My Cart

Close

The Journal

Creative collaborations: Cathy Fan of Fankery

Creative collaborations: Cathy Fan of Fankery

The most beautiful brands often start from a passion and a personal need that coalesce to form ingenious ideas and businesses. Fankery, an online bakery, started just this way. The business was borne during the 2020 lockdowns when Cathy started experimenting with making cheesecakes and cookies filled with sweet, gooey mochi (a rice cake made of mochigome, a short-grain rice). When Cathy was hit by hypothyroidism in 2021, her focus shifted back to baking and spending more time in the kitchen, experimenting. This led to the development of unique food and flavours, and the signature Asian-fusion bakes she creates at Fankery today.

Inspired by her delicious and innovative flavours, we chat with Cathy about what inspires her and how that has influenced her bakes.

Creative Collaborations: Mamakan on re-imagining art and our forests

Creative Collaborations: Mamakan on re-imagining art and our forests

We have long been fans of Mamakan’s works, and were first introduced to Mamakan during a foraging walk in her forest. Connecting on many levels where our heritage has intersected, we found a common thread - nature, and how it is being emphasized in our work. Inspired by Mamakan’s strong love for native plants, we decided to team up to create an art installation where people could come to immerse themselves in a sensory experience where fashion, art and nature intersect. Learn more about the artist; her heritage and story.
Creative Collaborations: Bonnie Brown of Studio Bon

Creative Collaborations: Bonnie Brown of Studio Bon

Bonnie is the talented creative behind Studio Bon, and we started following her work nearly 3 years ago, falling in love with the bright colours and quirky shapes that are reminiscent of the pop art movement of the 60’s.

Bonnie wears many hats: artist, illustrator and ex-independent magazine publisher, and we’ve been secretly fan-girling over the opportunity to work with her, so creating these exclusive Esse art totes to raise funds for Sustainable Coastlines is a little bit of a dream collab. Read on to learn more about Bonnie and our collaboration.

Creative Collaborations: Gabrielle Jones

Creative Collaborations: Gabrielle Jones

Gabrielle is a renowned name in the screen industry and make-up artistry world. Having worked as a makeup designer for over 25 years and trained new makeup artists through her business, The Makeup School, she’s deft with her makeup brush and familiar with creating art, albeit on a different canvas. Now taking on a different canvas, we’re thrilled to showcase one of her personal paintings and collaborate with her to create a limited edition Esse Art Tote to raise funds for charity, Sustainable Coastlines. Read on to learn more.

Creative Collaborations: Alice Berry

Creative Collaborations: Alice Berry

Starting out as a graphic designer, Alice describes her journey to becoming an artist as an organic one. Her love of colours and fun, light-hearted style is not only reflected in her art, but her surroundings – her beautiful light-filled home filled with playful trinkets and vibrant wardrobe. Learn more about Alice and our collaboration for Sustainable Coastlines in this interview with her.
Modern Day Hero: Summer Gribble on reshaping identity and making space for self

Modern Day Hero: Summer Gribble on reshaping identity and making space for self

The transition for most women as they enter motherhood is an underlying pressure to fully focus on their children, but mothers need an opportunity to feel like themselves, rather than being a “mum” 24/7. What does this new identity look like and how can mothers make space for mental wellness while they reshape their identity?


We speak with our close friend, Summer, who is the founder of KAISO, a leather accessories brand, as she opens up about the challenges of being a stay-at-home mother and how that has redefined her identity and perspectives.

Modern-Day Hero: Sarah Street on a mother’s spirit and legacy

Modern-Day Hero: Sarah Street on a mother’s spirit and legacy

When you meet Sarah for the first time you’re immediately drawn to her warmth, sincerity and down-to-earth nature; traits that one is hard-pressed to find these days, especially given her credentials. In 2021, Sarah launched her own conscious footwear brand, Bronwyn, dedicated to and named after her late mother. We speak to the mother of two on the values that have shaped her; how that is reflected in the work she puts out into the world and the legacy she hopes to pass on to her sons.

Esse x Repair Redefined: DIY Repair Videos

Esse x Repair Redefined: DIY Repair Videos

Tell everyone you fixed it yourself, or help a friend patch things up. We’ve put together easy to follow repair videos with Renee of Repair Redefined, a clothing repair advocate and mending enthusiast.

Why not pick up a useful repair trick or two, and make your grandma proud?

Mindful skincare with Ziling of RE:ERTH

Mindful skincare with Ziling of RE:ERTH

When you first meet Ziling, you’re immediately drawn to her graceful elegance; much like the ethos of the brand she runs, RE:ERTH. 

Besides exuding the quiet confidence of a founder and COO, the busy businesswoman also has glowing and luminescent skin to boot. We speak with her to learn more about RE:ERTH and her beauty secrets.

A mindful approach to floristry: Charlotte Puxley flowers

A mindful approach to floristry: Charlotte Puxley flowers

2021 marks the fourth edition of Esse’s OFFCUTS project, and this year we are honoured to be able extend the conversation of reducing waste and upcycling leftover materials to other businesses who share the same ethos. This year, we share our offcuts and end of roll fabrics with these businesses to utilise and upcycle for a variety of projects. One of the businesses is Charlotte Puxley Flowers, a beautiful floristry studio in Singapore.

Where are we shipping to?

Singapore
New Zealand
Rest of
the world