Women in Design at The Design Files + Laminex Design Awards 2020
The Design Files + Laminex Design Awards is full of innovative women designers—we got to speak to a few of them to find out what makes Australian design so inspirational.
Words: Emma-Kate Wilson
Designer Gabrielle Beswick is one half of Melbourne-based design studio Fomu. Pictured - the L’Art De Vivre chair, which is in the Furniture Design shortlist. Photo - Sean Fennessy.
“It’s when we consider all stakeholders in design that we’ll see a paradigm shift in how we make and use things and enhance positive outcomes for society and the environment,” says Sustainability category judge Karina Seljak from Seljak Brand.
Celebrating women in design is still something that is, very much needed. A shift is still required in gender equality across the industry. However, a silver lining that emerged throughout this last year in women-led teams was a deeper sense of care and compassion to workers. Suddenly we could all work from home, and flexible hours were encouraged. The entire workforce was exposed to the everyday challenges of say, a working mum.
“Women make excellent designers, excellent communicators and collaborators,” says The Design Files editor, Lucy Feagins. “It’s really about women simply being given the opportunity to be on an equal footing of male peers within the industry.”
The judge of the Collaboration category, Gloss Creative’s Founder & Creative Director Amanda Henderson, unsurprisingly feels passionately about this magic of joining design forces. “When designers collaborate, they bring their best – they play, they find common ground, uplift and elevate their skills to an elevated common vision,” says the event designer and visual merchandising superstar. “We are all bigger and better designers when we collaborate; it takes patience, confidence and trust as well as a sprinkling of pixie dust.”
One of the few women designers in the male-dominated lighting industry, Coco Flip designer, Kate Stokes has become one of Melbourne’s most successful lighting designers. As a judge of the lighting category, she sets the bar for inspiration. “I strongly believe that good things take time and that a high level of resolution is vital to a successful lighting product,” says the designer in commenting on what makes successful designs. “The details are just as important as the big picture when it comes to lighting, and a level of sophistication is required to really stand out.”
Details in Cassie Hansen’s studio pictured (& opening image). Photo - Amelia Stanwix.
Kip&Co has collaborated with the entirely women-led and run Bábbarra Women’s Centre in Maningrida, Arnhem Land for a series of textile designs that honour tradition and aesthetics of the area. Photo - Caitlin Mills.
“Craft plays a huge role in our society and has done so for years. Craft in its many forms can be seen at the centre of how we live our everyday lives,” says glass artist Amanda Dziedzic who is judging the Handcrafted category. Photo - Amelia Stanwix.
“The details are just as important as the big picture when it comes to lighting, and a level of sophistication is required to really stand out,” says lighting designer Kate Stokes from Coco Flip.
“The coming together of confident and creative minds around newly created works and problem-solving is the designer’ s superpower. It’s the single most effective creative process for innovation and creation I’ve experienced. ”
Collaboration category judge - Amanda Henderson, Gloss Creative founder. Photo - Caitlin Mills.
Finalist in the Collaboration category - Obus + Olana Janfa. Photo - Nynno Bel-Air.
Amanda Dziedzic, judge of the Handcrafted category and creator of Awards’ glass trophies, is also quick to notice the attention to detail and mastery of each designers’ craft. “Craft in its many forms can be seen at the centre of how we live our everyday lives,” says the glassblower, designer and maker. “A master craftsman/woman to me is someone who has dedicated their life to their chosen craft and celebrates it in every aspect of their designs.”
This can be seen through the incredible sculptures of Cassie Hansen who transforms clay into mini vignettes of architectural designs—inspired by her time at the editor of interior design mag, Artichoke. In the textile category, Kip&Co has collaborated with the entirely women-led and run Bábbarra Women’s Centre in Maningrida, Arnhem Land for a series of textile designs that honour tradition and aesthetics of the area.
“A designer who presents original work, work that doesn’t look like everything else is what I look for…. all designers should endeavour to be original. Be brave! ”
Variety Hour founder, Cassie Byrnes (and judge of the Textile category) shares this blending of art and business is a key to success, not just for sales, but for the customer. “I have a strong interest in commerciality because to me at its core textile design is about designing for a customer and creating meaningful products,” says the designer.
On reflection, these elements of design are equally as critical to Sustainable Design. Judge Karina Seljak urges designers to consider “models for access rather than ownership, the full lifecycle of products and inclusive product features and community-led product engagement.” The co-founder and director of Seljak Brand is in the right position to judge, as the winner of The Design Files + Laminex Design Award for Sustainable Design in 2019.
Even though the awards are full of inspiring women-designers, with news of The Budget revealing women are yet again, at the tail end of cuts, it’s down to companies to offer support during these incredibly challenging times. As Lucy Feagins, shares, “what holds women back in professional careers is parental leave and access to childcare - not skills, experience or ability.”