Cover Story
Marloe Marloe’s Founder on the idiosyncrasies of clay, and the catharsis of craft
Retracing the beautiful beginnings of Harrolds’ latest homewares arrival…
6 Minute Read
Led by nature’s spontaneous and capricious beauty, Marloe Marloe creates everlasting handmade ceramics, exuding luxury in the modern home. Now, the brand’s artisanal marvels are in the Harrolds gifting trove — for a style savant you love, a mother, a friend, or just for you.
Circa 2013 on the Southern Gold Coast, ceramist Marloe Morgan morphed her way with clay into a brand, and so the legacy began. These objects of desire are built with expertise, care and intuition, culminating in eternal talismans to sit in the home.
Pedestalling a Marloe Marloe piece is also more than an ornamental display — it’s a statement of commitment to sustainability, the support of local craftsmanship, and an ode to the whimsical unpredictability of nature.
For a style savant you love, a mother, a friend, or just for you
Pieces like the cult ‘Stevie’ vase fuse colours of Australia in what Marloe Marloe calls their “truest study in mother nature and all her natural crossroads”, while the brand’s ‘core collection’ are neutral (but texturally bold) artworks made to adorn any home with ease.
It seems first and foremost, Marloe Marloe is a portal through which its makers can feel connected to, and momentarily in control of, both the world around them and their truest sense of self — all via the moulding and movement of something as raw and malleable as clay.
Here, we speak to Marloe about her eponymous business, the journey so far, and how she’s partnered with her husband in recent years to grow an authentic, honest and awe-inspiring design movement that only continues to evolve…
Marloe & James
Marloe & James
Tell us about the origins of Marloe Marloe, your namesake brand.
Marloe Marloe began as a creative exploration into self and was driven by a deep desire to fulfil a creative need that was not being met by my then role as a stylist and photography coordinator.
I began experimenting with clay in late 2012 at my local potter’s association and fell madly in love with the medium. After my first ceramics course, I enrolled in a second and began to focus on building out a body of work. I set up a small studio in my garage and took my first collection to markets. The custom requests quickly followed and my ceramic practice focused solely within the commercial restaurant and hospitality space. After six years of building strong relationships with clients such as The Calile Hotel, Halcyon House, Hellenika and The Star, I found myself looking for joy and play within my practice again.
About two years ago, I turned back to decorative object exploration and designed a small 8 piece collection and launched our online store. My husband James joined the business and together we now head up Marloe Marloe. In the last 18 months, our business model has evolved to support the birth of our son and the growth we have seen in our global fashion lifestyle retail network.
You say you’re inspired by the ‘intricacies and inconsistencies of nature’ — can you flesh that out a bit further for us? Where did a fixation with nature’s nuances begin?
It’s incredible the hold that nature has on me. I notice every detail, and always have. The way the rain settles on a leaf, the hues of a rock, the natural crossroads of colour that occur between sand, land and sea. Nature has this way of being breathtakingly beautiful despite its inconsistencies, each intricate detail plays a role in creating the beauty of the bigger picture that we see — and this is a principle that is at the core of the Marloe Marloe forms.
How did you start working with hoteliers and restaurateurs? What are those larger-scale projects like?
These relationships built for me really naturally. I was creating plate ware, and simultaneously restaurateurs were beginning to really consider their spaces as whole experiences. They wanted ceramics that married with their menu and their concepts, and I was able to be heavily involved in the process to bring their visions to life. Commercial projects are really special, it’s a pleasure being able to listen and execute alongside the talented individuals behind each space and create a custom body of work that is unique to the establishment.
What does the process of moulding clay and making ceramics mean to you? What does it give to you in a more personal, self-cultivating sense?
My practice creates space for me to process the world around me as I journey through my experiences. It is a quiet and self reflective time that allows me the space to process the information I ingest and expel, these emotions translate through to shape and form. Creating is my sense of independence, mental clarity and achievement, all at once.
Who are some other local brands or makers inspiring you right now?
I am constantly inspired by the Australian design landscape. I adore Australian brands Matteau & St Agni for their elevated, considered and timeless designs. Sarah Ellison Studio is a personal favourite in the interior space…she’s created such a strong signature style.
And what’s on your current Harrolds wishlist coming into the summer of freedom-dressing?
I love colour, so I am absolutely thrilled that it’s coming across in a big way this season. I have my eye on the Christopher Esber Grey suit set paired with a Jacquemus Le Sac Ciuciu bag in blue. An Amina Muaddi green mule would pair well with so much of my wardrobe this season, too.
Talk us through your approach to sustainability — it’s so often the demise or the pinnacle of a brand these days, so how do you navigate it with Marloe Marloe?
Sustainability is super important to us here at Marloe Marloe, if we are going to take from the earth’s resources it’s important that we are considerate and transparent. It’s not easy to navigate, it takes a lot of time and research to ensure we are hitting our goals. It’s a work in progress for us and our internal team work extremely closely with our production house in Indonesia to ensure standards are being met. We have set out our environmental commitments, and this acts as the framework in each of our production and business decisions.
What do you hope your pieces bring to the home as gifts this Christmas?
Marloe Marloe pieces are created with intention by our community of artisans, we hope that this intention is brought into the individual’s home – that each piece brings a sense of joy, stillness and ritual into the home.
And a favourite design of yours currently available?
I love our Vanity Box, it’s so versatile across so many spaces in the home. Our STEVIE vessel is our classic shape, and I still adore it and get so excited each time one goes to a new home.
Explore Marloe Marloe at Harrolds online or in-store now at Harrolds.
