Tory Read & Anne Bell met at their children’s school back in 2010 and formed a creative bond that led them to launching Australian label Read & Bell.
Discovering a shared passion for India and textiles in general, the pair threw caution to the wind and travelled to India in order to create a small range of hand block printed garments.
Armed with patterns, and a few weeks on the ground, Anne & Tory met a co-operative of block printers and stitchers to work with, and created a range of 50 items that sold out immediately to family and friends.
The rest, as they say, is history…
For years now, Read & Bell has created small trans-seasonal capsule collections focusing on handmade, fair trade, and slow fashion that is affordable. Designed in Sydney and made in Jaipur, their hand block printed garments are inspired by colours that encompass the Australian landscape and bazaars of Rajasthan alike.
With a playful nod to the romance of holidays and travel, Read & Bell blend versatile silhouettes, natural fibres and joyful prints that are ethically made and embrace and enhance the freedom of endless lazy summer days, every day, all year round.
Read on below for my interview with Anne and Tory as we discuss their inspirations, process and what makes Read and Bell such a special brand.
How would you best describe Read & Bell’s design aesthetic & ethos?
Working with ethical organisations and sustainability is a priority. Hence our work with artisan groups in India. We only print on organic cotton. Our prints are inspired by traditional French and Indian Mughal block prints, our palette is inspired by our Australian environment and our cuts are designed for everyday adventures.
Can you tell us a little bit about your creative process/ and how you like to work?
It’s fairly organic, colour is the key for us, lots of Pantone swatches usually reflecting where we have been, we love the Australian bush and beach. We then look at how those colours will work with certain prints. Sampling can then take a few months, to get the colour and print to the right place. We we also work with a fantastic pattern maker.
What’s a typical day at the studio/office for you?
Everyday is different. We work face to face a few days a week on designs and the rest of the week is flexible to work in with family. Anne looks after all the online orders and customer service as well as the BAS, and Tory does marketing. Fairly unstructured but always includes lunch at a local cafe when we are face to face.
What are the top 3 resources that you turn to for inspiration when designing?
Our Pantone Book, catalogue of fabric samples and of course everything around us – art, architecture, food, fashion, travel and music (including what the teenagers are listening to).
How would you describe your own personal styles?
We have totally different body shapes, but both our styles are relaxed and laidback. Anne loves a leather loafer and her classics and Tory her RM Williams.
What are 5 essentials in your wardrobes?
Read&Bell dresses of course. Tory a black polo and Anne a white cotton shirt and for us both well cut jeans and an interesting bag.
Where is your favourite place to shop?
Anne – Op shops and outdoor markets
Tory – Small independents. Small Spaces on Bourke St, Surry Hills, sadly now closed.
And both, Idli and Pero in Jaipur and Merci in Paris.
Tell us about some of the people in the industry who inspire you and why?
We can’t go past Easton Pearson, Jenny Kee & Linda Jackson, Thierry Journo (Idli, Jaipur), and Pero. They are madly creative and think outside the box.
What would be your ideal collaboration?
So many amazing Australian female artists, photographers and film makers – Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Helen Eager, Sally Anderson, Tamara Dean.
Who is someone you’d love to see wearing your clothes?
We are inspired by brave Australian women, so of course – Grace Tame, Brittany Higgins and Saxon Mullins.
What challenges/opportunities have you faced this year due to Covid-19? / How have you had to pivot/change? / Or how have you stayed inspired during this challenging year?
When we closed our shop, we worked very hard building a new website and creating a digital presence. We have missed travelling to India, always an inspiration, our last trip was February 2020, just before borders closed. We are constantly online watching, listening and checking out the local street styles.
What else is on the cards for Read & Bell in the coming weeks/months?
We are desperate to see our customers and have a few events / trunk shows planned. Releasing our Summer 21 range in November. Beach holiday.