We had the good fortune of connecting with Natalia Pye and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Natalia, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I had always previously worked in design roles for bigger companies and really started to notice how fast fashion and mass production was affecting me on a moral and ethical level. So by starting Wolf & Mishka I really wanted to see if I could harness my love for print and clothing design while focusing more on quality rather than quantity.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Having come from a predominantly fast, trend-driven industry, I knew straight away that I wanted to create something small, consciously slower paced and with a transeasonal focus. But setting labels apart from one another is a challenge. So I knew by injecting my own hand-drawn prints into each collection would help make us feel a little more unique.
I fell in love with print design early on in my career, but never felt like I had the artist’s hand in fine art or object drawing. So for me, I find it easier to express my ideas and inspiration through a mixed media approach. First I create a library of colours, patterns and surface designs by using all sorts of mediums, charcoal pencils, gauge paints, watercolours etc. and then cut and collage until I am happy with the end result.
It wasn’t easy finding the best technique to create my print work, and have had some terrible outcomes! But after many years of adopting this technique, I’ve definitely started to feel more comfortable with it and I love seeing how it all comes together with the rest of the range.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This is a tricky one as we are certainly spoilt for choice in Melbourne!
I would certainly start with my local area of Thornbury/Northcote. There are so many great boutiques, cafes, restaurants and spots with fantastic live music happening all the time. There are also some great parks and playgrounds between Northcote and Fitzroy if you have little ones.
Smith and Gertrude Streets in Collingwood also have some of the best shopping spots, highlighting a lot of local Melbourne labels, and you can find amazing restaurants and bars, it has fantastic nightlife!
Then for a slower-paced visit, I would highly recommend either the Botanic Gardens, Heide Gallery, or travelling to the Dandenong ranges for some beautiful scenic rainforest walks.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Prior to having my son in 2020, I worked from my home studio and although it was nice to work from home and have that creative space for myself I often felt quite lonely. When my son arrived there definitely wasn’t any space for me at home anymore, so I moved into my first away-from-home studio feeling very nervous. But shortly after moving in a friend of mine, who I met doing markets, moved in with me!
So a big shout out to Esther from Togetherness, who also runs a small creative business. It’s been so invaluable to be able to have support, share ideas and be creative together. It makes such a difference to your headspace to have a good studio buddy.
Website: https://wolfandmishka.com.au/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wolfandmishka/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wolfandmishka
Other: https://www.pinterest.com.au/wolfandmishka/