Anne-Claire Petre grew up in small town in the Loire Valley in France. ‘Think castle, stone bridge, 100 year old architecture (or what’s left after the war) etc…’ says Anne-Claire, who moved to Australia in 1998. Having studied Industrial Design in France, and furniture design in Edinburgh, Scotland, her first port of call on Australian shores was Adelaide, where she initially spent 2 years at the Jamfactory as an associate furniture designer-maker. After completing this intense program, Anne-Claire moved to Melbourne, where she worked for a number of high-end local furniture companies, before taking the leap and launching her own fledgling design studio, Anaca Studio, in 2012.
After so many years studying design, and working for other well known furniture brands, the launch of Anne-Claire’s own studio in 2012 was in some ways, long overdue. ‘I was really itching to get back into designing and creating a range of my own’ says Anne-Claire. ‘What lies behind my brand is a passion for design principles, a belief that simplicity of forms and thoughtful details are essential to creating beautiful and lasting products’.
The Anaca Studio core range is clean, simple and practical. To begin with, Anne-Claire has focused on producing small pieces – occasional tables, stools, comfy ottomans and floor cushions, hallway consoles and a coat stand. ‘Generally I go by the need for a specific piece, it can be something I personally require or something friends or clients mention to me’ Anne-Claire says. As each piece is made to order locally, it’s not uncommon for Anne-Claire to customise her pieces for specific uses, and she also often works in collaboration with interior designers to create bespoke pieces for their projects. Everything is made in Melbourne.
The Anaca Studio range is available to order directly by phone or via email.
