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Ave.nue101 is the creative intersection of Australian fashion photographer Tess Leopold and Australian artist Rikki Day.
The name, ave.nue101 :
Pronounced: "avenue, one oh one" is metaphorical for the coming together of the two founders. One “1” represents Tess, the other “1” represents Rikki. The “0” signifies the coming together of the two of them and the “avenue” is symbolic of the brand being an avenue for them to explore creative design together.
Tess and Rikki have been friends for over 15 years. It is the deep and nurturing bond they share that creates the wholesome and unwavering foundation that ave.nue101 is built upon. Although being publicly launched in April of this year, the process of creating ave.nue101 began 2 years earlier. Over the past 2 years every aspect of this brand has been reviewed, considered and curated meticulously. Whilst of course being excited by the thought of sharing their work with the world, rushing to market was never a priority for the pair. Rather, Tess and Rikki were far more interested in having a deeper understanding and an immersive exploration of the entire process of ethical and Australian product development. It was important that each piece ave.nue101 contributed to the world would be timeless and considered and with that moral, the necessity to rush new designs or to catch up to trends melted away, leaving behind an inevitably strong and classic debut collection. You may note however that the pieces you see from ave.nue101 are not typical “classics”. The founders aimed to incorporate a certain “flare” to each piece. Whilst timelessness and of course a nod to the classics was important to them, it was also equally important that ave.nue101 conveyed a sense of individuality. This was done with intention. Tess and Rikki hope that their pieces will spark conversations, opening up the door for their customers to further express their own individuality and creativity within their homes and beyond.
For a deeper insight into how the pieces are made, it is important to note that Ave.nue101 was conceptualised in the early months of 2020. This period in history, of course meant flying around the world, sourcing products or finding creators outside of Australia was not an option. With large-scale, offshore manufacturing off the table Tess and Rikki dove head first into the realm of local production. This became a huge blessing in the journey of Ave.nue101 and the hands-on experience that Tess and Rikki gained over the years of product development here in Australia, gave them invaluable insight into the true costs, efforts and time associated with the local creative industry. It was this insight that further fueled the fire within them to create a brand that puts quality, craftsmanship and the art of design at the forefront. Ave.nue101 has strong and personal connections with each member of the community that creates for them.
The debut collection see’s every step of the process made by hand between Byron Bay and Noosa Heads. Tess and Rikki hold a deep sense of pride to know that their first collection is completely Australian made by extremely talented crafts people with decades of experience and many stories to tell.