Meet Wendy Powitt, founder and creative behind jewellery label Ghost & Lola. Read on to find out more about this experienced fashion powerhouse who handcrafts bespoke pieces from her rainforest home set on 100 acres.
I studied Fashion and Textile Design at Sydney College of the Arts and worked in the Fashion Industry in Australia and USA as a Fashion Designer, then Illustrator and then Creative Director before deciding to move up North to Byron Bay. In Byron I studied Fine Arts Sculpture at Southern Cross University and started making jewellery. Ive always been fascinated with vintage fashion and I had been collecting the pieces long before I started to make jewellery. Once Ghost and Lola was born there was no turning back. It is the perfect combination of fashion and craft. I love the hands on artisan making and also meeting with people who get the label and understand the vision of making something new from something old.
What made your pursue your creative passion?:
I have always been creative and I always believed in making things. It was how I was brought up. Dad was building the house around us and mum was always creating. It was just a normal way to be.
We all have a creative spark, the trick is to believe in yourself and allow it to shine.
What does your brand consist of?
I make Ghost and Lola jewellery from vintage components. I source the pieces from all over the world through vintage and antique dealers and also travel and explore to find precious pieces.
Where is the label designed and made?
Everything is designed and handmade by me in Northern NSW. I have a studio in my house that I work from. My house is surrounded by 100 acres of beautiful rainforest so it provides endless inspiration.
The pieces that I collect connect me to a past once vibrant and now largely forgotten. I am inspired by Mythology, Alchemy and tales of the past when the world was interpreted as less scientific and more spirited and creative. And I like to connect that to our contemporary lifestyle because I believe that we all need a little more meaning and to feel special.
What are your plans for the brand and where do you hope it takes you?
I am hoping to share Ghost and Lola with a larger audience. I find that my style attracts customers of all age groups and people are fascinated with the product because it is so unique. The marriage of old with new is immediately apparent when you see the pieces. I love hand-making the pieces and want to retain that aspect, so it will always be an artisan brand and each piece will be limited and special.
What were the biggest challenges when launching your brand?
I am committed to working full-time with Ghost and Lola, so sometimes the unpredictability of cash-flow is daunting. Also learning to navigate a fresh world of digital Marketing is a 'thrill'. I have learnt so much since launching the brand, from my customers and I truly want them to feel special that they are wearing something unique and handcrafted that is sustainable in its use of re-purposing what is already existent in the world.
What is the best thing about having your own business?
Freedom! Creative freedom, and freedom in each day. I love what I do so nothing is an effort!
Find Ghost and Lola online, here.
And follow on Instagram, here.
