2023 Year in Review
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News
Stylecraft celebrated 70 years in 2023 – a special milestone marked with a series of memorable events.
2023 Year in Review
The year in review…
2023 kicked off with a series of events in Melbourne and Sydney, to launch Tacchini’s Life & Other Stories collection. We were honoured to be joined by Giusi Tacchini, CEO and Creative Director of the iconic Italian brand and Dana Tomić Hughes, Editor and Founder of Yellowtrace, who captivated us with a chat about all things past, present and future, for the brand.
Our highly-anticipated new website went live in March. The new site allows customers to create an account as an individual or trade customer and also offers an e-commerce platform – a curated selection of furniture and lighting from both stocked ranges and quick ship programs.
In May, we were delighted to be involved in Melbourne Design Week, as Supporting Partner of Melbourne Design Fair, held at the Melbourne Convention Centre. For 70 years, Stylecraft has been a strong advocate of Australian design and manufacturing, and as such, we were proud to support DISCOVERY, Melbourne Design Fair’s platform for emerging designers. Curated by the National Gallery of Victoria, DISCOVERY highlighted the artistic and commercial promise of up-and-coming local makers. Pictured above is 2020 Australian Furniture Design Award Winner, James Walsh with the new Tuck armchair, designed exclusively for Stylecraft and launched as part of the DISCOVERY 2023.
Andrea Rossetto, Head of APAC at Arper joined us in June for the launch of the Life is Beautiful collection. The Italian-themed events in our Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney showrooms provided both residential and commercial inspiration for clients, with the introduction of products including the Ghia and Oell tables, and the Shaal lounge.
“We seek to consistently develop initiatives that will create meaningful change in our community and view our RAP as a highly effective tool to ensure cultural competence and inclusivity is embedded in the way we do business.” – Anthony Collins, Managing Director, Sytlecraft
Our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) was officially endorsed by Reconciliation Australia in August and we were honoured to commission Sean Kinchela, proud Gamilaroi and Wiradjuri man living on Yuin Country, to create our very own RAP artwork. We believe our Reflect RAP will be a valuable foundation for us to continue our support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures, and our commitment to conducting business in a manner that reflects our ethical values and creates meaningful change in our community.
Our commitment to First Nations artists was also demonstrated in August through our donation to the Tjanpi Desert Weavers (TDW), a group 400 female artists from 26 remote communities in central Australian deserts, earning an income from fibre art. In 2019, Stylecraft announced our partnership with TDW and over the course of the four years, we have donated over $17,000 to supporting the facilitation of material supply, weaving workshops and exhibitions, for these women.
Local designer, Ross Gardam, joined us in Sydney for a sequence of events in August, where he presented a collection of refined and perfectly crafted objects, some of which were launched earlier in the year, at Milan Design Week. Clients from the design community were treated to intimate presentations by Ross, who shared his experiential approach to design, and his unique outlook on form and function.
At the end of August, we launched the 2024 Australian Furniture Design Awards (AFDA). Presented by Stylecraft and the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), the biennial Award – Australia’s richest furniture and lighting design accolade with a $20,000 cash prize – celebrates innovative furniture and lighting design by Australian designers. The Award winner will be announced in May next year in our Melbourne showroom.
We continued our partnership with the Design Institute of Australia (DIA) in 2023, through support of the Graduate of the Year Awards (GOTYA). For the third year running, Stylecraft hosted events across our Australian showrooms in September, to congratulate and celebrate this year’s award winners.
In support of emerging design talent, we also hosted events for TAFE NSW Design Centre Enmore, in May and November, in our Sydney showroom. Both events provided interior design students and graduates with the opportunity to connect with local industry, through a series of presentations by designers, educators and industry leaders.
In October, we partnered with Image Makers Association Australia, for the launch of their 1 Shot 23 Exhibition. Events were held in our Melbourne, Perth and Sydney showrooms, with this year’s exhibition exploring the theme of Home / Away, through the eyes of 45 pre-eminent Australian photographers. The exhibition is open for viewing in our showrooms until January 19, 2024.
November saw the return of a much-loved Stylecraft event, Bowling for Cancer, to celebrate our 70-year heritage, and raise money for children’s cancer research. Through the support of our industry colleagues and friends, this year’s events, held across all our showroom locations, including Singapore, raised more than $80,000 for children’s cancer research. The funds have been donated to our chosen charities, The Kids’ Cancer Project and the Children’s Cancer Institute, in Australia, and the Children’s Cancer Foundation in Singapore.
In the spirit of giving, Stylecraft was proud to partner with FDC for their annual 2023 Melbourne Cup luncheon and donated $20,000 to the Black Dog Institute, in lieu of Christmas gifts. The Black Dog Institute is a proudly independent not-for-profit medical research institute focused on creating a mentally healthier world and to deliver research with real world impact to treat, manage and prevent common mental health conditions and suicide.
Our annual Staff Awards wrapped up a big year in December, with the following team members awarded for their exceptional efforts and contributions over the last 12 months.
Employee of the Year
Sasha Leonard, State Manager, SA
Salesperson of the Year
Sasha Leonard, State Manager, SA
Rising Star
Robert Coburn, Project Coordinator, VIC
Cultural Champion
Luke Bonanno, Sales Consultant, NSW
Team of the Year
Perth Team
2023 has been a memorable and defining year at Stylecraft. We look forward to an even more memorable 2024!