September 03, 2021Bazaar Babes

The Process ~ Danielle Kremer for Sugarland

When visualising our Sugarland print we knew we wanted to create a psychedelic wonderland that reflected the quintessential retro origins of Nine Lives Bazaar. We commissioned textile artist, Danielle Kremer to bring this print to life. Here at NLB, we believe the divine is in the detail so we worked together to refine and perfect every last detail of this beautifully bold print. Learn about the process as we chat to Danielle about how this print became a reality.

Tell us a little about yourself - who you are, where you're from and what sets your soul on fire?

Hi I’m Dani, I live on Garigal country in Sydney’s Northern Beaches with my little family and dog, Zeus. I grew up in Sydney bordering the bush and have always loved spending time in nature and exploring new territory. These days sunshine, family, friends, loud music, good food, bare feet and small daily rituals all set my soul on fire!

You worked with us on our recent collection, Sugarland. Can you tell us about the role you played?

I hand illustrated the artwork for Sugarland and prepared the file for print in photoshop.

Can you tell us about the process when working with Rose and Ness and how you then bring their concept to life?

Working with Rose and Ness was a dream. The girls are so inspiring, thorough, honest and have a wonderful appreciation of colour and attention to detail. The girls set the brief and I had the opportunity to hand draw loads of elements and refine them into the initial scene. We went back and forth refining and perfecting every last detail from there - this gave me such an admiration for the long process given to a collection by NLB.

On a side note I received the brief from the girls when I was 38 weeks pregnant and was so excited by the project that I began furiously sketching before giving birth and kept on working on the artwork afterwards. Rose and Ness were so patient with edits - it was wonderful to feel so supported by women and fellow mamas in business.

What was the inspiration behind the Sugarland print?

The inspiration was a psychedelic wonderland that was retro, fun and spoke to the quintessential origins of Nine Lives Bazaar.

What’s your must have piece from the collection?

I’m having a real green moment so I would say the Aster Midi Dress in Jungle Boogie! What a fun piece! I also have my eye on the flares and can’t wait to order them when they are released.

Danielle wears our Aster dress in jungle boogie

How would you describe your personal style?

An eclectic mix of colour, vintage and minimal. I’m a collector (my word for hoarder) and love to pull pieces out of boxes and re style them.

Have you always had a creative flare? And where do you draw inspiration from?

I have always been drawn to creating from a young age - I started collecting, crafting and drawing very young. My mum started me off on cross stitching around the age of 6 and that began my love affair with textiles. I draw inspiration from the energy of people, places and the land around me. Nature, friends, family, collected treasures and art history are all big forms of inspiration too. I’m also super lucky to mentor young designers in my role at university and they inspire me too.

Danielle wears our Maisie dress in honeybee

Can you tell us about your journey into becoming a textile artist? And what’s your favourite part about your job?

I started off in fashion working for Australian labels Willow and Ginger & Smart which was amazing experience so early on, however I craved more organic creativity away from production schedules so made the move into textiles working for a Sydney based international print studio. I cut my teeth working here, traveling the globe and working with diverse clients and briefs from around the world. My favourite part of the job is the process - starting with a brief and never truly knowing what the outcome will look like. The process is the magic for me. Also seeing what designers use the artwork within their collections and campaigns.

What has been your most exciting, pinch me moment in your career so far?

Every time I see someone wearing an artwork that I illustrated never gets old - I love seeing how people style them. Another highlight was presenting my graduate fashion collection in Italy to a panel of editors and designers. I was young and naive, but it was very cool.