In the frame (PROFILE Canterbury 2024)

Designing furniture that is stylish, comfortable and sustainable is what drives Miranda Osborne – the creative force behind Ico Traders.

Ico Traders founder and creative Miranda Osborne sits in a Coromandel chair.

Ico Traders is in the middle of moving premises when we catch up with Miranda Osborne, the design entrepreneur behind the Ōtautahi based brand that has fast earned a reputation for its elegant handcrafted wire furniture.“We are in chaos,” she laughs, “just about to hit the next stage. We have builders in extending a little mezzanine into a big space. We used to have a separate warehouse, and we’d drive over for orders. Now, everything is in one spot. It’s fantastic.”

The stackable Devonport dining chair.

This expansion is a testament to the growth of Ico Traders, a brand that has matured alongside Miranda’s personal life. “We’ve been working from home for years,” she explains, “and now with two teenage girls and my husband working from home too, the house has become quite busy.” Miranda’s journey into the world of design began in fabric, working for James Dunlop, then transitioned into the clothing-production industry.“It was fun pre-children,” she reminisces of her work which included international travel. But life’s unpredictability – marked by earthquakes and family priorities – steered her towards creating something closer to home. “I was stuck in England because of a volcano eruption and then in San Francisco during the first earthquake and realised I needed to be closer to my kids.”

Ico Traders was born from this desire for proximity and stability. Initially curating collections, Miranda discovered a small factory in China making wire coat hangers. “They’d just started making furniture, so we collaborated on three designs,” she recalls. The partnership blossomed and now Miranda visits the factory regularly. The aesthetic of Ico Traders is simplicity personified. “Everything is handcrafted, with each piece hand-bent and welded,” Miranda describes.

The versatile and stylish All Day tray.

The furniture, designed for both indoor and outdoor use, is built to last. “We aim for classic designs that can be handed down through generations,” Miranda explains. Their stainless-steel range caters to coastal areas and is resistant to the harsh elements. Comfort is also paramount, with designs ensuring the wire furniture is comfortable even without cushions.

Top sellers include the Piha lounger, Coromandel chair and the Dunedin bar stool. The lines are clean, adaptable to various home styles and timeless, to avoid high-trend pitfalls.

Ico Traders’ reach extends beyond New Zealand, with an Australian distributor and online sales reaching as far as America and even Malta. Their foray into other products, such as beach umbrellas and bags, reflects Miranda’s passion for fabric design. “It’s about complementing the wire furniture with fun, vibrant patterns,” she says.

Each fabric and print is exclusive to Ico Traders, adding a unique touch to the collection. Sustainability is also a core value.“We are a carbon-conscious company, minimising plastic use and maximising recyclability,” Miranda asserts. This commitment to eco-friendly practices is epitomised in the remodelling of Ico Traders’ new office and the choice to use Saveboard — a clever wall panelling made from packaging waste such as Tetra Pak. With this dedication to innovation and sustainability, Ico Traders is set to maintain its position as a beacon of thoughtful design.

icotraders.co.nz

The Piha chair is designed to work both indoors and out.

ON MY RADAR...

Ravenscar House Museum here in Christchurch is a building I truly admire. Designed by Patterson Associates, it was generously donated by Jim and Susan Wakefield to showcase their art collection. I love that the concrete slabs incorporate some of the brick from the Wakefield’s home in Scarborough that was damaged in the 2011 earthquakes. I love the spaces created between the buildings, the sculptures outside and the artwork inside.

The hanging chair in the Slim Aarons’ photo ‘Barbados Bliss’, where Ava Marshall relaxes with a book among the bougainvillea in Barbados, 1976. I saw it on Trade Me about 12 years ago, but couldn’t afford it. I still think about it now and wish I had designed it.

The Chair: A Story of Design & Making in Aotearoa by Kim Paton and Victoria McAdam, is next on my reading list. Published by Objectspace, it is based on this year’s exhibitions held in Ōtautahi and Tāmaki Makaurau.

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