The designer, jeweler, former punk and co-founder of Copson Street explains why she loves recycling and boardsports.

Interview by Anna Langer

I got into handy crafts when I was a wee nipper. Like most youngsters I used to customize a lot of my T-shirts then quickly moved into making my own clothes then home comforts.

I’m one third of Copson Street with Maria Falbo (skater) and Natalie Davis (DJ & writer). My role in our lifestyle & clothing brand is designer. Being apart of this collective kind of landed me right in the center of the boardsports world without me even realising it. I was always surrounded by boardsports from an early age, snowboarding at 12, surfing in my late teens and I’ve always felt such a genuine love and excitement for it all which has continued into my adult life.

To be apart of a community such as boardsports where there is such passion for doing what you love and meeting people from around the globe that have that same drive as you really makes it special and something a lot of people want to be involved in

I think the biggest attraction to boardsports for creative people, is it goes hand in hand with music, fashion and socialising with other creatives, which I feel is a big part of our youth culture today. There are so many creatives in the world and to be apart of a community such as boardsports where there is such passion for doing what you love and meeting people from around the globe that have that same drive as you really makes it special and something a lot of people want to be involved in.

My signature piece to date was our Metal Head studded hoodie but I’ve been reacquainted with patch work quilt design. I recently made a huge patch work quilt out of all my old Punk T-shirts. These T-shirts held such sentimental value to me, that I didn’t want to just throw away but at the same time I didn’t want to keep clothing I was never going to wear again. I decided to cut them all up to make a quilt which I could keep warm with during the winter nights and also hold onto all the memories of the T-shirts I loved and wore to death over the years.

The old traditional qualities of making home handy crafts or garments, I think is definitely something people are more open to and enthusiastic about.

For me personally it has always been about using what I already had and regenerating it into something completely new without spending a lot of money. I also feel there is a sense of satisfaction and achievement when you finish making something that no one else will have except you – it’s such a great motivation and drive in life.

If I had all the resources in the world I would love to make boardsport inspired rustic furniture with multiple uses for storing your boards but was also a piece of furniture that was aesthetically pleasing and ergonomically sound. That would be the dream!

Follow her artistic endeavours on copsonstreet.com