Behind the brand: meet Mosey Me founder Eliza O’Sullivan
The latest collection from Aussie textile brand Mosey Me caught our eye so we decided to get to know founder Eliza O’Sullivan and her creative process a little better!
“For me everything starts with colour,” says Eliza. “I collate mood boards of images that inspire me or that have a strong colour palette. Over time, threads begin to emerge and I start to see colour palettes form. To be honest, it really is colour that kicks off the whole process for me and gets my brain thinking about which colours might work in within our product range.”
Mosey Me began in 2016 and sells bed and table linen, cushions, towels, bathmats, tea towels, throws, art prints, candles and more, all designed (in Melbourne) to make you smile and inject a bit of colour and playfulness into your home.
“Depending on the imagery I’ve collected, they might inform print motifs or styles and sometimes I just know I want to create a ditsy floral for that season, it just depends really. From here, I predominantly paint in black ink. I start to explore different shapes and motifs – sometimes I’ll experiment with coloured paint as well however I prefer to play with colour when the design has been translated onto on the computer. This is where it really starts to take shape.”
Next, Eliza creates repeat patterns from her hand drawn elements digitally. “This part is really exciting because the possibilities are endless. It does however require a lot of time to just look at and see if it feels right. Once I like what I’m seeing I’ll send it off for sampling to our factories and that’s how the process starts!”
Inspiration can strike anywhere when you’re a creative, with Eliza jotting down colour combos she sees people wearing in outfits while she’s out and about. “I have a huge appreciation for personal style and a lot of my mood boards feature street style images. I love how someone’s personality comes out in their clothing and accessorising choices. I’m really inspired by how people pull it all together.”
She also loves going to art galleries, scouring dream interiors in magazines and on Pinterest. “Something that feels a little more abstract is connection. Feeling connected to something is empowering, wherever you get connection, on the yoga mat, with friends, with your kids or partner, playing sport etc. I feel if you can tap into true connectedness and reach a flow state you set the base for great creativity to take place.“
Women and female friendships are another huge source of inspiration for Eliza. “The connections and friendships I have had with women over the years have always been an inspiration to me. I love celebrating other women and lifting them up when I have the capacity to do so.”
Eliza spent 12 years designing for other people, including Kmart and Target, before starting her own business. “I learnt so much from all of the roles, however I never really felt like I could be myself in my work. I always wound up bored and unsatisfied. I knew I wanted to create something of my own and when I had a full-time design job, I had a big notebook on my desk full of all the thoughts that came into my head surrounding my future business.
“I knew it was homewares and I knew print and colour were going to be its driver. I’d get so high on the excitement whenever I’d get lost in that notebook, then I’d get pulled back to the reality of where I was, and I’d just plummet. I knew this was something I had to try.”
She now loves the variety of her work. “It is challenging juggling all the moving parts but it also keeps it interesting. I love pulling together the collection with my business partner Jessie Metz after all the design legwork has been done, planning out the shoots and engaging with other creatives in order to bring our concept to life. I love collaborating with Jessie. She is creative however sits on the numbers and data side and I love when that works in unison with design and creativity because that’s what a business has to do. I’m grateful that our partnership is a true collaboration and we the support of each other through the many battles we face weekly but also for the celebrations as well.”
Looking to the future, Eliza wants Mosey Me to be known as a brand that celebrates good design with a playful hint. “A brand that is inclusive and connected with their community. A brand that champions women.”
Shop Mosey Me online
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