Louise Olsen
Louise Olsen is the savvy woman and bright talent behind Dinosaur Designs, the proudly Australian based design company that specialises in bespoke resin homewares and jewellery pieces that look more like wearable art.
womanwithdrive.com.au caught up with Louise and learnt that the booming success of her brand is down to more than just Louise’s unique talent for design- her drive and determination have allowed her to develop from a fresh Arts grad to a market savvy business woman.
Brought up in a creative household by artist parents, Louise seemed destined to pursue her artistic passions. “It was inevitable”, Louise explains about her beginnings into design, “I wanted to do something creative and work for myself.”
In her first year out of Art School Louise found that there were limited prospects for a new graduate, so she took matters into her own hands and made her own opportunities. Collaborating with two other Art graduates- including her now husband Stephen- Dinosaur Designs was born. Initially focusing on textiles and prints, Louise started selling pieces at the Paddington market but over time her artistic eye turned to the medium of resin, which is now synonymous with the brand.
The brand’s growth from a market stall to an international business can be credited to her ability to develop not just her craft but also the company’s approach to business.
“Originally it was very organic, as you’d expect from three Arts students with no business experience. As we’ve grown we’ve had to learn to become more structured and disciplined. You have to keep looking at the bottom line, plan ahead and re-organize the business to suit needs of the customer.” Louise explains.
This philosophy is obviously working, with Dinosaur Designs rapidly expanding and gaining recognition both at home and abroad. One of the brand’s most recent triumphs includes opening a store in New York, but Louise also lists her involvement in New York Design Week and exhibiting at the Victoria and Albert in London as career highlights.
Another new development for the company is their recent venture into furniture, releasing a range of resin tables, which has been celebrated by diehard fans and critics alike.
“It was a little nerve-wracking as it was a whole new area…but customers have responded really well to their uniqueness. It’s great to see in this market that people appreciate the hand made and bespoke nature of what we do” says Louise.
When asked what to expect from Dinosaur Designs in 2014, Louise didn’t give too much away, but teased that they are working on some exciting new projects. For now however, she is focused on the opening of a new Melbourne store in The Strand Arcade and the release of her new range ‘Seed Pod’- the namesake a fitting metaphor for growth and potential.
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