Let's Talkabout

More Talk:

Style Setter: Dion Lee

Fashion designer Dion Lee launched his debut collection in 2008 and quickly cemented his status as one of Australia's leading talents.
Style Setter: Nicola & Orlando Reindorf

Recognising a changing standard to the way people shop, fashion retailers Orlando & Nicola Reindorf are injecting a refreshing sense of cool into the Sydney shopping scene.
Chelsey Wayte

Working with Perth Fashion Festival (PFF) to help promote local emerging designers, Chelsey Wayte has every Perth fashionistas’ dream job. As project manager of Hatch, a store that only stocks Western Australian designers, and an initiative by PFF and Carillon City, she is helping bring these young creatives to the attention of inner-city shoppers.
Style Setter: Cinnamon Lee

With a Master of Philosophy (Visual Art), collections featured in the National Gallery and a recognised award recipient, she is turning Sydney’s design culture upside down.
Style Setter: Nahji Chu (Miss Chu)

Best known as "the queen of the rice paper roll" Nahji Chu isn’t chicken when it comes to re-inventing food style.
Chrissie Catling

For Chrissie Catling, a great retail experience is about sincere, personalised service. Her S2 store in North Perth's Angove Street has it in spades, but its flair is also in its discerning, luxurious fashion and wares; distinctive, clean design; and worldly-wise sensibility.
Small Bar Syndrome: Martin O'Sullivan & John Toubia (Grasshopper Bar)

Bona fide trendsetters materialize concepts they think are cool despite the common grain. Their ideas generally nod to eras gone by with a contemporary twist.
Kelly Robson of Gaffa Gallery

Kelly Robson of Gaffa Gallery is threading ‘cool’ into Australian design.
Ryan & Carla of Andaluz Bar & Tapas

When Ryan Gregory and Carla Arevalo happened upon a warren of ramshackle basement offices in a stately heritage building for lease on Howard Street in the middle of Perth’s CBD, they didn’t need vision goggles to see the potential.
Yan Martinez of Sur Bourke Espresso Bar

Who: Yan Martinez
Where: Sur Bourke Espresso Bar, 266 Bourke St, Darlinghurst. T: 8084 9376
Must have: Either the Croque Monsieur or the Salade au Chevre Chaud
Ursula Rose of Toast Cafe

Who: Ursula Rose
What: Toast Cafe, 21/60 Royal St, East Perth. T: 9221 0771
Must Try: Toast every which way, corn fritters or polenta toast with mushrooms, soft Italian cheese & fresh parsley
Darryl Ferguson of Pitt Street Diner

Who: Darryl Ferguson
Where: Pitt Street Diner, 96 Pitt St, Redfern. T: 8668 5936
Must have: Eggs Benedict with house-smoked trout and a Bloody Mary
Raymond Scott of Workshopped

Exhibiting products like the Chopula (chopping spatula), vegan scarves and modular concrete candelabras, Workshopped has gained a covetable reputation over the last decade as a mentor for Australian design excellence devoted to form and function.
Aurelio Costarella

Who: Aurelio Costarella Where: Post Emporium, 23 View St, North Perth. T:9228 0373 Must see: The D'or skirt from the Summer 11/12 Illumina collection
Sarah & Brooke of Follow

Who:Sarah & Brooke
What: Follow, 380 Cleveland Street, Surry Hills T: 8068 2813
Must See: Me & Oli blouses, Puddin' Head tea towels & Sian Thomas ceramic colanders
Fenella Peacock of Nell's

Who: Fenella Peacock
Where: Nell's, 15 Glyde St, Mosman Park
Fabrício Campos of Boteco

Who: Fabrício Campos
 Where: Boteco, 421 Cleveland St, Surry Hills. T: 9318 2993
  Must try: Ceviche accompanied by a Pisco Sour
Giorgio de Maria of 121BC

Who: Giorgio De Maria, co-owner, 121BC
Where: 121BC, 4/50 Holt St (via Gladstone St). T: 9699 1582
Must Taste: Giorgio's oldest wine, Gattinara 1961, nebbiolo from North of Piemonte
Desi Litis of Venn

