After being introduced by a mutual friend, and clicking straight away, lighting designer Kerrie Mould and textile designer Emily Wills joined forces in January. This week they released their collection of pendant lights and framed wall textiles into the world, and the swoon-worthy colour palette of peony, sherbet and dusk blue certainly stopped us in our tracks (mid-scroll).
‘Geometric pattern, organic texture and strong form compliment the light-hearted colours, giving the collection a truly modern feel,’ describe the duo. Their limited-edition artwork, ‘Averia’, takes its name from an imaginary coastal town, and references nautical stripes in a contemporary way. The large-format wall textiles, available in two colourways, are printed in Melbourne on cotton canvas, and framed in Victorian Oak. In addition, the ‘Lunette’ range of pendant lights are also made locally from 100 per cent recycled paper, and come in three colours as well as size options.
This collaboration is markedly different than both creatives’ past designs, as they were pushed to consider new mediums and how their work could be styled together. The pair both studied Fashion Design – Kerrie at Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology, and Emily at Curtin University in Perth, before settling up their home studios in Melbourne, Kingsville and Carlton respectively. ‘After a stint working in the fashion industry it was a natural progression for us to build on our fashion backgrounds through the lens of product and surface design,’ says Emily.
Keen to collaborate again in the future, the duo have had loads of fun creating this playful range. ‘We have other designs and colours in mind – next will be a more “wintery” colour palette; dark inland interiors, winter sun and cool shadows,’ says Emily. We can’t wait to see what they dream up next!
The Ode to Elma x SURFACE 1°22 range is available via the designer’s respective websites, as well as selected Melbourne-based stockists. Emily Wills also has a Textile and Surface Pattern Design Short Course beginning in October, while Kerrie Mould’s lighting will be on display as part of the Melbourne Fringe Furniture exhibition from September 14th.
