We sit down with Stacey of Willow Mae Designs and have a little catch-up over her style, accessories and the Wild Beauty Collection.
Hi Stacey! Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
Hi !! My name is Stacey (-: I am the owner of Willow Mae Designs which is a bohemian leather, fashion and lifestyle brand based out of Mandurah, Western Australia. We have been operating for 2 years and have been stocking the beautiful Little Miss Gypsy and House of Skye for a year or so (maybe longer?). We have an online platform and are also a part of The Junction Mandurah which is an incredible business that houses multiple small businesses under one roof.
I am originally from Queensland, Brisbane/ Gold Coast to be exact but have called the West coast home for the past 4.5 years. I am a practicing nurse on a surgical ward and love it.
I am engaged to my fiancé Andy and we have four fur kids who mean the world to us (2 cats and 2 dogs- yes, we are dog and cat people haha!).
We live by the sea and love our life in WA.
How would you describe your style?
I would describe my style as bohemian, coastal, comfortable and flowy. I love flowy dresses, beautiful prints, statement jewels but always want to be comfortable and feel good in what I am wearing. I love a beautiful maxi skirt, flowy gypsy style dress, colours and definitely lots and lots of jewels.
What inspiration do you use when you're designing your accessories products?
When designing our products I seem to always go back to roses/ flowers/ larimar and turquoise jewels and tassels. I think I get inspiration from travels, the ocean and our coastal lifestyle and my love of ocean blue stones and gems. I want women to love our products and to make them feel empowered and confident when wearing them. I always want our bags and leather products to be a statement in themselves and to be one of those pieces that people stop you on and compliment you on. I think why have a boring black bag when you can have a statement piece that you love!! I have lived overseas and traveled, and I think my inspiration comes from that and also our home town and surroundings.
What are some of your must-have accessories when you leave home?
My must-have accessories that I cannot leave home without would be my Willow Mae handbag. Lately I am obsessing over our Gypsy moon bag it is stunning. I am also always adorned with my chunky rings, necklaces and earrings. I always have a lip balm in my bag (or multiple) and my phone… running a business from your phone it becomes an accessory.
Which are your absolute favourites from Wild Beauty?
I was just saying to someone today that Wild Beauty is my favourite LMG collection in a while. They are all stunning but this one is extra special. I am obsessed with the Wild River Gypsy dress (I have worn it 3 days in a row oops) but also love the Wild Beauty duster dress. I love that this brand is size inclusive, and the materials/ prints are stunning. I love both colourways but may be partial to the cornflower blue. Did I mention that these dresses have pockets!!!!! Amazing.
If you had to choose between living on the coast or living in the countryside, which would you prefer and why?
I absolutely love living on the coast and being able to nip down to the beach, but I am going to say maybe the country. We have been travelling down south a little bit lately and we are just loving the green lush countryside and the fresh air. We recently bought a bus … yep a bus and can’t wait to explore more of our beautiful state.