Who: Desi Litis Where: Venn, 16 Queen St, Perth. T: 9321 8366

Desi Litis is part of the duo behind Perth's Venn, a one-time flour mill that is now home to a gallery, artists' studio, bar & cafe and design retail space. We chat with her about balancing acts, renovation stress and local inspiration.
Philia Kailis of Test Tube Objects

Urban Walkabout talks to Perth's local talent, giving you an insight into the passionate people behind amazing businesses. We chat with Philia Kailis, owner of Test Tube Objects about form vs function, keeping our homes looking good and the inspiration found both locally and abroad.
Julian Serna of The Fern (REDFERN)

Who: Julian Serna
Where: The Fern, 4 Pitt St, Redfern
Must taste: Eggs Rancheros
Jenny Newton of Jenny Newton Furniture and Interior Design (REDFERN)

Jenny Newton is a well-heeled innovator. Her fervor for considered spaces, natural materials and sustainable futures informs her modern excursions in furniture and interiors.
Linda Gregoriou of Pure & General (POTTS POINT)

Linda Gregoriou, an urban designer and geographer by profession, spent 12 months combing the globe for objects that evoke an emotive response. Pure and General in Potts Point is the result.
Virginia Bruce of The r.e.a.l store

Ordinary products with extraordinary messages find life at The r.e.a.l store. We chat with owner Virginia Bruce about her business mantra and providing social, ethical and sustainable lifestyle products and designs.
Chris The of Black Star Pastry

Newtown’s pastry pocket Black Star recently turned two. Owner Christopher The runs us through their well-oiled operation with his mentality of letting the magic happen.
Sophie Toohey of Mr Rose

Mr Rose is a destination for women who crave individual style. Australian tailored femme shirting in luxurious European textiles plus Bespoke by Sasha, accessories couturier, specialising in silk flower headpieces, brooches and chokers. We chat with creative director and founder, Sophie Toohey about the thrill of detail and women with style.
Sophie from Doug Up on Bourke

Doug Up on Bourke's mesmeric collection of Australian industrial and antique objects dates from 1800 to 1950. Daughter-in-chief Sophie lets us in on Cecil the business mascot, how the storage site for her father’s private collection became a 24/7 family run operation.
Cesar Cueva of Metalab

Showcasing strikingly unusual and thought-provoking jewellery and objects, Metalab is a beautiful gallery space dedicated to exhibiting local and international talent. Their on-site workshop also runs jewellery classes throughout the year. Cesar Cueva is both jewellery maker and owner.
Julie Paterson of clothfabric

Designer Julie Paterson owns and runs an independent fabric company clothfabric. Screen-printed by hand with water based non-toxic inks and dyes on organic fabrics, cloth’s low impact approach to materials and manufacturing has pioneered the sustainable relationship between art and retail over the last 15 years.
Bianca Spender, Fashion Designer

Bianca Spender does Australian high couture in her own hand-felt way. Her international experience and enviable mentorship from her mother Carla Zampatti have clarified her love of draping fabrics to beautify the real shapes of women. In drawing stimulus from art and females with independent spirits, she is a contemporary mind empowering women with deluxe clothes and is one to watch.
Bianca Spender, Fashion Designer

Bianca Spender does Australian high couture in her own hand-felt way. Her international experience and enviable mentorship from her mother Carla Zampatti have clarified her love of draping fabrics to beautify the real shapes of women. In drawing stimulus from art and females with independent spirits, she is a contemporary mind empowering women with deluxe clothes and is one to watch.
Ken Wallis of Seasonal Concepts

Easily the most curious window on Redfern Street, Seasonal Concepts owner Ken Wallis, and parrot Rudy, champion beautiful flowers and interior objects, steeped in history, for purchase or hire. Ken talks us through his fascination with sheds, where he finds those unique objects and a day in the life of a florist and purveyor of oldwares.
Richard Unsworth of Garden Life & The James Street Community Garden

