Images by Beck Rocchi
Lotte and Lia-Belle, the creative minds behind Worn Store, welcomed us into their tranquil family home in the hinterlands of Byron Bay. As mother's to their beautiful daughter Ophelia and beloved four legged friend, Gray, they shared what Mother's Day means to them and the story behind Worn Store.
How did Worn Store begin?
Lotte and I owned our own businesses and met at a time where we had both been working in the fashion industry for over ten years. Together we decided to close our businesses and go travelling for a few months to Indonesia, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Two weeks into our travels we made the decision that after our travels we’d return to Indonesia and live there. All we had were the items we’d packed before leaving Australia – one suitcase and 25kg travel pack each. It was incredibly empowering to make that decision and as a result of our travel experiences, self-realisation and career contemplation during that time, Worn came to be.
"Worn is the product of our combined life and career experiences. From the ethos to our manufacturing, partnerships and pricing, every element of Worn is a personal and thoughtful byproduct of the relationship to ourselves and each other and a commitment to better living."
Worn has expanded beyond key pieces for the home into clothing, sleepwear and most recently, Pour Petite clothing for children. Can you tell us about this journey?
Worn has always been a reflection of our personal tastes at that time, colours we’re attracted to, locations we’d like to visit, and recently our role as mothers.
When we started Worn we started with one chair, and in the same way that we have grown, so too has the business. If you look closely you’ll see Worn reflects all stages of our personal and professional growth. Maybe our personal closeness to our brand and business is what creates a connection with those who appreciate what we do.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
So many things. Colour, space, an expanse of space, an image in a book, a shadow, a shape, a texture, a tone, a smell. Song lyrics, a line in a poem, a memory, a manifestation.
What does Mother's Day mean to you? What will you be doing to celebrate?
Being a family with two mothers, it is a day where Lotte and I express our mutual love and gratitude to each other and celebrate Ophelia as our daughter.
We’ll be doing this whilst eating pancakes and listening to Crowded House, or perhaps we’ll be sitting in the sun sipping of coffee watching Opi play outside. There might be flowers, or there might not be. It’s just a day for closeness.
Describe a typical weekend that you spend together as a family?
By the time the weekend is here all we want to do is be at home eating good food! We enjoy lavish breakfasts and a ploughman’s lunch, midday sunshine outside, music and making art with Opi. Sometimes there’s a beach visit with our dog Gray and on Saturdays, we visit the markets for our groceries. We always say we’ll do a tech-free weekend but that rarely ever happens.
What are your best tips for styling and furnishing a home with children?
Since having Ophelia our interior style has definitely changed. As boring as it sounds, we now consider the practicality of furniture and other home items and the placement of them within our home, rather than purely the aesthetic.
Our living spaces have opened to allow room for play and more recently we have swapped some furniture items for more comfortable alternatives.
"Our advice would be to keep it simple. We have a 20 toy rule with Ophelia which helps to limit the growth of her collection, and the items we have in the living spaces (like her timber table and wooden painting easel) are sweet additions to our home rather than an eyesore."
Large stacked pillows on the floor are great for play and comfort, and a beautiful large woven basket in the lounge room holds an assortment of wooden blocks and stacking toys.
I don’t think our home has changed very much since having Ophelia. We’ve been thoughtful in the pieces of hers we have introduced to ensure they are beautiful and well made, and she’s grown up with an appreciation and respect for ‘special’ items so we’ve never any breakages. Touch wood.
What is a favourite piece in your home and why did you choose this item?
Each other.
But if we're talking possessions it would be a ceramic and gold bowl made by our dear friend Anna-Karina. It was a gift to Ophelia when she was born and a piece I had been wanting to purchase for a long time. We will cherish it forever and it will eventually become a family heirloom.
What are your favourite designs from the ELK KIN collection?
Lia-Belle: Setsa Cardigan and Tacka Coat.
Both supremely comfortable oversized knits that I’ll be wearing over EVERYTHING, both when I’m at home with Opi, and at work. I love ELK because everything has the ability to be translated into a casual and professional setting.
Lotte: The Perinto Tote and Myre Shirt.
Two staples that have taken my work look up a notch. I carried the Perinto Tote on a short trip to Sydney recently and it was the perfect plane bag for its clean lines and practical compartments.
To view Lotte & Lia-Belle's ELK Style Edit, click here. To find out more about the story behind Worn Store and to shop their beautiful hand crafted collections, click here.
