Featured Interview: Tree of Life

September 13, 2017

Up next in our Interview Series is Tree of Life, which carries a collection of "sweet wares for starry-eyed dreamers" from Australia by husband and wife team, John and Wendy Borthwick. Each beautiful piece is ethically sourced, which we love, and engages with the free-spirited woman who embodies the carefree hippie ethos of the brand.

I hope you enjoy learning more about their brand and their story. XO, Crista

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An Interview with Meherose Borthwick, Tree of Life

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Tell us about Tree of Life.

Tree of Life is a family business born out of a love of the Indian aesthetic and a deep appreciation for handcrafted things. The owners of the business hit the hippie trail in the 1960s hitchhiking across Asia and this experience ultimately led them to start Tree of Life in the 1990s. The business has grown and flourished over time with new directions flowering while always staying true to our boho roots.

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What is the inspiration for your designs?

We always stay true to a romantic hippie aesthetic – we think about that girl who wants to be barefoot in a field of flowers – whether or not she is!

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Tell us about the person who loves Tree of Life. What are a few words that describe their style and vibe?

People are attracted to Tree of Life because it’s not a fast-fashion store. They like to feel beautiful, comfortable in their own skin, and they don’t want to look like everyone else.

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What was the inspiration to start Tree of Life?

In the 80s there was all these “hippy shops” that were really a bit sad…overwhelming smelling of incense, over-crowded with merchandise and not very appealing. From our trips around Asia we knew there was such diverse and interesting craft available and we wanted to put these into a format that would work for the carefree Australian lifestyle, while also respecting the traditions from where they were from. We also wanted to help in some small way towards keeping crafts alive that at the time seemed to be dying out. Happily in many cases crafts like hand block printing, have been reinvigorated in recent years with increased interest from local and international markets.

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What is your proudest accomplishment to date?

We are so proud of the myriad of people who form part of the Tree of Life community. From the artisans in India and other countries, through to our wonderful staff and long-time customers, there are so many people who are connected through us, and believe in the brand. That is something we are really happy about and proud of.