Richard Unsworth is a man of details. He is owner of outdoor design and plant shop, Garden Life and active member of The James Street Community Garden Group a little project we can’t wait to see in bloom.
Ross Longmuir of planet (SURRY HILLS)

planet is a universe of possibility and a stable of sustainable Australian design in Surry Hills. Launching the careers of leading ceramicists, as well as housing owner Ross Longmuir’s bespoke Australian hardwood furniture designs, what started small has become an impressive mountain. The showroom’s emphasis on the unusual and the sustainable is selected from a diverse and dynamic range of makers, “planet’s objective is to make the world a more beautiful place.”
Peter Campbell (glass artist)

Peter Campbell is one half of collaborative enterprise Glassplay, as well as the Creative Director of CampbellBarnett. We chat with Peter about the mystical capacity of glass, architecture and channeling creativity.
Margaret Rockliff of Paper 2

Paper 2 is a wonderland for letter writers, artists, gift givers and those with a taste for stationary and design. Owner Margaret Rockliff talks us through supporting inspiring local design and ideas people, dress up dolls and the benefits of hand-writing a thank you note in our fast-paced world of iPhones and the Internet.
Angela Heracleous of The Sardine Room

The Sardine Room’s kitchen energy, intimate setting and valiant owner, Angela Heracleous gives it an authentic dining intimacy often only found in European backstreets. Said to be the place where flamboyance meets fish, Angela talks us through what sharing a meal is all about.
Andew Cibej of Berta & vini

Chef and owner of eathouses vini and Berta, Andrew Cibej knows dim lights, limited seating and attention to service are just a few ingredients of a contemporary dining experience. His restaurant’s short home cooked menus, imported wines, focus on shared eating and primitive warehouse aesthetics are defining a new luxury at modest prices in Sydney’s restaurant scene.
Chef Alejandro Saravia from A Taste of Peru

Chef Saravia currently offers A Taste of Peru, a 7 course degustation dinner showcasing a modern take on Peruvian cuisine at The Lincoln in Kings Cross ($115pp).
Dinner dates: This Wednesday July 28th and Thursday July 29th 2010.
For bookings call Coral at 0413624840 or email coral@peruvianconcept.com
Jason Moss of Jason Moss Jewellery (DARLINGHURST)

This week we talk to Jason Moss, designer of bespoke and limited edition jewellery for men and women. His dealings in precious metals and jewels address our lust for timeless design.
Sasha & Russell (KOSKELA)

Under the Australian made Koskela umbrella lives homewares with stories which extend onwards from the shelf and into your home. Owners Sasha Titchkosky and Russell Koskela talk us through craft as art, local production and their incredible Yuta Badayala project.
Sharyn Storrier Lyneham of EDIT (SURRY HILLS)

Former Editor of Vogue Living, Sharyn Storrier Lyneham's eye for all things covetable has moved off the page and into her interiors showroom, EDIT on Albion Street. EDIT is a manor of modernity fused with eclectic history and combines reclaimed treasures with a range of fabrics designed in-house. Sharon talked us through business, the art of decoration and an inspirational hydrangea bush in the South of France.
Leanne Carter-Taylor from quintessential duckeggBLUE (BALMAIN)

quintessential duckeggBLUE sources unique antique and industrial items from around the world. Owner Leanne Carter-Taylor inspires us with her story of nurtured passion and the search for timeless design pieces.
Anna Low of Potts Point Bookshop (POTTS POINT)

Potts Point Bookshop is a petite pocket full of precious books in which its owner Anna Low has found her dream realized. Anna spoke to us about getting lost in books and conducting an independent business.
Ian Hemphill of Herbie's Spices (ROZELLE)

Spicing up our lives since 1997, Ian & Liz Hemphill are the owners of Rozelle cooking institution, Herbie’s Spices. We had a chat about life as modern day spice merchants.
Melinda Tually of I Ran The Wrong Way (SURRY HILLS)

Armed with a firm commitment to ethical and sustainable design, Melinda Tually of I Ran The Wrong Way talks with us about her 'good finds' business and consuming with a conscience.
The 'Miss' behind Miss Chu
(WOOLLOOMOOLOO)

Nahji Chu is the woman behind our favourite street-side Vietnamese lunch spot in Woolloomooloo. She took a breather under the shade of a banana tree to tell us about business, coconut milk shakes and dedication.