If there is one Australian design company that has incredible staying power, then the crown should go to Dinosaur Designs. Not only are they still around after almost thirty years in business, they have remained true to their brand and are even more relevant today then they were when I first fell in love with their work.
In my early twenties I would often walk through my neighbourhood and stop to gaze through the window front of Dinosaur Designs’ Paddington Sydney store. It would be filled with their recognisable chunky resin jewellery and colourful tabletop accessories, every item showing the beautiful imperfections of handmade. With a twenty-year-old bank balance, I could only dream that I could own something in the store. They were unique, bold and I had seen nothing like it before.
Years later when I arrived back from my travels and when Guillaume first moved to Australia, he bought me some bangles and when we got married, my old flatmate who knew how much I loved the designs, gave Guillaume and me some beautiful orange bowls for our wedding gift. All of these, I still treasure today.
Like many well-known Australian designers today, Louise Olsen and Stephen Ormandy, first started selling at Paddington Markets, which happens to be just a few doors down from their now Paddington boutique. Today along with their five Australian stores and after being represented around the world for many years, they have just recently opened their first international store in New York. Continuing with this expansion, my London friends will pleased to know that they will open the doors to a boutique in in Soho next month so make sure you experience some of their beauty with your very own eyes!
In New Zealand a curated collection can be found at Mildred & Co. For elsewhere in the world, check here for your local stockist.
Putting all of the eye candy and craftsmanship aside, the company is carbon neutral and support environmentally sustainably initiatives, which alone should be praised.
I’ll leave you to enjoy the great video below for the behind the scenes and processes of the stunning work of Dinosaur Designs.
Mel xx
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSNYHZ3KGMQ
8 Comments
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Their pieces are timeless – beautiful work…gorgeous colours too!
I used to volunteer a day a week at ‘Follow Me’ magazine during my Uni days and helped out a fashion show – Dinosaur Designs made some fantastic resin outfits and lots of necklaces and bangles for the show…this was over 20yrs ago…gorgeous!
That sounds like so much fun xx M
I’ve never heard of them so am delighted you featured DD here.
How exciting they’re opening a London store. I will be sure to visit and tell them that I first read about them on my friend Mel’s blog all the way in NZ.
Thank you for the introduction and I love your storytelling here and those orange bowls:-)
xx
It’s without a doubt that you will love the colour bomb of their store! Let me know when you go. Mel xx
I’ve always admired their work also Mel, they have a store here on Chapel St that I often peer in the window if I’m walking past. Such loveliness. xx
I just heard that they have a sale on in Melbourne at the moment too! Very tempting. Have a lovely day Catherine. xx
I remember first discovering Dinosaur Designs years ago before I had even moved to Melbourne. The items really are so beautiful and unique.
Hi Alisha. They’re really special aren’t they? Thanks for stopping by. Mel x