The pandemic marked the start of new beginnings for many creatives, including textile designer Jarnah Montersino. After finishing her Bachelor of Textile Design in RMIT in 2019, she says the impact of Covid-19 pushed her towards her ‘long-term goal’ of starting Mont Studio.
‘I had wanted to create a business that could contribute thoughtful patterned fabrics, while blurring the line between art and design,’ Jarnah says.
‘I’ve increasingly realised the profound impact that art and design have in affecting our environments and therefore the experience of people. Textile and surface design, in its myriad forms, can be a way to share stories, feelings and ideas.’
While the career change wasn’t without its difficulties, Jarnah forged her own path with the support of her family, and hasn’t looked back!
Jarnah begins her creative process with a sketch, collage or painting. Her designs then get digitised, and the pattern creation begins, before being sent off to the digital printers for tests. This hands-on, local approach also enables a highly sustainable business model, where every metre of fabric is printed on demand, to avoid excess waste.
‘By providing made-to-order fabric and products that are printed and produced locally, I avoid waste and allow the demand of the customers to decide the production quantities,’ the designer explains.
Jarnah’s latest range for Mont Studio draws on ‘simple moments’. ‘It is centred on collecting shapes and exploring the simplicity of the lines and forms in everyday experiences, the beauty in the background of life,’ she says. Geometric and abstract shapes meet textural linens, patterned wallpapers and rustic hand-built vessels. Stunning!
See Mont Studio’s full range of work here, and shop the collection with Style Revolutionary here.
Mont Studio founder Jarnah Montersino inside her Melbourne workspace. Photo – Mont Studio
‘Starting my own business enabled my creative practice, and at the same time provided flexibility to be with my three children. It allowed me to build something that could grow organically over the years to come,’ Jarnah says. Photo – Mont Studio
‘I have organised my palette into three groupings which are significantly inspired by the natural world; the sun, the ocean and the earth. Nature is a source of personal joy for me.’ Photo – Mont Studio
‘I have always been an observer and use this to form the basis of my work. I try to draw on my personal surroundings and experiences, as well as research.’ Photo – Mont Studio
Louis fabrics in Terracotta and Mustard by Mont Studio. Creative direction by Cristina Guerrero. Photo – Jess Brohier
Nanda fabric in Cerulean by Mont Studio. Creative direction by Cristina Guerrero. Photo – Jess Brohier
Bard fabric in Flax by Mont Studio. Creative direction by Cristina Guerrero. Photo – Jess Brohier
