Sydney Harbour, sunbathers on the beach and plenty of flora and fauna. For many of us, the collection is a nostalgic trip down memory lane.
“When we grew up in the 80s, Ken’s art leapt off the walls and into our day-to-day lives, providing an incandescent backdrop to our most nostalgic, treasured childhood memories. This was the time when a Ken Done coaster set, t-shirt, or print became as ubiquitous with the Aussie home as the hills hoists that punctuated our back yards. We soaked it all in. His unabashed optimism and signature enthusiasm for colour has undoubtedly been one of our biggest influences,” says Kip&Co.’s Kate Kate Heppell.
The partnership that has been almost ten years in the making with Ken number one on the brand’s dream list of collaborators.
Greenhouse Interiors ‘Golden’ collection
By contrast, ‘Golden’ is the latest bedding collection from Greenhouse Interiors and it’s a much more muted affair. According to the brand, the range is inspired by gentle rays and lazy beach days, the sound of the ocean roaring with the crashing of waves, an optimistic sea breeze, gelato and salty hair.
The new Spring/Summer range celebrates nostalgic prints, pattern play and the brand’s signature ingredient – colour. Designed in Melbourne, the painterly collection features soft, textured European linens and a tranquil, pastel palette.
“The smell of coconut oil, the taste of watermelon, sticky fingers and sandy feet. Dreamy sunsets, balmy nights, summer soirees and palm trees on the horizon. We are finally out of hibernation, and entering the golden days of spring and summer,” says Greenhouse Interiors’ Julia Green.
Perfect for summer, the brand’s art bedcovers are back this season but you’d better hop to it as they usually sell out.
Greenhouse Interiors styling by Julia Green and Aisha Chaudhry assisted by Brownyn Brown and Jane Wood. Photography by Armelle Habib.
Kip&Co has launched its first ceramics collection in collaboration with the iconic Australian ceramicists Robert Gordon. The connection between the brands spans decades with the Kip&Co team having attended school with the Gordon children; the friendship was forged in a bushy country Victoria schoolyard in the 1990’s and has continued ever since.
“It was an idyllic upbringing in Berwick – surrounded by amazing Aussie bush and a truly creative close-knit community away from the rat race. It was a special, formative period for us all and I think if you look at where we’ve all ended up in our careers you can see the imprint of that way of life. We’ve continued to admire everything the Gordon’s have done and it’s a bloody delight to be working together now,” says Kip&Co’s Kate Heppell.
The Kip&Co x Robert Gordon features lots of fabulous tableware options
The range came about because, like all of us, the Kip&Co crew are rather obsessed with ceramics at the moment. Kate herself has dabbled in making them over the years and says that those experiences have given her serious respect for the craftmanship and skill required in the pursuit.
“But, as is often the way, the bulk of ceramic tableware plays in the safe neutrals space so, naturally we were excited to bring a little bit of our signature playful prints to the category,” says Kate. And when it came to choosing a partner to help the brand realise its dream, Robert Gordon was a natural fit.
The everyday dining collection includes stoneware plates, bowls, jugs and mugs; all of which are emblazoned with a series of maximalist inspired signature Kip&Co prints. “I’m mad on the plates and am very excited to get myself a big set. I can’t wait to use them during long lunches with friends where I can cook up a feast!” says Kate.
The bespoke vase collection is rather special too with only ten of each design available. “Each vase is designed by Kip&Co and hand painted by Kate Gordon, who has been been glazing pottery in her family business for over 30 years. The pouring process alone for these incredible vases takes an entire day and is done by hand at the Robert Gordon studio in Melbourne,” says Kate of the vases that are signed and numbered.
“We’ve continued to admire everything the Gordon’s have done and it’s a bloody delight to be working together now!”
There are collaborations and then there are collaborations! This one, between Bábbarra Women’s Centre and Kip&Co, is what collaboration’s all about and we can’t get enough of it.
One of Australia’s most remote textile-producing arts centres, Bábbarra Women’s Centre in Maningrida, Arnhem Land, has teamed up with leading lifestyle brand Kip&Co to design a contemporary homewares collection that launches this month.
Both the centre and Kip&Co are proudly female-founded and operated, making the collaboration an entirely women-led project. Bábbarra is one of Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation’s most successful enterprises, and Bawinanga is also led by a female CEO.
As well as bed linen, there’s also bags, aprons and table linen in the collection
Kip&Co meanwhile are known for their artist collaborations but this is the first time the brand has worked with Indigenous artists. To ensure best practice was applied to every element of the collaboration, Australia’s national copyright licensing organisation, the Copyright Agency, was engaged to assist with establishing a framework to protect the integrity of the designs and the intellectual property rights of the artists.
