Designer + Creative Director Briony Delves, Society of Wanderers
Instagram: @societyofwanderers | societyofwanderers.com
Photography: Cricket Ink
Styling: NC Interiors Campaign
Shoot Location: La Maison Marrakech
What made you decide to start Society of Wanderers?
I was studying interior design a few years ago and began a small homewares business. I had an Etsy store and sold wholesale to a few stores in our local area in Australia. My products had a bohemian and ethnic feel. They were all handmade or vintage and sourced from Morocco, India, Thailand, Cameroon and Poland. Some of the products really took off, and with a beautiful shoot, I launched them to wholesale and my own online store in June 2015. I began manufacturing bed linen about two years ago, and this year I released my first print designs. Now we still do a little bit of vintage and handmade, but the main product we sell is printed linen with my own designs.
What is something you wish you would’ve known when you started in business?
That it is a LOT harder than it looks and requires more time and commitment than I ever imagined.
What are your top tips in terms of healthy and productive workflow?
Be disciplined and block out time to get what’s important done. However, to be really productive when I’m working on designs, I need to allow myself to be distracted, fiddle with fabrics and let the ideas appear. I suppose you need to find what works for you.
How do you create balance as an entrepreneur between work and life?
My husband now works in the business with me full time. To be honest, it has completely taken over our lives and our children’s lives because we are constantly discussing work, but having a partner to share that with is comforting on tough days. We sneak family time in when we can, so that can mean making the most of a weekday afternoon rather than waiting for weekends.
What is some of the best advice you have ever received?
That I need self-discipline. Before then, I hadn’t realized I didn’t have much of it!
What is essential to nurturing your creativity?
Time out, rest and a calm mind. Tips for designing a nurturing space? Use products with beautiful texture and think about what colors you’re drawn to. Definitely don’t only shop in stores or buy everything brand new; try antique stores, vintage pieces, auctions and thrift stores! Surrounding yourself in a space full of special pieces you love and have found over time will be nurturing.
