March 08, 2011
textile designers sixhands
Alecia Jensen, Anna Harves and Brianna Pike
There are not many companies that can straddle the worlds of fashion and interiors, with strong designs in each area. Especially when the company is fairly young. But then if you take the old saying that two hands are better than one, then it surely must follow that six hands means anything is possible. And so it goes with the textile design business set up in 2006 by three friends and graduates of UTS - Anna Harves, Brianna Pike and Alecia Jensen. Their company Sixhands not only creates original designs but is used by many leading interior and fashion designers to create customised pieces.
Alecia Jensen
Which five words best describe you? Eclectic, colourful, tall, introspective, vocal.
How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I started in graphic design after majoring in fashion media and photography. We worked on architectural magazines, visual merchandising concepts and branding. I guess my love for all areas of print, colour & styling has really driven my career down this path to where I am now, surrounded by all of these things in Sixhands.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? That life (or business) rarely goes according to plan, and that good things come to those who wait and can be flexible enough to find opportunity in difficult situations.
What’s your proudest career achievement? Building something out of nothing.
What’s been your best decision? To create Sixhands interior collection. I’ve always been strongly affected by architecture and the environment around me so it feels like it was meant to be.
Who inspires you? Frank Gehry, photos of Frida Khalo, Catherine Martin, TED talks especially on bio-mimicry in design & strong, intelligent, creative women who strike the right balance in their lives, countless artists, stylists and photographers. My parents.
What are you passionate about? Colour, love, learning, a sustainable future, beautiful things: both man made & in nature, cross-pollination.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Dr. Karl Kruszelnicki or Dr Norman Doidge who wrote The Brain That Changes Itself.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? To write and illustrate a children’s book, and have a family with my Bliss.
What are you reading? The Brain That Changes Itself by Dr Norman Doidge.
Which five words best describe you? Eclectic, colourful, tall, introspective, vocal.
How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I started in graphic design after majoring in fashion media and photography. We worked on architectural magazines, visual merchandising concepts and branding. I guess my love for all areas of print, colour & styling has really driven my career down this path to where I am now, surrounded by all of these things in Sixhands.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? That life (or business) rarely goes according to plan, and that good things come to those who wait and can be flexible enough to find opportunity in difficult situations.
What’s your proudest career achievement? Building something out of nothing.
What’s been your best decision? To create Sixhands interior collection. I’ve always been strongly affected by architecture and the environment around me so it feels like it was meant to be.
Who inspires you? Frank Gehry, photos of Frida Khalo, Catherine Martin, TED talks especially on bio-mimicry in design & strong, intelligent, creative women who strike the right balance in their lives, countless artists, stylists and photographers. My parents.
What are you passionate about? Colour, love, learning, a sustainable future, beautiful things: both man made & in nature, cross-pollination.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Dr. Karl Kruszelnicki or Dr Norman Doidge who wrote The Brain That Changes Itself.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? To write and illustrate a children’s book, and have a family with my Bliss.
What are you reading? The Brain That Changes Itself by Dr Norman Doidge.
Anna Harves
Which five words best describe you? Childlike, inquisitive, inspired, confident, adventurous.
How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I began painting and textiles at my parent's pottery shop as a kid and my design path revealed itself through travel, study, experience and the urge to take life by the reins!
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Never take yourself too seriously.
What’s your proudest career achievement? Sustaining my love/hate relationship with my computer and making beautiful design-babies together!
What’s been your best decision? Deciding with my business partners to start Sixhands. There has never been a dull moment!
Who inspires you? Edith Piaf, animals, anyone who has experienced extreme hardship and manages to find the bright side of life.
What are you passionate about? Life and love.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? My mother in her 20s.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? Together with people who make me laugh, live to an extremely old age.
What are you reading? The Boticelli Secret by Marina Fiorato.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Never take yourself too seriously.
What’s your proudest career achievement? Sustaining my love/hate relationship with my computer and making beautiful design-babies together!
What’s been your best decision? Deciding with my business partners to start Sixhands. There has never been a dull moment!
Who inspires you? Edith Piaf, animals, anyone who has experienced extreme hardship and manages to find the bright side of life.
What are you passionate about? Life and love.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? My mother in her 20s.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? Together with people who make me laugh, live to an extremely old age.
What are you reading? The Boticelli Secret by Marina Fiorato.
Brianna Pike
Which five words best describe you? A chicken with it’s head cut of... Oops that’s seven!
How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I completed a Bachelor of Design (Fashion and Textiles) at UTS after having done one year of Fine Art at uni and 1 year of Fashion Design at Tafe. I then managed to get an assistant position for a fashion label not long after I finished my final year/graduate parade. I worked for fashion labels for almost 3 years before we decided to start Sixhands.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Save, save, save and always to back-up.
What’s your proudest career achievement? Celebrating Sixhands' fourth birthday or maybe finally getting our new sampling kits out!
What’s been your best decision? The best decision was surely to work for ourselves, creating our ultimate workspace. The next best decision was to move our showroom to our new location at Redfern which has a rooftop pool so we can have lunchtime swims!
Who inspires you? My friends, family and especially my partner. I am generally inspired by people who wear colour and create interesting palettes.
What are you passionate about? Good music, studying French, hand made shoes, new ideas, learning new things and bike riding adventures with my Lazerfoxes.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? My Dad’s Dad or Pablo Picasso.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? To move to Paris
What are you reading? The Diving Bell and the Butterfly – the translation of the French Memoir Le Scaphandre et le Papillon by Jean-Dominique Bauby.
Which five words best describe you? A chicken with it’s head cut of... Oops that’s seven!
How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I completed a Bachelor of Design (Fashion and Textiles) at UTS after having done one year of Fine Art at uni and 1 year of Fashion Design at Tafe. I then managed to get an assistant position for a fashion label not long after I finished my final year/graduate parade. I worked for fashion labels for almost 3 years before we decided to start Sixhands.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Save, save, save and always to back-up.
What’s your proudest career achievement? Celebrating Sixhands' fourth birthday or maybe finally getting our new sampling kits out!
What’s been your best decision? The best decision was surely to work for ourselves, creating our ultimate workspace. The next best decision was to move our showroom to our new location at Redfern which has a rooftop pool so we can have lunchtime swims!
Who inspires you? My friends, family and especially my partner. I am generally inspired by people who wear colour and create interesting palettes.
What are you passionate about? Good music, studying French, hand made shoes, new ideas, learning new things and bike riding adventures with my Lazerfoxes.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? My Dad’s Dad or Pablo Picasso.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? To move to Paris
What are you reading? The Diving Bell and the Butterfly – the translation of the French Memoir Le Scaphandre et le Papillon by Jean-Dominique Bauby.
images courtesy of sixhands