Matt from mattt is the guy and the hands behind some very Melbourne bags. His bags are almost THE quintessential Melbourne bag.
Matt is super particular about his materials - only the best YKK zippers and straps made from seatbelt webbing (those straps are good enough to save you life!) and fancy Dupont Cordura fabric that's tough enough for high-end outdoor equipment.
He also celebrates and values the fact that his bags have always been handmade. His new studio down the tough end of Gertrude Street is both a real-life working studio, showroom and shop.
Matt takes us on a up-close tour of his studio.
What is mattt?
I guess mattt is a craft based business that create a handmade range of functional bags. It started out as a hobby when I was at uni studying Mechanical Engineering and wanted to make a bag for my vintage scooter so I could carry gear when going away for weekend rides etc with the scooter club. Although I never really made many of these bags I still have my scooter.
What is special about your studio?
The studio is special because we were able to create a space that was perfect for making our bags. A great thing about sewing and textile based products is that the production can be pretty neat, without dangerous machines or tools and so can be done in an accessible way such as in our shop.
As people can see the product they are looking at being made it really reinforces this is an important part of our approach and its great that the focus of the space is the production area (and that it all happens on one big central table) rather than this being hidden out the back.
What happens in your studio?
I'd like to think we've created a fantastic place to work and for customers to visit. This is where we make all of our bags and also digitally print some of the fabrics we use. Apart from these main activities there is also a gallery space in the studio where we organise various exhibitions of art, including work of designers and illustrators who we collaborate with on our fabrics.
Photo 01 - Fabric
The fabrics we use are produced in collaboration with a designers and illustrators and either screenprinted (such as the Ink & Spindle and Cloth Fabric) or digitally printed (such as various projects we do with RMIT Textile Design, Craft Victoria etc). The screenprinted fabrics are printed on heavyweight organic cotton and/or hemp baseclothes which fit with our approach of producing sustainable products that also function really well. The digital designs are printed on our own sublimation printer (where the design is printed on special paper then transferred on the fabric with a heat press. This means we can print one off fabrics as we need them and can also quickly try out new ideas.
Photo 02 - Machine
I have alot of love for all of my sewing machines (though kind of like children I guess I'm not supposed to have a favourite). Kind of like my scooters where I have both an old vespa and a newer automatic scooter the idea of the old slightly beat up scooter is appealing though using a newer machine day in day out can sometimes be much more pleasant. Sewing machines really are incredible things, especially when like the ones we use can automatically cut the thread, lift the foot and backtack.
Now that I tend to spend more time doing computer or business things I really love making the time to sit down and make things as this is the reason I started doing what I do, and still the most enjoyable part as well.
Photo 03 - Shoulder bags
One of the best things is when people don't believe that the bags are actually handmade and that they have the look of a bag that has been made "properly".
The biggest difference would be that the customer has the opportunity to choose the actual piece of fabric that will end up being their bag. There is also always the opportunity for us to customise bags with extra pockets or features and create something suited to their particular needs. This process of developing ideas with customers is always also a great way to try new things out and is where alot of our newer styles begin.
These are our A4 shoulderbags which surprisingly have been designed to fit A4 magazines and papers. They were one of the first styles I came up with and although the design has been refined over the years they are still pretty much functionally unchanged from the original design.
Photo 04 - Cuisenaire rods
I have very vivid memories of playing with cuisenaire rods when I was very young (though probably more to make things rather than actually counting). I'm not sure where I got this set from, though there seems to be an instant memory associated with them from anybody that visits the shop (mostly positive) so I've always wanted to do something with them. When Craft Victoria announced the theme for their Craft Cubed festival as childhood I decided that it would be great to let customers design their own patterns with the blocks which we could then scan and print as a complete unique fabric. The response so far has been really fantastic, and its great to see the amount of consideration people put into their design. We'll be continuing this project until early September as part of Craft Cubed and will hopefully be able to offer it through the website as well.
Photo 05 - Books
The recycled books are one of my favourite things and made by Natalie and Ben Mason of Rebound in Melbourne. It's such a simple idea, however the consideration that they put into them is amazing (and the reason they work so well) and as a result I nearly have a bookcase full of my old sketchbooks (plus they are so much prettier than a Moleskine - hehe).
Photo 06 - Magnets
Have you ever seen a turtle as big as a scooter?
Now that you mention it I can't say I have. Though I can imagine it would either be a very small scooter or some kind of large tortoise rather than a turtle.
Photo 07 - Open Sign
Are they violets in the flower box? Are they your favourite flower?
They certainly are violets, and more than being my favourite flowers (that would probably be sweetpea) they are suited to the tricky place they are planted (an alcove facing south with very little light). I've also designed the planters so we can change over the flowers (and give them a break now and again) so am always happy to take suggestions of appropriate plants for this spot.
Photo 08 - Panels of Fabric
All the printed fabrics are cut by hand for each bag. This means we can frame each panel for a particular bag and in the case of the wrens fabric hopefully not end up with too many headless birds.
Photo 09 - Scissors
My favourite scissors are a large pair of Wiss scissors. I remember getting my first pair and thinking they were terribly expensive (I think they were $90) however I've more than gotten my moneys worth since then as I've been using this first pair daily for over eight years.
Photo 10 - Sewing
The third t actually comes from my surname, Thomson and possibly also comes from the fact that I had a slight stutter when I was younger (I still really quite dislike public speaking).
Photo 11 - Sewing table
Is that a Planet Lamp?
Yes it's a Planet lamp which I seem to have a bit of an obsession with. I started collecting them years ago (my first one was a mustard floor version) and having a studio is a great way to justify adding to my collection. Although I've found them in various vintage and secondhand stores I have actually gotten most of them (and other shop fittings) from Industria just up the street. Many of these lamps I have seen have had a very hard life, so I try to only get ones that are not so battered.
Photo 12 - Wall
The pinup board is a couple of lino cut designs that I got at a design market in Sydney. I go through periods of having really cluttered pinboards and then clean it all off and start again.
What advice do you have for young makers and creatives who want to set up a studio of their own?
I'd suggest anybody wanting to set up a studio to take their time and to do what they do as a hobby for as long as they can (so you're more worried about your work than necessarily paying bills). I used to be in a shared space in the Nicholas Building in Flinders Lane and this was a really collaborative way to get started.
mattt - studio & shop
13 Gertrude Street
Fitzroy VIC 3065
Monday to Saturday 11am to 6pm
** WIN ONE OF THREE MATTT BAGS! **
mattt has three bags to giveaway to readers of TheVine!
These are A4 size Cuisenaire design bags, which can be designed by the winners either over at the mattt studio or via email.
To win head to this
forum and describe in 25 words or less what you would carry around in your exclusive mattt bag.
You can view the full
terms and conditions of the competition online. Good luck!