Spell Office Style ~ the Studio.
Moments captured by Mel Carrero | Story by Lizzy
So. Here’s a pretty regular day for us at our design studio in Byron Bay. It’s a bit hectic but here we go…
7.30-8am Most of the girls like to start early so they can skip out early (to surf/yoga etc)… They usually roll in, coffee/chai/green smoothie in hand, open up the barn doors and turn on Pandora. (latest Pandora playlist: Lucy Rose, Japanese Wallpaper and Chet Faker)
9.30 Spelly and I roll in (after kid-drop-offs or mumma plays). I’ve usually come via local haunt 100 Mile Table (because they make the best Paleo brekky bowl to-go, it’s called ‘The Candice’ and is named after local personal trainer, Candice Briggs, who invented it) so usually Candice + Coffee + in hand. Catchup, chit chat, smash a coffee (or 2).
10am Fitting or Design meeting. Fittings can get heated, Spelly and I often disagree. Sometimes she wins out, sometimes I do… But when a fitting goes well it’s so exciting! Seeing all our work come to life is exhilarating for all of us! I usually try to squeeze in some snaps but the girls hate it and go ‘Lizzy!’
12pm Have a chat to Olivia about production as Spelly sits with Sarah and signs off on colour-ways of the latest print. We design each print ourselves and choosing colours is the bane (but mostly joy!) of Spelly’s existence! Dash over to HQ (where the other half of our team works from) for a managers meeting or Marketing meeting.
1pm Dash back to the Studio via Santos/100Mile grab lunch on the fly. Range plan. Sit down with our team and work out what needs to go in the next range. It’s pretty crazy because at any one time we’re juggling 3-4 ranges, range planning for one, designing another, finalising sampling on another and pushing through production on another. And it’s made even crazier by the fact Spelly and I have moments of genius (read moments of complete frustration for everyone around us!) and add and subtract things in and out of ranges constantly! It’s so fluid here, but I guess that’s how you keep it fresh and exciting!! It’s like all of a sudden we’re “off the shoulder knit dress! Of course!!!” and then we rush through a sample and if I sneak peek a shot of it on insta the girls have to squeeze it into the next collection! hehe.
2pm Email our international team of photographers, producers, agents and stylists about our latest campaign or look book shoot. Our shoots happen all over the world so it’s pretty much a 24 hour job producing these shoots, often I’m up at 5am just to talk to an agent over in NYC.
3pm Splendour Pop-up container DIY session. A few angels have been creating some gorgeous things for our Splendour in the Grass pop-up boutique container! DIY hessian bunting, amazing little succulent gardens and printing moodboards ~ so meeting with them and work shopping these has been really fun! The afternoons in our courtyard are beautiful as the sun sets behind all these palm trees – in summer we have yoga in the afternoons there and the ground is full of yoga mats and Spell angels.
4pm I usually have to run out and pick up the kids ~ but often I’ll get called back to HQ and have a meeting with Mae my graphic designer to oversee an EDM (email newsletter) or updates to our online world. Spelly might head to the gym, but usually to the beach with the kids.
5pm Home to the evening kiddy dinner/bedtime routine, Spelly sometimes joke to the Angels that at 5pm they clock off, but we clock on!
Just a little glimpse into our crazy world! xx Lizzy