I was at a turning point with my jewellery company One Leaf Designs, all supplies were upgraded to gemstones and 100% sterling silver. Costume jewellery was no longer an option as I prefer to wear quality jewellery that lasts and wanted to remain true to why I started the business.
I had years’ worth of beads that were still lovely however weren’t the quality required for the business if I wanted to move forward. Do I throw them out, do I sell them off, or do I do something with them? Aesthetically the beads were still beautiful, but no more costume jewellery – how about an entire costume!?
The costumes began…(however something much larger developed…)
I was originally going to do a photoshoot with models and then build mannequins to display them on as an art piece. The mannequins were going to be in a dynamic pose made completely from wood with a smooth finish; however they truly organically evolved and sent me in a different direction. The theme (and challenge) of upcycling quickly spread like wildfire.
As an entrepreneur you have to make use of the materials you have before always seeking the new. (I was also moving house and had a monstrous shell collection, so there was a need to do something worthwhile with them as well.) I grew up on the beaches of Port Macquarie and have been based along Australia’s east coast since. Everywhere I travel, I seem to get drawn to the water, so this theme was natural for me.
Time to upgrade studio and upgrade supplies.
Kat Atkins measuring models (Tallis Piehler) to base costume design and mannequin sizes on.
