Suki McMaster is a local Australian brand that creates happy, colourful and whimsical designs on her giftware and baby products. Her design philosophy is simple, to tell stories with every piece through personal experiences so that everyone is unique and memorable.

I am a Hong Kong born Melbourne based Australian designer who creates bright and colourful homewares and giftware for happy homes. I describe my designs as cheerful, positive and bright that transform homes into exquisite living spaces.

My venture started off by selling my fabrics. I would design my own patterns and have them digitally printed in the USA, later selling them online and at craft markets in Sidney and Melbourne. A lot of stallholders at the market bought my fabrics and when I saw the awe-inspiring products the other stallholders were creating that begot the idea of making my own products.

My drawings are inspired by nature; in particular, the Australian nature; love for travel and the love for my husband. My recent artworks are more inspired by stories around the world like the refugee crisis, climate change, women rights etc. Everything I design has a story to it. My approach is to give every drawing and design a personal inspiration; to speak and reach out to the others in a more personal way. There are so many things that can upset us in lives so I wish my products can put a smile on people’s faces.

My brush with craft began from a tender age; I would draw and paint finding thrill in using pencils and crayons. However, my parents always wanted me to be an accountant. To them, this offered more security financially. While at campus, I would sell a lot of merchandise; bags and notebooks at the markets in Sydney and Melbourne. Never at one point did it cross my mind that this would be my lifeline, only for the narrative to change when I met my husband. His support and encouragement has helped me come this far.

In the offing is a plan to open a shop that supports independent Australian designers. The aim of the shop is to give Australian designers and crafters opportunities to reach out to the rest of the world; a platform for designers and crafters to showcase their work; to create awareness on their work. As a Honkinese travel writer and newspaper columnist, I would like to use my skills in writing to bring our wonderful designs to the rest of the world, to showcase the art that Australians can offer. I thrive at making independent artists grow; to grant them a fair chance at growth, development and success.