The artists at the centre design and hand-print textiles that are sold in Australia and internationally. Each length of fabric is unique and tells the ancestral stories of Arnhem Land country and cultures.
Jessica Phillips, who is the first local Indigenous manager of Bábbarra Women’s Centre, says art and design is one of the key ways remote Aboriginal communities engage with the mainstream economy. “We know that when women are financially empowered, the flow-on effects for children and families are significant,” she says.
“This project was the idea of the Bábbarra women, who have long wanted to have their designs featured on a bed linen range. It was their idea, and a significant consideration was made to ensure the artists’ interests were positioned first.
“As a collaborative partner, Kip&Co was the perfect fit, as they are proudly owned and run by women, and create high quality homewares with a commitment to responsible sourcing and sustainable practices – so there was instant synergy.”
Launched in Melbourne in 2012 by Alex McCabe, Kate Heppell and Hayley Pannekoecke, Kip&Co began as a colourful bedding brand that quickly expanded into a vibrant lifestyle concept. Co-founder Alex says the trio have wanted to work with an Indigenous artist since they first started. “When Bábbarra Women’s Centre contacted us two years ago, we were hopeful that that one email might be the start of something special. When we saw the artists’ work, we were excited.
“Being part of a female-led collaboration has been incredibly rewarding. We travelled up to the Northern Territory with our children last summer to spend time in the community. It was a chance to meet these amazing artists in person, and to deepen our understanding of the stories behind the artwork. We were moved by the history of the arts centre, founded as a safe haven for women, and by the spirit of the artists – their creativity and determination. We believe this spirit has been captured in this beautifully designed range.”
Originally established as a women’s refuge, Bábbarra Women’s Centre is governed by women for women and advocates for better learning and economic opportunities to create higher outcomes for Indigenous women and their families.
Bábbarra and Kip&Co will divide all profits from the collaboration equally, and care was taken to ensure the artists were key decision-makers on every aspect of the range, from artwork selection, to product range, colours, labels, and attending the photo shoot on country. “This gave us a deeper appreciation of the artists, the artwork and their stories,” says Alex.
Copyright Agency CEO Adam Suckling says: “We are proud to have been entrusted with the responsibility of negotiating the licence for the use of Bábbarra artists’ works and ensuring ethical processes were followed for this wonderful female-led collaboration. What is important is that all parties respectfully negotiated a fair and reasonable licensing fee, and the terms, conditions, attributions and acknowledgment of the artists agreed upon protect the artists and the reproduction of their artwork.”
Jessica adds that the local Maningrida governance structures were included at every stage. “While the initial idea for the collaboration originated from Bábbarra Women’s Governance Group, it was also presented to and endorsed by Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation board’s Arts and Cultural Subcommittee.”
Artworks by seven Bábbarra artists feature in the Bábbarra x Kip&Co collection:
Deborah Wurrkidj, Manwak 2017, and Marebu, 2012
Elizabeth Wullunmingu, Barnkabarra, 2010
Helen Lanyinwanga, Ngarduk Kunred, 2017
Janet Marawarr, Kunkurra, 2015
Jennifer Wurrkidj, Kunronj, 2007
Margot Gurawiliwili, Djenj dja komrdawh, 2006
Raylene Bonson, Wubbunj, 2016
Deborah, a Kuninjku artist, says it was important that the women’s designs were respected to keep their stories strong for generations to come. “I feel so good. When I see it, I am feeling really kamak [good]. Every artist is feeling so proud to see their designs used in this project, a mix of new designs and old. I’m proud for my Mum’s design, my designs and also my sister Jennifer, too, in this project.”
Fellow artist Raylene is looking forward to seeing Indigenous art celebrated on a broader stage. “All the Bábbarra ladies, we sat down and had the idea for our designs on sheets and for beds a long time ago. We talked about it together in a big group, all the daluk [women]. It was our idea from the start to have our designs on sheets, and it is good it is happening now.
“I feel good Australia will see my design and know my story. The Bábbarra ladies are so strong. We have the strongest ladies at the women’s centre. We always work together, and feel proud of our work here.”
The Copyright Agency views this licence as a benchmark of best practice for a female-led indigenous collaboration. “This is a very significant collaboration, with the artists and Kip & Co showing respect for each other’s expertise. It has been a project of shared experiences, shared stories and shared outcomes that all parties can enjoy, which is the mark of a successful licence. It also has huge potential to be replicated in other communities.”
