December 17, 2007
designer kara smith
Kara's designs.
Kara at the markets.
One of the brighter spots at the Young Blood Designers market was Kara Smith and her beautiful vintage handbags. I'm so over products that are "Made in China" so it's always good to see products that are locally made... and with love.
What five words best describe you? Passionate, driven, mad, shy, dog-loving.
Who or what inspires you? Jenny Kee is an inspiration to me – a very strong colourful woman who has gone "out there" to create her own look. I have recently finished her biography, A big life. She doesn’t just accept the ordinary and pushes boundaries. I love that... plus, she is a Blue Mountains gal!
What are you passionate about? Creativity: everyone should be letting loose in whatever form suits them best, Australian-made products and supporting Australian industry. Sustainability in all forms.
What has been your proudest moment? When my mother, Beth Buchanan, accepted her Order of Australia medal at Government House for her work in volunteering and "bringing back the bush" to urban Sydney. She has been in bush regeneration for about 15 years and loves it. It was wonderful to see her acknowledged for her passion in helping the environment.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt? To get up on that horse and ride again - we must never give up in life! Though my bum was sore after the fall...
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? For the dead ones... well, I love Jayne Mansfield, so first it would be her, then Clark Gable... For the ones that are alive, Jenny Kee. I always love to meet like-minded creative individuals that are out there doing their thing. It constantly changes as you hear about people and I hope to have plenty of years to meet as many as possible!
What are you excited about? My partner’s writing, hopefully buying a house in the Blue Mountains next year, my overlocker, people seeming to understand the difference between Australian made and mass produced.
What’s next? I’d love to design my own range of Australian screenprinted fabrics for a unique range of handbags. I got talking to a few designers at the Powerhouse Museum Young Blood Designers Market and feel I can move forward on it. It’s on the cards...
Images courtesy of Kara Smith.