Contemporary bedlinen brand and homeware store, Thread Design, is the brainchild of lifelong friends, Sarah Sadgrove and Katie Collis.
They’ve recently shifted their flagship store of 15 years to a new location in Grey Lynn.
Now located on Richmond Road with plenty of parking, the new Thread Design store is in excellent company, neighbours to fellow design stores Homage, Tonic Tile Lounge and Bauhaus. Flooded with morning sun, the store is a visual treat, boasting not only a coveted array of homeware and bedlinen, but also featuring stylish concrete floors, custom-made shelving, a chic marble-topped counter, and the soft elegance of linen curtains. It’s the kind of store that’s challenging to leave empty-handed, a testament to Sarah and Katie’s natural flair for aesthetics. Verve speaks to the talented duo about their remarkable journey in the world of business.
How did the idea for Thread Design come about?
K: In our 20s, we were working together in a luxurious hunting lodge in the Scottish Highlands, and it was while we were making the beds that we conjured up the idea to design modern bedlinen.
S: We were also inspired by the Designers Guild store in London. Their bedlinen was so unique and different to the norm. When we came back to New Zealand, we realised that there was a gap in the market, so we wanted create bedding that was unique, modern, and unisex. Everything was quite flowery and outdated at the time, so we jumped straight in without much of a business plan to be honest!
When did you first launch Thread Design?
S: In 2001 we launched our first range of bedlinen. It was all made from high quality cotton, really simple but modern in design. Initially we only sold wholesale to design and department stores and that worked incredibly well for us. It really took off, which was wonderful.
K: Then in 2008 when the global financial crisis began, a lot of the stores we were selling our bedlinen through closed, so we took the punt at opening our own store in Grey Lynn, and here we still are 15 years later.
Along with your own bedlinen range, you also sell other homewares in the Thread Design Store. How would you describe your aesthetic?
S: Over the years, the store has very much evolved into a lifestyle retail store with brands that complement each other.
K: We basically sell anything we would like in our own homes. That’s always our gauge when buying something for the store and luckily our aesthetic seems to match the demand of the neighbourhood also.
S: I think you’d describe our style as contemporary but comfortable. But also, timeless and practical. Things that you can use every day and will last you a while, also.
Although you design the bedlinen range yourselves, you also often collaborate with other artists. Please tell us about your latest collaboration?
S: We’ve just launched a collaboration with New Zealand artist, Melanie Field. We’ve created a cushion collection using four of her gorgeous paintings which we had printed onto linen and velvet. They work so well together and are absolutely beautiful on a bed or sofa.
What would you say your point of difference is with your bedlinen?
K: Unlike most bedlinen ranges which are made offshore, most of our products are made here in New Zealand from quality cotton and linen.
S: We are proud to support New Zealand manufacturing from an environmental, ethical and economic perspective. There are some things we can’t make locally so we have them made in Portugal or India – unfortunately it’s getting harder and harder to make things here.
How have you juggled motherhood with business?
K: We’ve been really lucky in that we have followed the same path as each other at the same time, so we have a shared understanding of what it’s like to be a working mother and a mutual respect for the challenges that comes with the juggle. We take turns at having time off when one needs it more.
S: There were times when the kids were young where we felt we weren’t doing a good job at either the business or being a mum, but now that the kids are older, we have more balance. I think if we hadn’t been in the same phases of life while running this business, it wouldn’t have worked. We have always pooled our individual skills together. We are very lucky to have each other.
Outside of work, how do you spend your time?
K: I spend a lot of time in the garden and am always busy with the kids and their sporting activities. I’m looking forward to a long overdue holiday in Japan with my husband!
S: I have four busy teenage children so there’s not too much spare time at the moment, but I love watching them play their sports, going for walks, being at the beach in summer chasing the waves – we have a surf mad household! – oh, and a spot of gardening when I can!
If you could turn back time, what advice would you give your younger self?
S: Trust your gut, be confident in yourself and put yourself out there! Hard work definitely pays off.
Visit Thread Design’s new store at 254 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland.
