Institute Of Style X MUD

This episode of Institute Of Style Neale Whitaker celebrates the original ceramist of style Shelley Simpson, MUD Australia’s Founder and Creative Director. The MUD brand has become synonymous with a functional designer table style with with its seasonal colour palates and minimalist artisan design.

Loved by chefs and A-listers like Paul McCartney, Gwyneth Paltrow, MUD is now celebrating its 25th year.

Simpson was so inspired that she booked a stall at her local Bondi Markets and as and they say in the movies ‘The rest is history’.

After opening her first retail store in Sydney it wasn't long before MUD grew to New York City, Los Angeles and London. This has helped to cement her place on the world stage as an incredible ethical Australian ceramist.

Initially… “I went into restaurants and simply asked what people were looking for. In the early days, I would customise pieces for chefs, designers and influencers.” Developing an understanding of this niche really helped Simpson to grow MUD with such success.

For Simpson, the handmade craftsmanship of creating functional and timeless pieces is the central focus of the brand.

Simpson views each piece as an extension to someone’s home and style. One of her proudest moments came when extreme organiser Marie Kondo came in-store.

“Marie Kondo loved our drawer organisation so much that she took a photo”, said, Simpson.