Meet & Greet: A Moment with Chiu Lee from Toetum
Posted: May 19th, 2009Today’s post written by Angela
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Earlier this year at the KidsInSTYLE tradeshow I met up with the team from Queensland-based Toetum - www.toetum.com. Chiu Lee (pronounced chew lee) and her team impressed me greatly with their passion and vibrancy: they were a stand out exhibit for me.
Toetum’s debut collection for infants and toddlers is colourful, exuberant and unique thanks to a collaboration of talented individuals (I am besotted by Nadine’s Chagall-esque illustration, and the imaginative colour of Jodi’s graphic art).
I hope you enjoy ‘meeting’ Chiu today, and learning a bit about Toetum. Toetum are on my watchlist of fine Australian designers: expect big things!
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Tell us a bit about your background
I began my own fashion agency business when I was 22 and have run that for the last 15 years. Prior to that I studied fashion in the US. I’m now a mother of two, and incorporate my love of business and yoga with spending time with my kids, Lucy, 4 and Max, 6 months.
Tell us a bit about Toetum
I’m head designer for Toetum, and also in the Toetum family are Kate, Jodi and Nadine.
Kate is a recent graduate of the Queensland University of Technology’s Fashion Design degree (and she also has a degree in economics: handy!). Kate’s previous experience is in womenswear so she’s really enjoying the different challenges that working with childrenswear brings.
Jodi, our clever graphic designer who, despite not having children herself, has a natural affinity for designing and illustrating for children (she’s even illustrated a children’s book!)
Nadine (Sawyer) is an artist with a background in floristry and interior design. Nadine’s work appears on some of our garments and is the result of our first collaborative project.
How did you all meet?
Some would say it was the universe lending a hand in bringing us all together - it was such a natural evolution!
The collaboration with Nadine came about after I saw and loved one of her paintings on the wall at a friends house.
Kate started as a work experience student during her last year of study, and now works with us full-time.
Jodi was initially employed to develop the branding for the label. That collaboration worked so well that we asked her to help develop part of the artwork for the range.
What is your business ethos?
At the core of Toetum is the idea of working together, like a clan or tribe. Our name comes from ‘Totem’ which stands for family or clan so that really is the essence of Toetum.
I think the main reason we work so well together is that we share the same ideals and values and are passionate about a lot of the same things - accepting, sharing and embracing different cultures, creativity and the arts.
We all believe in the concept of Toetum as a vehicle to present these ideals to the general public who we hope will then share them with their family and friends.
What are you loving for your kids right now?
I can’t live without my Bebedelice (1, below) - with Max starting solids recently, I can steam and puree until my heart’s content! Our Raff and Lulu Playmat (3, below: no longer available in blue spots, pink spots available as pictured here) goes everywhere with us - love it! My Bubbaroo Joey Pouch (2, below) has been perfect for Max as the nights are cooling down. Rachael Gleeson’s homeopathic remedies for kids (5, below), are fantastic! Mini Metalicus for Lulu (4, below) - she will only wear clothes that stretch, so we live in Metalicus and lots of layers. I am also madly in love with these cute as a button Chinese dragon baby slippers (6, below; purchased by Chiu in China - buy similar here).
What’s coming up for Toetum?
We believe in helping our own community and at the moment it’s all about jobs so we’re in the process of organising for a portion of our range to be made locally. By purchasing inputs and employing patternmakers and machinists locally we hope to do our bit to help those affected by the current employment situation.
We accept that to produce locally and pay award wages, retail prices will have to be higher than product made overseas so we really hope the public appreciates this and show their support for the Australian industry by viewing their purchases as a contribution to building jobs in their community.
In terms of product, we’re about to launch our “Toetum Friends” and “World Kids” ranges which we’re really excited about!
You can buy Toetum direct from the Toetum website. Alternatively shop Toetum at I Want Fabulous - www.iwantfabulous.com.au: they have an extensive range of Toetum designs, and are also offering $10.00 off your order for a limited time only. You can view the complete list of Toetum stockists here. Please check individual stores for shipping and delivery information.
