Verstrooid Kussings: In Studio with Marise Kock

INTERVIEWED BY Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Supplied

Known for its intricate hand-beaded designs, Verstrooid Kussings stands out for pushing creative boundaries and embracing the uniqueness of each piece.

We caught up with founder Marise Kock to find out more about her design approach and inspiration behind the brand.

The inspiration

‘Verstrooid’ is not a typical name one would use for a brand (perhaps because of its connotations), and that’s why Marise knew it would pack a punch as her scatter cushions aren’t typical, either. “A scatter cushion in Afrikaans is called a strooikussing, and naturally in my mind the word verstrooid was just so fitting as it doesn’t only play on the word strooikussing, but it also reflects a bit of my personality as I can be quite scatter-brained at times,“ explains Marise.  

How it started

Before launching her scatter cushion brand, Marise worked in the decor industry. “The decor industry absolutely helped me launch from a very solid platform. I learned first-hand that there is no such thing as an overnight success and it most certainly came with all kinds of challenges. The personal reward of finishing a product trumps all the sacrifices and costs it took to be able to do this,“ she says.

The approach to design

Every one of Marise’s designs is unique because of the hand-beaded embroidery. “The story I want to tell is that there should be no creative boundaries when it comes to cushions,” says Marise. She goes on to explain that “it is vital to use unique fabrics or techniques that do not form part of the norm. Having something that is unusual catches the eye and hopefully sparks conversations, which leads to some more storytelling of its own.”

The challenges

“It has been challenging to accept [from a maker’s point of view] that a large percentage of consumers have become so accustomed to cheaper goods [not being mindful of where they came from or how it was made] that the price tags determine the outcomes, rather than the quality,” explains Marise.  

Creative process

Marise is a one-man-band and is responsible for the whole process from start to finish. “The process involves sourcing the fabric, drawing up designs, cutting, sewing and beading. Depending on the fabric, I will either complete 80% of the beading onto a separate piece of felt which gets sewn onto the fabric, or I bead directly onto the fabric. Each bead is sewn individually and could take up to a few days to complete,” she says.

Future plans

”I believe in the power of scatter cushions so much and I would love for people to want to own a Verstrooid Kussing (or two). It would be amazing if Verstrooid Kussings could go places to represent a South African product in the international market. The cherry on top would be the ability to employ someone to aid with job creation.” | verstrooid_kussings

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