Bábbarra Women’s Centre is one of Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation’s biggest success stories. Located in Maningrida, West Arnhem Land, the Centre started as a women’s refuge in the 1980s. Bábbarra now operates a cluster of women-centred enterprises that support healthy and sustainable livelihoods. Bábbarra Designs is their main enterprise. They have a textile workshop specialising in the production of hand-printed fabric design and a skilled sewing team. Their designs tell significant ancestral stories of the Arnhem Land country and cultures.
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Kip&Co X Hugo Loves Tiki 'Amsterdam' and 'Organic Frites' print bedding
“After launching in the US in 2017 we immediately fell in love with the fashion-forward, cute-attack style of Hugo Loves Tiki,” says Kip&Co co-founder Alex van der Sluys of the brand’s latest collaboration. “It was a mutual love for each other’s brands and aesthetic that really brought us together,” adds fellow co-founder Hayley Pannekoecke.
Kip&Co X Hugo Loves Tiki clam and seahorse print bedding
“Hugo Loves Tiki is a US based kids apparel label created using super fun Euro-inspired prints for cool kidswear,” explains Hayley. The collaboration was forged out of a joint passion for playful, cheeky prints and features the kaleidoscope of colour that has made both brands cult favourites.
Kip&Co X Hugo Loves Tiki ‘Amsterdam’ and ‘Organic Frites’ print bedding
“We design and produce unique, crazy patterned clothing that is totally inspired by my kids and their style and we have secretly been in love with Kip and Co forever. To be contacted to collaborate really was a dream come true,” says Hugo Loves Tiki founder Cheyenne Couch.
Kip&Co X Hugo Loves Tiki clam print fitted cot sheet and quilted blanket
The collection includes four iconic Hugo Loves Tiki prints in the form of 100 per cent cotton duvets, sheets, pillow cases, quilted cotton cot comforters and bamboo swaddles. The bedding is available this month with apparel coming soon.
Kip&Co X Hugo Loves Tiki ‘Amsterdam’ and ‘Organic Frites’ print bedding
“We love all of it but we’re especially fond of the sweet clams design and the super cool Amsterdam print. We think our customer is going to fall in love with Hugo Loves Tiki too,” says Hayley.
WIN
To celebrate the collection launch, we have one Kip&Co X Hugo Loves Tiki quilt cover and pillowcase (in your choice of design and size, subject to availability) to give away. Open to Australian residents only. Please complete the form below by 5pm Sydney time on Friday 3 August 2018 to be in with a chance.
As is often the case for Kip & Co, its latest collection, titled 24 KARAT, is a celebration of colour and print and has more than a touch of seventies magic running through it. “It has a really strong, confident feel and it’s got more colour, kapow and cool than ever before! I think the inspiration is probably the quiet strength of all the amazing women out there. We launched on international women’s day too which was appropriate!” says Kip & Co’s Alex van der Sluys of the Autumn/Winter 2017 range, that rather fittingly features plenty of pink.
The seventies vibe is channeled through the colour palette too with lots of ‘dirty’ hues on offer – think mustard, rust, lilac and forest green. “Colour is also a strong creative driver for us and this season there is a beautiful palette with strong sea greens and stormy blues mixed with nectar, peach sorbet and deep rose,” says Alex.
The collection also features a couple of new products for the brand – the diamond shaped wall hooks are particularly gorgeous. “Every season we introduce a few new products as we’re constantly evolving and growing which is incredibly exciting for us. Sharing those new pieces is one of our favourite parts of any season. This season we’ve introduced denim bedding which is a total blue dream, we’ve expanded our coloured translucent cutlery collection with delicious soup ladles, serving spoons and salt and pepper dishes, plus we’ve also introduced some really beautiful wall hooks that are art in themselves!” says Alex.
New towels, toiletry bags and more
Wall hooks
Showcasing plenty of fun motifs including strawberries, burgers, donuts, dinosaurs and a sprinkle print, the Kip & Co KID collection is a lot of fun too. “We’ve created an amazing blanket with these strawberry shaped pom poms – it’s totally wild and I think people are going to love it!” says Alex. Jen is already a fan!
Last season’s tasselled throws are back which should please many fans
The Kip & Co TINY collection is also a winner – the padded play mats, cot sheets and bamboo swaddles are sure to brighten up any nursery.
I love that lion cushion!
In other news, the brand’s beanbags are also back. “They’re back due to popular demand and are ready for you to plonk in and watch the storms roll in this winter,” says Alex.
The brand’s beanbags are back
And with plans to launch stateside soon, the talented Melbourne design trio certainly have their hands full. “We’re also really excited to launch in the US in April – wish us luck!” says Alex.
The new season round velvet cushions come in a series of delectable shades
