Editor’s Letter
#BELLEMAGAZINE
Welcome to 2017 – the best time of year where, for a couple of weeks, the emails slow to a trickle and it’s OK to be slightly not up to speed – blame it on the heat and the rosé!
There’s a lot to look forward to in the New Year and we have the awards season upon us. We have just judged the Alessi Design Awards with three of Australia’s leading product designers: Abi Alice, Adam Goodrum and Adam Cornish, along with Anne Sullivan and Nadia Bayfield from the Australian Alessi team. The calibre of entries was incredible and for the first time entrants were asked to submit resolved prototypes, not just sketches. We really appreciate the time and effort and brainpower that went into solving the design conundrums and producing the examples for us to judge. Mr Alessi needs to see the designs now and we will publish the finalists in the April issue, followed by an awards event.
Our second Belle Artstart competition closes on February 10 and we will have the prize giving and art sale on February 21. So if you are a 16–25-yearold unrepresented artist bursting with fabulous creative energy, it’s time to get out of your hammock and start working on a canvas. The prize pool is $17,500 in cash plus exposure to the art world and art lovers Australia wide.
To complete the triptych of awards we announce the Call for Entries for our 2017 Belle Coco Republic Interior Design Awards – now in its seventh year. The Awards always attract the best and most innovative interior design stars from across the country and this year will be no exception!
I’m starting the year relieved that my son who was studying his way through every room in the house was actually studying and has a place at university. So now maybe it’s time for me to move to a thoughtfully designed Smart Space, and there’s plenty of inspiration from international designers such as Maison Hand, and local design wizards like Infinite Design and architect and photographer Tom Ferguson (p86-126).
Are you planning to travel more this year? I certainly am and reading stylist Sibella Court’s wonderful quirky guide to Delhi (p190) made me want to get over there and explore. And if you are looking for some new year’s design resolutions the SPY pages offer plenty of inspiration (p39).
We look forward to sharing an exciting 2017 full of art, design and incredible interiors with all of our fabulous readers.