TRUE COLOURS

THIS IS A STORY OF PRIMARY COLOURS 

The collection offers two sides of the same primary coloured coin; one side introduces  whimsical flora and fauna collages defined by the beauty of chromatic colour blocking. These prints burst with blooms and birds in intricate settings, all framed by singular tones of primary hues. 

The other half of the collection offers the same bright playfulness presented in geometrically ordered perforated motifs, alluding to the chromatic scheme of a rainbow. This is true pattern joy engineered to perfectly match the most loved heirloom pieces for the family home.

"You don’t necessarily have to compromise your personal style when you become a parent."

MOTHERHOOD AND DESIGN

HOW MOTHERHOOD FUELS CREATIVITY 

 It used to be two under two (ish). Now, it’s two under twenty; that’s how long it’s been,’ Lisa Furuland Kotsianis, founder and creative master mind of DockATot, says with equal parts pride and horror. ‘That means that I am that much older - in numbers, I may add; I don’t feel it.’

The very reason for the world’s craze about docks, pods, nests or whatever you might call it, is standing right next to Lisa, towering even, as he is now the tallest member of the family. A handsome young man, recently turned 18, whose birth meant the conception of an invention that has become a  global phenomenon and a must-have.

‘I’m a creative mind and an entrepreneur to the core, but motherhood was interesting in that it truly generated new synapses in my creative brain. Backed by evidence, research shows that a child is a cellular extension from its mother. Mothers permanently retains some of their children’s cells in their brains, so there is a cellular attachment that never ceases to exist. I think this is why we see such childcentric creativity amongst new mothers, and that’s what happened to me. A need of my own, being an attachment parenting advocate, to keep baby close at all times, including night time, made me invent the DockATot pod (originally called Sleepyhead). I brought it to market and the rest is history.’

Lisa with sons Troy, 16, and Ilias, 18, at home in Athens

It was also motherhood that made the two designers cross paths. When Mary’s son was born, she was drawn to the function, aesthetics and quality that the DockATot brand represents. Being the queen of fashion prints, she saw no better match than DockATot to channel her desire to make a mark within juvenile.

Mary was inspired by DockATot’s mission to always combine function and fashion as she transitioned into her new role as a mother and realized how hard it is to find the balance between style and function. She knew she wanted to design a collection that proved that you can have both.

 The christening of Michael in an unforgettable ceremony on the Greek island of Spetses sparked the idea of the use of the primary colours.

“Interior as well as product design is all about reflecting your personal style and aesthetic whilst providing a canvas for the every day that is called life."

A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN

GREAT DESIGNER MINDS THINK ALIKE

Never has a collaboration felt more straightforward or easy-flowing; these two powerhouses have formed a sisterhood that was meant to be.

Not only are the two successful designers and entrepreneurs , turned working mothers, but there are a multitude of cross-overs between them. For example, they have both studied architecture and they both reside in Athens, Greece.

Consequently, the collaboration encompasses two sides: one that is inspired by mother nature herself and her unique gifts (flowers,  rainbows, butterflies...), and one that showcases geometrically inspired order with an echo of fundamental motifs of ancient Greece,  the meandros and the scrolls, but here with a modern approach.

Lisa and Mary at work in Lisa’s studio on the Athenian Riviera.