We love sharing beautiful design with the world so are so excited to have teamed up with Melbourne brand, Kate & Kate, to create two kikki.K x Kate & Kate Limited Edition Blankets. Knitted from soft, breathable cotton, the limited edition blankets are the perfect addition to our Thrive Collection. To help you find out about two of our favourite inspiring designers, we caught up with the two Kates…
KATE PASCOE SQUIRES (Sydney Kate)
What inspired you to start your own business?
I’ve always wanted to ‘do my own thing’ – it was just a matter of what that thing would be. Kate and I stumbled upon blankets quite by accident, but once the ball started rolling, the Kate & Kate brand really took on a life of its own. Now I wouldn’t have it any other way. Running your own business is a thrill, to say the least. It’s terribly scary, but oh so fulfilling.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned along the way?
You can’t control everything, so sometimes you have to roll with the punches.
What design trends are you loving right now?
I’m loving exploring colour right now. Pops of pink, blue and green have my heart racing. Fluid design, organic shapes – where imagination is the only limit. We push our manufacturers hard in this respect, but (hopefully) the results are unique and exciting.
Tell us about your morning routine…
I love the early morning! I like to get an hour or two of emails and social media done before the sun rises – it sets me up for the day. Once my minis are awake, it’s all about them, but I still manage to fit in my own routine, including oil pulling, a nice hot shower and minute or two in front of the mirror. A flurry of breakfasts, school lunches, uniforms, bag packing and drop offs follow. I then try to get an hour of exercise done before settling into work mode. Mornings are by far my favourite – and most productive – time of the day.
A stationery piece you can’t live without…
The humble notebook and paper diary. Without them, I’m completely lost. Sorry iPhone, iPad and computer…. You just don’t cut the mustard. I like to write it all down, the old school way.
KATE PASCOE (Melbourne Kate)
What inspired you to start your own business?
What gave me the confidence to even think that starting a business was a possibility was attending Megan Morton’s “Science of Styling” class at The School. It was so very inspirational and I left there knowing anything was possible… I just had to go for it!
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned along the way?
To just focus on what we’re doing. We’ve learnt to keep in our own lane and not to worry about the rest of the pack.
What design trends are you loving right now?
I’m loving the colour trends at the minute, complex and bold, with plenty of sass.
Tell us about your morning routine…
On a kiddie day… My kids are early risers, so we’re usually up at around 6am, which is a good opportunity for me to go through my emails and get a head start on the day ahead. Usually we’ll have commitments like swimming lessons or tennis in the mornings (all the fun stuff), so we’re basically just racing through the motions of breakfast, getting dressed, brushing teeth and trying to get where we’re going – and hopefully on time!
On a non kiddie day… After I do the double drop at school, I skip out of the childcare doors and head straight into our office in Port Melbourne, where I am most likely greeted with a mountain of emails. My mornings can vary, sometimes spent in front of the computer, other times I have meetings with stylists or stockists… and I always speak with Sydney Kate about 100 times before midday!
A stationery piece you can’t live without…
My kikki.K diary. I’d literally be lost without it!
Discover the limited edition Blankets here and here.