Profile - Maude Studio

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 Who's Who Brisbane and Beyond - Liz Golding, spoke to the delightful Courtenay Tyrrell, owner of one of our favourite accessory brands, MAUDE Studio from The Great Ocean Road, VIC. This is the first of our Profiles for Victoria's Who's Who. 

Liz Golding asks Courtenay. "We did a bit of digging around on how you started your business, so what is the whole Jellyfish thing??"

Courtenay Tyrrell responds. "I have a Bachelor of Design in Fashion and when I was studying, I did an assignment on a lingerie component and because of the delicacy of the fabric I looked to the ocean to find inspiration. I became mesmerized by jellyfish. So obsessed with the details, the colours, the fragility, and shapes. I just found them so beautiful and did a bit of research about them. I came across stories about a woman who lived in a little seaside town in Ireland, and she actually studied jellyfish. Her whole life was really dedicated to jellyfish. Her name was Maude, and I loved her story and I identified with it because I am obsessed with the ocean also."

"After I graduated, I travelled overseas and did an internship and whilst I was travelling, I was trying to figure out if I was creating a brand, what would it look like? That story always stuck with me, and it felt like the logical name to categorize all my inspiration and where I come from creatively. It also lends to the underwater world, with its dazzling colours and its iridescence and the bioluminescence. It is all so fascinating. Everything I create is very colourful and vibrant, bold, and iridescent. It was a really nice alignment with that aesthetic." Says Courtenay.

Liz Golding asks. "You are right, it does make complete sense! That answers my next question which Is. “Did you fall in love with bling or are you mad with a glue gun, because I am quite partial to a glue gun myself!?"

Courtenay Tyrrell says. "I can’t do it, I make a mess with a glue gun. I don’t use them, I am much more of a chiselled nozzle, very clear quick setting glue girl."

Liz Golding asks. "Will you ever do earrings for me?? Haha!?"

Courtenay Tyrrell says. "I don’t think I can, do you know why?? There are so many people who are amazing at it. I think if I did it, it would be a collaboration because I don’ t think I could justify taking up any more space in that area."

Liz says. "Really, but your aesthetic is different. The resin and the jewels thing….so fun!"

Courtenay Tyrrell. "I would love to, it would be an amazing project. Never say never!"

Liz Golding. "So do you want me to find you someone to collaborate with? Haha! Oh yer baby!"

Courtenay Tyrrell. "Who is your favourite?"

Liz Golding. "What about Concrete Jellyfish?"

Courtenay Tyrrell. "She is a true artist, I think"

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Liz Golding. "Isn’t she, so fun! I went to her house to pick up some stock once and her little girl was there, she would have been about 5 years old at the most. She was chatting with me and asking my name, what I did. “You know my Mum’s really clever, and do you know where the name Concrete Jellyfish came from? I actually thought it up, so it is actually mine.”

Haha! Apple and the tree I thought…. also Rene knocks it out of the park herself anyway, a great creative."

Liz Golding. "Next question – “Does size matter when it comes to eyewear?”"

Courtenay Tyrrell. "Absolutely! Go Big or go home! That is definitely how I feel. Maude is all about an attitude, it isn’t a style. The person who wears Maude…not one of my customers is a shrinking violet. They don’t want petite, they want big, they want to be noticed, they want to feel fabulous, and they want to do it in a really bold way and so big is better!"

Liz Golding. "Is there a best seller?"

Courtenay Tyrrell. "Could you guess? I just wonder if you have any idea?"

Liz Golding. "I haven’t watched you stock levels to understand that but at a guess, the blue frames??"

Courtenay Tyrrell. "It’s the Gemerald frames, green. Absolute hands down best ever, can’t make enough of them. That may change and this goes into your next question of what is next. I’m definitely in a really exciting growth period and I am able to produce more units than normal and that may get to the point where everyone has had enough of Gemerald and there is something new that takes over. I think there is something about the colour green that people really love."

Liz Golding. "I know that in interiors…when you talk about lamps and that sort of thing, green is massive. It took me by surprise with different PR clients of mine. Green is the winner so often. Blue is always up there somewhere but green is often the winner. What wrong with pink, I ask?"

Courtenay Tyrrell. "Well pink is a close second here, definitely."

Liz Golding. "Anything exciting coming up?"

Courtenay Tyrrell. "I am actually releasing a new collection in probably a month. The biggest and best Maude eyewear collection that you will have ever seen, and I am so proud of it. I am using quite a few colour ways in the plant based Mazzucchelli acetates and also extending on the concept of the eyewear as jewellery. I hope you like it."

www.maudestudio.com.au@maude_studio