Anna: Bailey and I are first and foremost friends. We became friends in high school many moons ago, so as a result we know each other very well.

In our twenties we both worked together at Kate Sylvester and spent our down time talking about brands and fashion. We shared a similar aesthetic and even back then we’d dream of working on our own brand one day.

Fast forward to our thirties, we found ourselves in Melbourne. Bailey was heading up sales at Jardan, a beautiful design led furniture manufacturer, and fortuitously they were looking for someone to work in their showroom, taking care of their interior design database. So we found ourselves working together again, reigniting the dream. Being a little older, we had a new perspective, felt we’d honed our skills and could finally see a way to action this venture. We enamoured the design industry in Australia, and decided to focus on homewares.

Bailey: We really started talking about our brand in 2018.

In some respects, we landed on ‘designing towels’ in a very back to front way.

We had immersed ourselves in the industry, and we knew where we wanted to play, but in terms of what that product would be, this took a lot of refinement. The concept was built upon what type of business we wanted to be, how we wanted to produce product and what type of culture we wanted.

Bailey: We have both worked for some incredible companies, and while on that journey we learnt what motivates us and what values are most important. If we were going to start a business we agreed that it was our responsibility to make our company an amazing place to work. 

 Q: Would you be happy to share some of those founding values with us ?

Anna: Before we had even landed on towels as our product of choice, we both knew we wanted to stand by something that was environmentally responsible. If we were going to add anything to this planet we wanted it to be thoughtful. So that was an important pillar for us. We wanted the brand experience to be superior and immersive, as it is in fashion, and for the product quality to be something we were proud of.

Bailey: At the end of the day, between Anna and I, it’s all about being honest and open. While the brand is aspirational, across all communication (internal and external), we still want to remain inclusive.

Q: There is so much in that open and honest communication. That’s something that Marty and I work on everyday for ourselves and the team. Especially running a business from two different countries.

You are now a world-wide success. How did you navigate going from New Zealand to the global market? What is the secret to your success?

Anna: We took the approach of being very particular on who our stockist would be. For as long as possible we want to maintain that ‘new’ or discovery phase. Placing BAINA only in selected stockists stores that are thoughtfully curated, sat next to like-minded brands. We have capped the number of doorways in Australia, and have decided to instead seek out new markets – globally. We approach it quite literally and simply as ‘who are our dream stockists?’ and then find a way to connect with them. Often this is done using Instagram, as our profile summarises the essence of BAINA instantly.

Anna: Balance?

Anna: No, I get it. I do think that watching Bailey find balance working in her own company has been amazing to see. There is a certain flexibility. Whilst she is working just as much, she can go to that midday pilates class without feeling guilty about your boss wondering where you are.

Bailey: It's a mental shift when you own your own business. You don’t work any less. In fact you probably work twice as hard. But it’s that ability to control when you need a break, when you need to move from being really methodical with numbers, to say, go into a more creative headspace because you want to do some design.

Bailey: Ever evolving. But currently I am coveting the tabac colour-way. The design and the process to develop that towel reminds me of a very happy time - travelling through Sydney, Paris and Portugal.

Anna: For me, I love the Wiggle Ivory range. It’s clean, it’s minimal, it’s calming but still has some personality. I’ve got dark timber floors in my bathroom and I just feel that it’s very complimentary, I use my Beppu Bath Mat in tabac/noir to tie it all back.

Q: Why is ensuring the collection remains GOTs certified so important to you? It’s a part of your core values, right. If you are going to leave anything on this planet it has to be thoughtful.

Anna: GOTs is a certification that’s globally recognised and it provides both accountability and traceability. From the farmer who grows the cotton all that way through that supply chain to the final product.

For us at the end of the day, it’s knowledge that our product is certified organic and audited across all stages of the process.

Bailey: We actually went and visited our manufacturer in early 2020 to get a greater understanding of what this means for them across wages, waste, and innovation of process.

Anna: We firmly believe in staying in our lane as we don’t want to be someone we are not and always ensure we stay true to our foundations. Staying authentic.

Q: What can we expect to see next from BAINA?