Meredith Nadine Design

What can I say, I love design. I adore admiring it, I relish using it and I have developed a keen eye for evaluating it. So, without a doubt, how could I pass up the chance to explore the inaugural Melbourne Finders Keepers market in search of Australian designers utilising reclaimed and reused materials.

Notebooks by Record Attempts • Corsage Brooch by Katrina Freene • 'Red-backed Robin & Wattle' tea towel by Formosa Design

Not to be disappointed, I spent the best part of six hours making my way around the massive Docklands Shed4, and with a veritable smorgasbord of design goodies for on offer, I had a fantastic time stickybeaking and chatting to the variety of remarkable industrial designers producing products from reclaimed fabrics, biscuit tins and records, and textile designers printing stunning illustration designs on hemp fabrics with water based inks.

Formosa Design

My favourite textile designer from the day, Canberra based Jennifer Berney launched Formosa Design in 2009. Focusing exclusively on native Australian flora and fauna, Jenny screen-prints her illustrations by hand at Megalo using quality hemp/cotton fabrics and water-based inks. Environmentally aware, not only does Jenny champion Australian nature through her graphic design, she places a priority on producing her work in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.

I absolutely loved all the little birds in her illustrations, especially the Red-backed Robin & Wattle design shown above. An admirable artist, I was lucky enough to snag myself one of her brooches, unfortunately not the beautiful Superb Wren in Winter shown below (I was beaten to that one), but one of her lovely Eucalypt none the less. Australian designed and produced, Formosa products strike me as the perfect Australian gift to send or take abroad…why isn’t this type of design available in tourist shops?

Fabric fat 1/4s & 'Eucalypt' cushion, Fabric badge & 'Lino-cut Blueberry Ash' bag by Formosa Design

Odds and Ends

Walking around a corner, I laughed with enjoyment when I laid eyes upon the knitted cacti by Odds and Ends. Joyfully explained by Andrea Daniel as a solution to her propensity to kill all plants, even cacti, Andrea and her sister Rene Broders aim to produce a range of uniquely interesting products that are created from vintage, reclaimed and reused materials and objects. I thought the Vintage Button Tractor Brooch was great fun, likewise the variety of Softies, and of course, all the cacti.

Arizona Style Hand Knitted Cactus, Vintage Button Tractor Brooch & Handmade Softies by Odds and Ends

Middlemost

As a designer who champions the use of reclaimed materials, I was thrilled (and somewhat relieved) to find Janine Middlemost towards the end of day with a stall full of bright and colour wares all made from reclaimed vintage fabrics including. Hailing all the way from Wagga Wagga, Janine refashions curtains, tablecloths, tea towels, sheets and other vintage fabrics she finds into the most delightfully colourful dresses, skirts, bags and coin purses.

To top it all off, I was especially impressed by her use of Middlemost fabric and cardboard tags she embroiders on her sewing machine, perhaps the greatest benefit of a modern programmable version. A good example of all-round use, I also like the way Janine pins the hanging sales tags by scraps of fabric.

Zip Pockets, Vintage Flannelette Shorties & Fitted & Wrap Skirts by Middlemost

Record Attempts

Even though I have never personally owned any records, let alone a record player, there is something so wonderful about vinyl. I love it when people appropriate outdated technologies to produce new and interesting products, and while I have seen records moulded into bowls, I like how Record Attempts have turned unloved LPs and the album sleeves into notebooks, sketch pads, music notebooks, photo albums, diaries and wall hangings. I particularly fancy the Retro Inspired Flying Ducks wall hangings, as I remember my parents once having a set of the iconic ceramic versions on their wall.

Retro Inspired Flying Ducks & Notebooks by Record Attempts

Retro Print Revival and Grandfathers Axe

I’m not sure why, but I’m a sucker for retro design, so no wonder I took a liking to Retro Print Revival‘s range of vintage lamps and Vintage Raw Silk Cushions. For that bona fide retro look, Tamara Watts marries unique lamp bases with and one of a kind lampshades covered in vintage 60s and 70s fabrics for that paisley and geometric wonderment.

