Paula’s love affair with Tiger Frame began years ago when she first discovered the stunning crystal jewellery on one of her many trips to Bali. When the concept for The Luxe Edit was born, we both knew that Komala’s jewellery was something we wanted to stock and we were excited about introducing it to our many friends and customers.
We were fortunate enough to get to Bali to go through the range personally with Komala and not only was it the beginning of a fruitful business relationship, but a friendship was born. Our ethos at Luxe has always been to only stock pieces that we absolutely adore but of equal importance is who we choose to partner with and it has been an absolute joy getting to know Komala on a more personal level. Here we invite you to get to know her also…
Q 1. Owning your own business is something that many people aspire to - is it something you always wanted to do? And although it has its fair share of challenges, what do you love most about running your own business?
Yes I have always wanted to work for myself: to work on my own clock and stay true to my direction with everything.
What I love most about running my own business is the freedom and motivation it gives me. Freedom in the creative process and the motivation I feel to make it successful.
Q 2. Describe your creative process….
My Creative process is continual. Meaning the I am always looking at things from a creative perspective. It may be the colours in a flower or the shapes in architecture or an interesting concept that sparks an idea for a collection.
I definitely require lots of cups of tea, a healthy dose of nature and some solid quiet time to design a new collection.
Q 3. Globally across the fashion and creative sector, 2020 has been the year that initially we all have to firstly survive, before looking at ways to pivot or redefine our businesses, so they can once again thrive. As a boutique maker and creative, how and where have you mostly been affected, and where will your personal focus be going forward with Tiger Frame?
It's been fairly smooth for us because although we lost business in some areas, we gained it in others.
The biggest challenge has been working remotely. But again its been a remarkably smooth transition due to the long standing relationships created over the past 13 years of business. There is a lot of trust and respect amongst the Tiger Frame team and everyone we work with.
During this past 6 months I've felt inspired to re-evaluate my priorities in Business. I plan to use sustainable materials and be involved in more community related fund-raising and charity work.
I want Tiger Frame to be part of positive change in our world.
Q 4. You have an incredibly nomadic spirit - is this something your parents instilled in you? And if so, how has that shaped your life and creativity?
Travel and cultural diversity has been a constant theme in our family. Mostly from my Dad and his ‘Itchy Feet ‘ syndrome.
We went on a lots of family adventures and we welcomed many overseas travellers into our home and to work on our farm. So the wider world felt very accessible and familiar to me.
When I was 7 years old we took half a year off school and travelled through 21 different countries.
Travel has played an integral role in my life, in business and in creativity.
Q 5. Where do you find your inspiration?
I find my inspiration in nature, music, art, architecture, travel, books and subconsciously many more places I’m sure!
