The ocean is our constant source of inspiration and our mission at Kōraru is to celebrate and conserve it so future generations can enjoy it for centuries to come. For our debut print, we wanted to pay homage to the most precious, yet fragile ecosystem in our waters - coral.
It was our pleasure to collaborate with textile designer, Emily Waterhouse, to create a print honouring the beauty of coral and bringing awareness to the importance of sustaining such a vital part of the natural world. Taking inspiration from the natural curves of coral, the timeless motif compliments the contours of the body and works in harmony with the four new silhouettes in the Kōraru Coral collection.
A true labour of love, we sat down with Emily to talk more about our inspirations and the design process behind the Kōraru Coral Print.
WHICH TYPES OF CORAL WERE YOU DRAWN TO WHEN RESEARCHING THE PRINT?
We looked at three different corals: mushroom, leaf and cabbage. I live in Dunsborough, a small coastal town in Western Australia where Cabbage coral is found locally, so I spent time observing the movement of the coral and all of the different lines and shadows that are created as the ocean and sand moves through and around it.
AS A TEXTILE DESIGNER, WHAT DO YOU FIND SO INSPIRING ABOUT CORAL?
I have always lived by the coast so the ocean has always been something I am inspired by. Every coral is so unique; you find so many vibrant colours, textures and shapes among each different type. In terms of textiles, you can do a lot of interesting things with that.
HOW DID YOU BEGIN THE DESIGN PROCESS?
We wanted to showcase the curved lines of coral but streamline them into a more graphic print. I took photographs of the coral then drew over the top by hand with a black marker to create a stylised effect. I then smoothed the lines further digitally and experimented with placement.
The Coral Print Moodboard
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO CREATE THE FINAL PRINT?
It took a little longer as everything was so unique. We wanted to make sure the curves of the print worked with the shape of the body without looking busy. I drew up four versions then we honed it down to one composition and played around with colours. I spent a long time matching up the lines and making sure all of the details and layers of coral are represented.
CAN YOU TALK US THROUGH THE COLOUR PALETTE?
The colours are all taken from the coral. We used different tones and added black and white to make the print more wearable and classic. The print compliments the solid-colour styles in the collection, so pieces can be mixed and matched.
WHERE WILL YOU BE WEARING YOUR KŌRARU CORAL SWIMSUIT?
I live in swimwear so I will be wearing the coral swimsuit on my favourite local beaches: Yallingup Lagoon, Meelup Beach and Rottnest Island in Western Australia. I’m also hoping to travel to Spain and Portugal soon.
WHAT DOES THE OCEAN MEAN TO YOU?
The ocean is one of the most important things for me and I miss it if I’m away for too long. After a long day, I like to go surfing then watch the sunset on the beach.
