Meet Jess Brown, a 2014 Certificate IV in Design graduate. 

Why did you study design at HDS?

I’ve always loved to create because it makes me happy and I thought how can I make this a career instead of a dream.
Having found HDS through social media, I discovered that this course would be an awesome way of backing up my creativity with some knowledge and challenge me to think beyond my initial ideas.

At first I was nervous, thinking ‘how am I going to do this being a new mum?’ but HDS supported me, pushed me and encouraged me to understand the knowledge that I gained and how to apply it.

Having done the course, I now see design in the bigger picture, where as before the course I just thought “that looks so good together” where as I now think “that looks good together but it because of ….”

I have a deeper knowledge of colours, which has helped me in creating the styles of each range of shoes I design and ensuring that they look good together.

After graduating what are you doing now?

I’ve now started my own label Little Brownies, which is currently just children’s shoe designs BUT like every creative person my mind is always abuzz of new & expanding areas I’d like to work on.

Little Brownies started because I always loved styling, interiors & fashion, children’s especially.

I absolutely loved styling for children that love grew after my son Flynn was born now 2.5yrs & even more so with our new addition Lola 1 month old, hence the name Little Brownies, as my little ones are my inspiration for starting LB.

I became slightly obsessed with baby shoes & always found myself combining styles of shoes together hoping that I would find something that no one else had that was on trend, affordable & also appropriate. I found myself looking at shoe styles for adults thinking why don’t they make something like this for kids.

Travelling over seas earlier this year, after having finished my course at HDS. I went to a leather smith & looking around the store thought finally I’d put into reality some of my design ideas & produce these designs…. Little Brownies was born.

What inspires you?

Wow, Everything haha, my children, my husband, family, friends other design Mummas especially them. My mum raised me to be a strong woman & to always stay positive as like attracts like. So I aspire to be positive & have fun. Which is defiantly what I do when working on Little Brownies I have so much fun creating our designs.

I also am a bit of a naturalist I love drawing in inspiration from the natural environment as it is endless.

The future for Little Brownies?

I’d like to expand on my designs in different areas such as interior pieces, Linen, clothing & accessories. They are all in the pipeline but as a new business we are slowly getting there.

I’m hoping to start our market stall soon attending in the Newcastle areas as well as up & down the coast.

We are a little label but we have big dreams.

Currently we just have our online store www.littlebrownies.bigcartel.com or you can find us on instagram @littlebrownies_