Handmade Matters

M A R A  B L A K

T H E  I N S P I R A T I O N

The greatest two sources of inspiration for Mara Blak – firstly, my travels.  After years of working in the corporate world, and motivated by freedom and a strong desire to act on my impulses, I decided to take the path of adventures – a free spirit travelling & living on the other side of the world was a cathartic experience.  A wild escape from the rat race and the joy in the discovery of life gave me the opportunity to explore new cultures, visit new places, meet new people, and the incredibly talented and humble artisans and locals which had a profound impact on me and how I see the world from a new perspective.  Everything is more beautiful when it’s made with heart & soul.

Finally, but not least, the greatest source of inspiration is from the roots of home – my mother.  As a seamstress, her favourite fashion piece was the now iconic Dior Little Black Dress.  Knowing my mother’s journey as a post-war migrant seamstress who had left her island home, off the west coast of Greece, and continued her life’s work in a new country, I had always been very proud of her story.  As such, I was humbled to take her to “The House of Dior: Seventy Years of Haute Couture” fashion exhibition at National Gallery of Victoria when she asked to go.

I remember as a young woman and throughout my 20’s my mother worked hard to create beautiful fashion pieces and taking such pride in making me look nice. Meticulous in her craft, she loved to work with fabrics and thread. She sewed almost all of my dresses, skirts, shirts and suits. Having hand-picked the material and pattern together, my mother then tailored the sleeves and the hems of my outfits to perfection. I always had unique outfits, something created with love and that no-one else had.  

She is much older now and misses sewing but her delight in and appreciation for every detail of Dior’s work at the National Gallery brought her spirit alive. My mum knows it takes passion, time, patience, effort and skill to create a piece of art and her artwork was her sewing! Embroidery motifs, from my mother’s home island is well-known around the world and depicts images of everyday life. Beautiful representations of these handcrafted pieces are displayed in the Museum of Folklore- a tribute to their standing as cultural art pieces!

From my travels and my mother I learned the value of handmade goods of all kinds and coupled this with my passion for fine jewellery to create Mara Blak.

S U P P O R T I N G  L O C A L  A R T I S A N S  A R O U N D  T H E  W O R L D.

H A N D M A D E  I S:

G R E E N  &  S U S T A I N A B L E

Products pass through fewer hands than those made and distributed by larger companies, creating a smaller footprint. Products are made in one region or town and materials ethically sourced from highly reputable, trusted suppliers.

Reducing your carbon footprint and supporting eco – friendly local artisans is good for the environment and therefore good for everyone.

S U P P O R T I V E

Everything is more beautiful when it’s made with heart. Handmade jewellery is literally just that, made with love by the hands of the artisan or maker. In purchasing these products, you are supporting something bigger. You support the income of a person living their dream-  a community, a family, a real person and not a corporate brand. Each sale makes a difference in their lives and keeps their traditions and crafts alive. Most importantly, you support the continuation of the arts for the next generation.

Q U A L I T Y  &  U N I Q U E

A handmade item cannot be duplicated.  One-of-a-kind products are crafted in an environment of passion, honour and respect.  In particular, gemstones are a naturally occurring product. This means that there is some degree of colour shift and variation to shape and texture from gem to gem – no two pieces are identical, each piece is unique, making gemstones mysteriously and powerfully fascinating. Each item is a creation of love and skill, makers and artisans are extremely proud of the work they produce, perfecting a technique and pouring their passion into what they make, spending hours, days or even weeks designing and creating each piece.

Every masterpiece an artisan creates has it’s very own story.

M A D E  W I T H  S K I L L

From handwoven wrap bracelets requiring intricate sewing, beading and threading to the attention to detail found in our mala knotted necklaces or semi-precious gemstone stack bracelets the unique skills of our artisans is ever-present in our products.

Handcrafted gemstone pendants and precious metal adorned bangles, rings, earrings come together to form a collection of traditional, contemporary and bohemian and gold-filled designs found nowhere else.