BOTEH
'THIS IS NICE’ CREATIVE DIRECTOR, Jax Raynor, INTERVIEWS BOTEH FOUNDER AND DESIGNER, AMELIA MATHER, ON LAUNCHING HER OWN BRAND, WHAT ADvicE SHE WOULD GIVE TO ASPIRING DESIGNERS, AND OF COURSE, HER FAVOURITE THINGS
All images provided by BOTEH
JAX RAYNOR: Over the last two decades you’ve worked for some very iconic Australian swim and activewear brands, ONE OF WHICH IS WHERE WE MET WHILE I WAS MODELLING AND YOU WERE CREATIVE DIRECTOR. What drew you towards creating your own brand, Boteh?
Amelia Mather: A slower pace, wanting to put my learnings to good use creating beautiful clothes that make people happy and that last well beyond a season.
Where did your inspiration for the first collection of Boteh come from?
AM: I wanted the first collection to feel signature and set the tone for the journey ahead. I have a deep affinity for colour and cloth, something that will always be the focus for the collections. The concept of BOTEH lead me to patchwork prints in earthy and jewel tones for the debut collection.
JR: Living in one of the most beautiful and beachy countries in the world, Australia does swim better than most. Who are some of your favourite Australian and International swim and beachwear designers? What do you think makes them stand out from the rest?
AM: I love French brand Eres for how timeless and chic they are. I also respect Mara Hoffman for her unique creative vision and approach to sustainability. Isabel Marant has always been one of my favourite designers and I admire how she has been able to stay at the top of her game for so many years by staying true to her vision.
JR: There’s something very special about starting something of your own. What has been the most exciting part of creating Boteh?
AM: Designing of course but having the ability to make every single decision has been the most liberating.
FAST FAVOURITES
JR: Place?
AM: IBIZA
JR: Muse?
AM: my Yia Yia
JR: Beach?
AM: Coogee, Wylie’s
JR: Designer?
AM: Etro
JR: Item to design?
AM: Bikini/Blouse equally
JR: Song?
AM: Yellow Submarine
JR: Colour?
AM: Terracotta
JR: Words to live by?
AM: assumptions are the mother of all fuck ups…
JR: Place to eat?
AM: Café De France in Coogee
Amelia’s favourite beach via her Instagram
JR: What advice would you give to aspiring designers?
AM: Early on, try to place yourself among people you can learn from, gain as much experience on the operational side of the business as possible. When it comes to your creative vision keep your blinkers on, to an extent. Don’t allow people stuck in the past to shape your ideas for the future.
RA Andri Tri
JR: What is your favourite piece from the collection?
AM: I adore the Petra top, I always feel fabulous when wearing and can dress down or up effortlessly. My Ra Andri tri is also a favourite, post babies I thought my Triangle days were over till I created this shape. It does not flatten you at all! It gives you back the shape you once had.
How do you want people to feel when they’re wearing Boteh?
Comfortable and exquisite.
JR: It’s well known that you love a pattern, especially paisley or in Persian, Boteh. What originally drew you to this pattern and how has your appreciation for it grown over the years?
AM: I studied Fashion with a Textiles major back in UNI and have been researching and collecting ever since. I have always been drawn to the motif and adore the rich history behind it. The name BOTEH is the Persian expression for Paisley or flower and came to me one day while I was at Wylie’s baths in Coogee.
JR: You describe Boteh as ‘thoughtful luxury’, which we love! Can you explain a bit about why being a thoughtful brand is important to you from both a designer and consumer perspective?
AM: The pace in fashion has been spiraling out of control for some time as we all know. Before having my 2 girls this past 3 years I worked out I had designed and developed over 60 collections in my career and towards the end I was feeling like I wasn’t fully able to explore the creative journey the way I like to. Hence the need to slow down and have time to actually think through every detail and consider every material and process.
JR: What is your first memory of swimwear and what made you fall in love with designing it?
AM: First memories, oh so many.. I had my nan make a plunging neck polka dot one piece for my Malibu barbie back in the 80s, after that it was a Ken Done one piece my mum bought me, it had a fish on the front and was made from cotton jersey so was washed back and faded with time. Then there was this movie called ‘The Bikini shop’, I would watch it over and over again. It was set in Malibu (theme emerging here) and made me want to own a bikini shop so badly, I’ve been collecting bikinis ever since.