Kelly Searl from Pony Rider
Pony Rider founder Kelly Searl has built a brand which stands on strong principles of community spirit, considered design, responsible business practices and sustainable manufacturing. We chat to Kelly about her inspiring and incredibly thoughtful design journey.
Photography: Courtesy of Pony Rider
‘It was definitely more artsy when I started - I wanted to explore new styles and had fun finding my own language along the way. Now the brand has found its visual language and we love it,’ says Kelly Searl of The Pony Rider journey. Photo: Courtesy of Pony Rider
‘We started Pony Rider with a belly full of optimism and a desire to create meaningful products with minimal impact,’ says Kelly Searl. Photo: Courtesy of Pony Rider
The Pony Rider ethos is focused on slow, intentional living and the importance of a quiet moment in nature. Photo: Courtesy of Pony Rider
H&F: Hi Kelly – when did the idea first come about to start Pony Rider… was there a lightbulb moment?
Kelly: No light bulb moment - it was actually going to be a swimwear brand originally and then I decided I didn't want to deal with fittings all the time. In hindsight, shipping a bikini is a hell of a lot easier then shipping cushions and bedding, but we wouldn't change it for the world.
As a designer/maker, what’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way?
That not every piece or design needs to be everything to everyone, and sustainability really matters to me and also to look at the bigger picture.
Do you have a disciplined studio routine to help keep you focused?
Yes, procrastinate, procrastinate…. tidy, reset a room, possibly paint a floor and then I’ll design. Best Practice? Probably not. However, the ritual of cleaning a space before designing seems to be somewhat of a common human trait. Most creatives have a similar process I think, we need to clear our space and heads to create.
What’s been your biggest professional success?
Becoming B Corp! And hearing how our gear makes people and their spaces light up.
How would you describe your personal aesthetic - does it cross over in your work?
Yes, I think most brands are an extension of their founders. For example - I love being home just as much as being with people and connecting with the community, which completely speaks to our key brand values. I also love the outdoors, taking time out and just getting out in nature, which is I guess where my sense of adventure for the brand and our giveback The National Project were born from.
What influences your work?
The final space our products will call home. We design products for spaces to work in and compliment the home, wherever that home may be - the family home, tiny home, van, even a tent!
Sometimes we might design the centre piece and sometimes we design the side show that will support the centrepiece - whatever the piece, we like to think about the entire adventure, taking into consideration how many washes it might have, how long someone will live with it. There really are many factors that are drawn into and influence our work.
What’s been your biggest sacrifice?
My cortisol levels - running a business is tough, especially during the last 4 years.
‘Right now, some of my new ideas are based on experiences and not physical products. There's no better feeling than knowing something you created has inspired others - it's bloody exciting,’ says Kelly Searl. Photo: Courtesy of Pony Rider
Kelly Searl in the Pony Rider studio. Photo: Courtesy of Pony Rider
“We love to challenge the team to look deeper into making better, more conscious choices for our audience, and in turn inspire other designers to not settle for bad production and poor and easy choices that don’t serve the planet. Less really is more! More time back, more planet, more nature.”
‘My dream job is really about the people I work with and the fun factor! We have a great team that makes it super fun.’ Photo: Courtesy of Pony Rider
How has your community shaped you and your work?
My home and my people are everything, my mates keep me inspired - we all have a ‘well, why the hell not’ attitude about approaching some big challenges, sometimes it lands us in hot water, but generally we take on new challenges with gusto.
Our customers and broader community have been such a big part of shaping my journey, when I started out it was really about me wanting to design, now I've realised I’m designing for them in a really special way, but telling my story through my designs. It’s about inspiring people to make better choices.
We love to challenge the team to look deeper into making better, more conscious choices for our audience, and in turn inspire other designers to not settle for bad production and poor and easy choices that don’t serve the planet. Less really is more! More time back, more planet, more nature.
Is this your dream job?
Right now, for sure… but I could also work at a local coffee shop and have a hell of a time doing that too. My dream job is really about the people I work with and the fun factor! We have a great team that makes it super fun.
Do you remember some of your earlier pieces in the Pony Rider collection - how has your work evolved throughout time?
It was definitely more artsy when I started - I wanted to explore new styles and had fun finding my own language along the way. Now the brand has found its visual language and we love it - although we keep it simple sometimes, we haven't lost who we are, we have evolved into who we wanted to become - less art but that's the way we like it, the fun arty stuff pops in and out when we’re inspired.
What drives you as a designer to keep exploring new ideas?
The design has always been about creating something that inspires. Right now, some of my new ideas are based on experiences and not physical products. There's no better feeling than knowing something you created has inspired others - it's bloody exciting.
What is a good piece of advice you’ve been given or would give?
I have a few - you don't have to be everything to everyone. Don't be scared to fail because as soon as you do that you stop being creative. You can't spin all the plates - you need good people around you that you trust to spin for you.
What’s in store for Pony Rider?
So much! I am in one of those growth stages with lots of nervous moments – you will have to wait and see!