More great retro refurbishment, Grandfathers Axe were also on hand to provide their own special mix of retro cool. I checked out Grandfathers Axe a while ago, and found them tucked up next to Frankie Magazine displaying a few great pieces of furniture including a pair of eye catching Australian Blackwood lounge chairs in blue with a fabulous Danish Sofa Table, and a more sedate pair of splendid Danish Teak compass chairs with pale green tweed. If you’re a retro devotee, are looking for a Grant Featherston original, or desire a special feature piece, head off to Northcote and visit Ed and Jarrad to peruse their incredible catalogue of marvellous vintage and refurbished finds.

Vintage Raw Silk Cushions & Tan Retro Lamp by Retro print Revival • Australian Blackwood lounge chairs, Danish Sofa Table & Danish Teak compass chairs by Grandfathers Axe

Katrina Freene

A contemporary jeweller from Adelaide, Katrina Freene utilises vintage biscuit tins and trays to make her Hi Tea collection of delightful earrings, necklaces and brooches. With an awareness of and desire to undertake more environmentally conscious practices, Katrina derives great satisfaction in breathing new life into discarded and depreciated items she finds in her local community. Colourful and simply stunning, I adore Katrina’s artistry and love her beautiful Butterfly and Corsage brooches.

Butterfly Brooches & Wing Earrings by Katrina Freene

LUcE Handmade

Original apparel made from the fabric of life, Melbourne designer Anne Mason organically constructs each individual LUcE article predominately from vintage and reclaimed materials, minimising any use of new components which are usually remnants, to about 5%. Like vintage clothing, I can see wearers appreciating these garments for the individual nature where you can be assured that you will never see someone else in that same piece, and if I could have, I definitely would have taken home the sublime Brown Over Top (below, top left) made from 90% Vintage Kimono Silk, 5% reclaimed and 5% new material.

Brown Over Top, Grey Over Top, Grey Over Vest & Patch Scarves by LUcE Handmade

Pearl & Elspeth and GOOGLIES by My Giddy Aunt Creations

Showcased at Finders Keepers by Georgie Love, I could certainly see myself wearing one of Pearl & Elspeth A-line skirts. Inspired by a love of old and beautiful things, Annie Werner creates unique clothing with a desire to showcases the variety of vintage and reclaimed materials she finds. Safe to say, any one of her garments would be perfect for Spring or Summer.

Also exhibited by Gerorgie Love, GOOGLIES by My Giddy Aunt Creations are crocheted by part-time graphic designer and full-time mum Julie Ramsden from leftover wool she finds in her local op shops. Kooky and unique, Julie’s creations are inspired by and evolve from the small quantities of materials she comes across. What a wonderful way to make use of remnants and discarded bits and pieces that may otherwise end up in landfill.

GOOGLIES by My Giddy Aunt Creations • Reclaimed skirts by Pearl & Elspeth

Okt-ober Dee and Ginny & Jude Designs

Refashioning vintage neckties and scarfs into fashionable Okt-ober Dee neckwear, Lauren Ferry is an Industrial Designer who has found a way to combine her love of vintage and textiles with functionality and usability. One of Lauren’s staple designs, the Tiedy Scarf, are made from a men’s necktie and enable the wearer to wrap the tie around their neck twice and fixed with a press stud closure. The recently renamed Cravelle is an alternative to the customary scarf and is made using soft leather and vintage scarves, the leather has been used t shield the wearers neck from chilly wind.

With an air of art deco French chic, Ginny & Jude Designs have some truly incredible millinery pieces, accessories and silk skirts. As a designer who is not particularly interested in high-fashion but has developed a love for hats and brooches, I adored Ginny & Jude’s refashioned stunning vintage hair pieces, cabochons starburst brooches, and sumptuous reclaimed kimono silk skirts.

Cravelle by Okt-obr Dee • Martini Headpiece & Enso Skirts by Ginny & Jude Designs

Dames & Divas and Tilli Michelle

In my rounds I found another two designers who had discovered the beauty of reclaimed kimono and obi silks. Hand crafted from unstitched vintage silk kimonos sourced directly from Japan, Dames & Divas produce unique and limited edition shoes, bags and accessories. Likewise, Melbourne based Tilli Michelle is making use of vintage obi silks and traditional leatherwork to produce pretty clutch bags.

Vintage Silk Kimono Wedges by Dames & Divas • Pearl Daisy Clutch Bag by Tilli Michelle

Did you checkout Finders Keepers? I’d love to hear about the great surprises you unearthed and who your favourite designers were.

Meredith

Photography by Meredith Nadine