C
OLOUR, FORM, TACTILITY AND VITALITY are the
hallmarks of Dinosaur Designs, which seamlessly bridges
the boundaries between art, design and
fashion. For over 30 years, collectors and design buffs
alike have embraced the brand that successfully balances
creativity with commercial appeal.
Working predominantly in resin, designers Louise Olsen and
Stephen Ormandy employ a vivid palette and organic forms to evoke
the colours and natural wonders of the Australian ocean, flora and fauna.
Inspiration for jewellery and homewares has come from coral
clusters, polished river stones and tropical rainforests and also from the
world of art, with other ranges referencing the colour field painting and
sculptures of the 20th century. The fascination with art reflects Olsen
and Ormandy’s own training as visual artists, which infuses their work
with a unique creative energy. “We apply the same principles as in our
art practice, but with a greater sense of freedom,” says Ormandy. “We are
just as strict with ensuring things look good to us; we’ve never designed
to a market, we’ve always designed to an aesthetic. We tackle each design
project the way you would tackle a painting or a drawing, really following
your eye and allowing those accidents and developments to happen.” »profile:
LOUISE OLSEN AND STEPHEN ORMANDY
HAVE BEEN DESIGNING TOGETHER FOR
MORE THAN 30 YEARS, AND THEIR
VIBRANT AUSTRALIAN AESTHETIC HAS
NEVER WAVERED. HERE, AN EXCLUSIVE
LOOK AT THEIR NEW BOOK, WITH AN
INTRODUCTION BY GEORGINA SAFE.
The Art
of Dinosaur
Designs
ART & SIGN
clockwise: in the dining/living room
of Stephen Ormandy and Louise Olsen, painting and
sculpture (far right) by Stephen Ormandy; sculpture
by Gemma Smith. The design duo outside their studio
in Strawberry Hills, Sydney. Family snaps and
memories of Olsen’s early days at art school.VOGUELIVING.COM.AU 77PHOTOGRAPHERS: ERYCA GREEN, ANSON SMART