Sophisticated Kitsch ™



Originally from Melbourne, they both made a "sea change" to Gippsland, several years ago. They met in 1997 when each had enrolled in a fabric printing course at East Gippsland TAFE. They found they had much in common creatively and learned that each had also trained at Emily MacPherson College (at different times) both studying Fashion design and Production.

Lynne went on to become a designer and pattern-maker for several Australian fashion labels and Julie a teacher of art and textiles. After completing the fabric printing course, Julie and Lynne met frequently, and often talked of "doing something" together. It wasn't until late 2001 that they decided to combine their flair for colour, design, texture .and their love of textiles to create an exclusive range of unique and unusual hand bags.

Lynne and Julie spend time browsing second-hand shops, local markets and antique shops for costume jewellery, unusual trinkets, and vintage laces and fabrics that become the inspiration for the designs of these fabulous hand bags. They also spend many hours in the vat room of the old dairy on Julie's farm dyeing the vintage fabrics and beautiful laces; hand-made fabric using unusual threads is often used in order to create the exact look that they want.

Lynne and Julie working intuitively with their "raw materials" and each bag is approached as a work of art. From conception to completion these divine handbags are completely hand-made. Industrial machines are used to construct each bag and they are professionally finished using magnetic clasp closures.

Each completed bag is given its own name and Julie and Lynne have made it their policy never to reproduce a hand bag once created. Some describe them as Soul Bags, some see them as Heirlooms Lynne and Julie think of them as little works of wearable art!