I'm so excited to introduce you to Lizzie, a long time friend and now frequent collaborator - bags and scarves are a fabulous combination!
Lizzie's eye for design, artistic talent and love of beautiful fabrics combines to produce this stunning collection of scarves Urban Fable. Over to Lizzie....
Who are you and what do you do?
I'm Lizzie Marinko, creator of Urban Fable. I live in Cottesloe in Perth with my husband Jase and our three girls, Tess, 15, Isobel, nearly 14 and Ruby 12 and our beloved Boston Terrier, Banjo.
I launched Urban Fable last April, during COVID lockdown. It actually gave me the time and focus to take the next step and get it out there while everyone was stuck at home!
Urban Fable creates luxuriously soft oversized scarves that feature all my own digital artworks. The designs are based my own imagery and further abstracted using a digital tablet and pen. The Coastal Confetti Collection reflects my strong affiliation with our stunning Australian Coastlines - from Broome to Tamarama to Cottesloe. The Urban Playground Collection is inspired by my overseas travels to New York in 2019, and reflects the grit and beauty of this fabulous city. I am really happy with the quality of our fabrics, this was very important to me. I have chosen the finest and softest blend of Merino Wool + Silk blend fabric for the cooler months and an extremely lightweight and collapsable cotton + linen blend fabric for summer months.
What is the most beautiful thing you own?
That is a very hard question as ‘beauty’ can be interpreted in so many ways. My girls? But I guess I don’t ‘own’ them?! But they are the most beautiful component of our lives. They are all individual, passionate and creative people and while their lives are a little too busy for my liking I cannot wait to see what they will all ‘become’.
In terms of aesthetically beautiful I still cherish my wedding dress believe it or not, 17 years later ! It's made from a delicate lace fabric and has blush coloured silk lining that highlights the detail in the lace overlay. Don’t worry I won’t make my girls wear it!
What is the most practical thing you own?
Well a cordless Dyson vacuum cleaner - as banal as that is. It's the lightest thing to sweep through the house on a daily basis. We have dark floorboards throughout that seem to show up every crumb!
What must you have in your bag before you leave home?
Sunnies ! I am blinded by the slightest amount of sunshine. And of course my iphone - which seems to contain my whole life.
Which travel destination is next on your bucket list (when we can travel)?
Well if I was to really dream I would love to take the girls to the Amalfi Coast, particularly Capri and Positano. Capri is where Jase and I got engaged back in 2003 after he had finished studying overseas. I was living and working in the film industry in Sydney at the time and hadn’t seen him for over 6 months, so it was an incredibly memorable trip for us. The Amalfi Coast is the most breathtaking and picturesque coastline. Along with the wonderful food and culture it just oozes decadence and warmth. I have two new designs, Capri and Positano based on my time spent there in 2003 that are currently in production. I cannot wait to release these.
What products or brands are you loving at the moment - fashion, homewares or beauty?
I absolutely love Lucy Folk sunglasses, their classic retro shapes and beautiful quality - so saving up for a pair. I have recently invested in my first grown up pant ‘suit’ by Rebecca Vallance - where the pants match the jacket ! She is a wonderful Australian designer. I love the cut and fabric of this suit and the ’star’ button details. I just hope I have somewhere to wear it!
What are you reading, watching or listening to?
Recently the most enjoyable couch time has been spent watching re-runs of Seinfeld with the kids - they absolutely love it and there is something really comforting about sharing in a sitcom together that you also loved as a teen.
I am constantly watching news on all my devices - I get a bit obsessed over the latest headlines and I think that’s a symptom of our Covid world and the uncertainty it has created. Last year it was the US election!
I find it hard to take time to read at night, as much as I would like to I tend to just crash - even when I go to bed early with every intention of reading that ‘bookclub’ book that needs to be finished.
We are currently reading “Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister” about a renowned twentieth century family in China - which I am finding a little ambitious after a busy day of work, housework and kids activities! (Apparently the audible version is permissible in our Bookclub !)
Which bag would you reach for - the classic neutrals or the statement metallic gold or silver?
While I do love a sparkle, I am in love with my army green Mini Rome bag. I am a real blue girl so was wondering how this would go with all my day-to day wears and its such a complimentary colour and also matches a lot of my scarf designs too..
Which is your favourite bag from the Bahru collection and why?
I LOVE my black New York tote - another 'grown up’ purchase to go with my new suit! I use it for work meetings to carry my laptop, a notebook and a few scarf samples. It's such a smart looking bag that is both practical and professional. I feel like the ‘real deal’ when I am meeting clients with it.