Meet the Maker behind Mont Studio
Meet Jarnah, the maker behind Mont Studio.
Mont Studio is an Australian textile design studio bringing pattern and art to residential and commercial interiors. Based in Melbourne, Mont Studio makes a range of locally and sustainably produced fabrics, wallpapers, objects and art pieces. As Jarnah herself puts it, “I create abstracted and considered work that can be used to elevate living spaces.”
Jarnah takes her inspiration from culture, art and nature. Growing up in the bush of southeast Queensland, her family home was filled with beautiful objects collected from across Africa and Asia. These objects provided a gateway to other cultures and worlds. Her diverse upbringing with an Italian Portuguese mother, who was raised in Zimbabwe, and an English Australian father, who had travelled extensively in his youth, inspires her to create work that reflects our dynamic connections to each other and our environment.
Before she pursued design, Jarnah’s previous career in international development and human rights took her all over the world. Living overseas, she was drawn to the unique expressions of beauty, identity and culture found in textiles and began collecting fabrics on her travels. Eventually she undertook studies in art and design and embarked on a career in textile design. She’s been designing textiles for seven years now, and she has loved every moment.
The Mont Studio design process
Reflection and observation form the basis of Jarnah’s work. She says, “I try to draw on my personal surroundings, as well as research. Once I have a concept, this forms the foundation of my sketching work, which I might paint, collage or digitally draw.” Whatever the medium, Jarnah’s process always begins by hand and can be very explorative. The work is then digitised and the task of creating a pattern begins. Images need to be edited, coloured and made into a harmonious layout. The final step is test printing at the local fabric printers, which ensures the colour and scale of the design work on the fabric, as well as part of a larger body of work.
Jarnah says, “I think being an observer is quite inherent to many textile designers. However, I think my formal studies in textile design helped to solidify this process and taught me to contextualise and apply ideas. My process is also informed by my work in different fields, which allows me to use research and organisation skills to bring ideas together.”
Sustainability focus
Mont Studio takes sustainability seriously. Because their fabric and other products are made-to-order and printed and produced locally, production quantities are dictated by customer demand and waste is kept to a minimum. Jarnah avoids wasteful seasonal or trend-based cycles by creating designs that work harmoniously in diverse contexts. All her work is printed locally using digital printers accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia. Digital printing doesn’t use water and doesn’t waste ink, making it easier on the Earth. Chemicals and colourants used in the printing process are Oeko-Tex approved, ensuring they are free of harmful substances to reduce ecological impact.
Perfectly imperfect
Jarnah shares the Style Rev attitude to celebrating the imperfections in a handmade product. She says, “I really appreciate the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi in exploring the idea of imperfection. In my understanding of this concept, it’s a view that embraces imperfection and can be used in an aesthetic sense but also as a way of life. I think in a society where perfection and a highly curated lifestyle is often valued, it can be useful to remember that imperfections are actually a part of being human and therefore inevitably part of our creative processes too.”
Dream job
Jarnah’s love of pattern runs deep, and she would jump at the chance to do a homewares collaboration with Finnish design house and fellow pattern lovers Marimekko. She tells us, “As a brand dedicated to showcasing pattern in a bold and joyful manner, it would be brilliant to see and understand their work up-close. They work with designers from around the world with close associations across Scandinavia and Japan, but I would love to contribute an Australian perspective to their amazing range of work.”
As for the future of Mont Studio, she’d love to see it become a go-to resource for contemporary interior designers. “I look forward to exploring how my work can contribute and evolve,” she tells us. “I would love to work on collaborations with like-minded businesses.” She plans on continuing to build the various areas within her studio work, across both textiles and art.
Design as a tool to enhance our humanity
Jarnah feels that now, more than ever, we are aware of the impact of our spaces and how they affect us. She’s inspired by a quote from British interior and furniture designer Ilse Crawford – “We spend 87% of our lives inside buildings. How they are designed really affects how we feel, how we behave. Design is not just a visual thing. It is a thought process. It is a skill. Ultimately design is a tool to enhance our humanity. It is a frame for life.” Jarnah says this quote helps her to remember that her work can be a powerful source of contribution if done the right way.
She’s really loved seeing her wallpapers come to life in a recent photography shoot. “It can be hard ensuring all elements of a design come together,” she says. “It often isn’t until the final product is used in a space that you can see it’s full potential. I have very much designed these to be a subtle contribution to spaces and I hope they serve to uplift people’s environments.”
You can find a range of Mont Studio’s beautiful printed linens and linen blends, wallpaper and hand-built vessels here.