Making the leap from tossing around ideas in a cafe to launching original designs onto the market can be a challenge for any young designer. Jewellery and product designers Theresa Nguyen and Cheri Uppal say that taking part in Young Blood: Designers Market at the Powerhouse gave them the motivation to make this leap from idea to reality. ‘It was an opportunity to put our creations in front of consumers — by far the most terrifying thing as designers,’ the pair says. ‘To put your work out there, into the public realm, is like wearing your heart on your sleeve. Yet the reaction was so overwhelming and positive that it has become a way of communicating with our customers.’

Theresa Nguyen and Cheri Uppal believe ‘design is about storytelling’, so it’s not surprising that their label, Lola & Bailey, is named after a fictional romance and that each whimsical pendant necklace in their jewellery range has a story. The talented duo relish the chance to personally showcase their designs at Young Blood, which attracts design savvy consumers as well as retailers on the hunt for original new products.

Now in its third year, Young Blood has quickly established itself as one of the Museum’s most popular programs and an excellent launching pad for emerging designers who benefit from the exposure and sales it generates. The most recent market in August was a highlight of Sydney Design 07. Karie Soehardi took part and says: ‘There are not many platforms where you get feedback instantly from both trade and public. Having that type of mixed traffic and being able to hear what they think about your designs is highly motivating and, of course, it gives people the chance to see and support what is happening in their own backyard.’

Karie Soehardi creates screen-printed fabrics and hand-printed wallpapers under the label Ella and Sofia. Her inspiration comes from unexpected sources: ‘I will see something and it will spark an idea, for example a grate in the street, and I will sketch or paint or play around with it until I have a design, which I feel I can see on a piece of fabric or a teacup.’ Since her appearance at Young Blood, various doors have opened for Karie. ‘I have found people calling the studio weeks after the event wanting wallpaper and fabrics for their shop fit-outs and house renovations,’ she says. ‘I have also found that many want to support local designers and that is so inspiring, it gives you that extra little drive.’

But it’s not only local designers using Young Blood to launch their creative talent onto the Sydney scene. Natalie Crupi is the Melbourne-based designer behind Rebound Books, handmade blank journals created from pre-loved hardcover books. She says that what motivates her as a designer is ‘to be creative with things that already exist and bring them to life as something new that can continue to have a meaningful function.’

Natalie Crupi filled up the car with her books and drove to Sydney to be a part of Young Blood in August. Her enthusiasm paid off, however, and ‘the car was much lighter on the drive back to Melbourne’. Natalie explains that as a result of Young Blood: ‘We have acquired several new stockists throughout NSW, which is great for us. We have also been able to bring our product to a new audience and give ourselves a presence in Sydney’.

Industrial designer Wojciech Wawrzyniak also made his Young Blood debut in August, launching Totem Decks skateboard graphics. Seeing people engaging with his ideas is, he says, ‘what keeps me going with generating new concepts. I love the challenge of resolving how to produce something to a high level of quality and then making it available to the market that requires it.’ Enter Young Blood. ‘We had a constant crowd at the head of the table,’ he says. ‘At one stage I spoke non-stop for 45 minutes to one interested party after another. The order pages started filling up and wouldn't stop right up until 5.00pm on the Saturday. It was an incredible response for what was the first time we had publicly exhibited our products.’

Young Blood brings together over forty designers and takes place three times a year, showcasing a wealth of fresh new ideas and products. The program is part of a Museum tradition of nurturing original Australian design.

Young Blood: Designers Market returns in August for Sydney Design 08 and will share the limelight with the inaugural Sydney designboom mart.
Call for entries open – Monday 2 June
Entries close – Monday 21 July

Young Blood: Designers Market
Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris Street, Ultimo
Thursday 14 August, 6.00 – 9.00pm
Friday 15 August, 10.00am – 6.00pm
Saturday 16 August, 10.00am – 6.00pm
Sunday 17 August, 10.00am – 6.00pm

This article was written for Powerline, the members magazine of the Powerhouse Museum.

Young Blood: Designers Market
Powerhouse Museum
Powerline
designboom

Sydney Design 08 is on 8-24 August, stay tuned for the program launch in June
Sydney Design


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