In conversation with Sarah Jayne Kavali
Celebrating Faradays’ Gifts of Desire campaign collaboration
What is a ‘Gift of Desire’?
A precious object, thoughtfully selected especially for you by a loved one.
An acknowledgement of your taste, your predilections, your chosen path in life. A signifier of a true knowing of who you are deep down, illustrated by their selection.
From day one at Faradays, our desire has been to be the address for escapism, of daily magic - a home to the most exquisite gifts for the wardrobe, the abode and beyond, collected from around the world - in one very special place. And to us, the art is in the ritual of giving, as much as the chosen gift that sits inside its glimmering wrap.
A month ago, we made a call-out to reclaim a collection of pre-loved packaging for our upcoming holiday campaign, and, today, that campaign comes to life.
In collaboration with multidisciplinary artist and friend of Faradays, Sarah Jayne Kavali, it is our pleasure to introduce you to ‘Gifts of Desire’, yours to experience at Faradays in the form of our festive displays, and out in the wild in a variety of forms.
In celebration of the collaboration, together with Faradays co-founder and creative director, Constance von Dadelszen, Sarah Jayne sat down to answer a few questions about the campaign, how it all came to be, and what lies ahead for the holiday season...
You first met working on a project around this time last year. Tell us a bit about the project and what it was like working together for the first time.
CVD: SJK and I met on set of a Moet and Chandon campaign executed by Hustle and Bustle - the PR company who launched my first business (Love and Object) 10 years ago.
I was hired as the stylist, something I often do for various companies but had not done for others since prior to the pandemic, so I was a little nervous and felt a bit like a fish out of water.
The shoot was in SJK’s studio and home - and we bonded during some time out on the shoot talking about art, business, inspiration, life etcetera. I liked her perspective on a lot of the subjects we were covering and felt like I’d met an old friend, so to speak.
SJK: Our meeting was almost a year ago to the date, and the first time that my studio and workroom - The Penthouse (by name) was host to a project of this magnitude.
Further, I was in front of the camera which was not the norm, working with Constance as she put my look together. Beautifully, Constance shares that while she too had worked in this industry before, there were a few nerves present and truly I felt the same.
On set there was almost a visceral feeling of safety, a knowing and an immediate trust in her, even though we had not met before that day - and that is rare to find.
You first met working on a project around this time last year. Tell us a bit about the project and what it was like working together for the first time.
CVD: SJK and I met on set of a Moet and Chandon campaign executed by Hustle and Bustle - the PR company who launched my first business (Love and Object) 10 years ago.
I was hired as the stylist, something I often do for various companies but had not done for others since prior to the pandemic, so I was a little nervous and felt a bit like a fish out of water.
The shoot was in SJK’s studio and home - and we bonded during some time out on the shoot talking about art, business, inspiration, life etcetera. I liked her perspective on a lot of the subjects we were covering and felt like I’d met an old friend, so to speak.
SJK: Our meeting was almost a year ago to the date, and the first time that my studio and workroom - The Penthouse (by name) was host to a project of this magnitude.
Further, I was in front of the camera which was not the norm, working with Constance as she put my look together. Beautifully, Constance shares that while she too had worked in this industry before, there were a few nerves present and truly I felt the same.
On set there was almost a visceral feeling of safety, a knowing and an immediate trust in her, even though we had not met before that day - and that is rare to find.
What was the impetus for this new project, the Gifts of Desire campaign for Faradays? Had you been looking for a way to work together since the previous successful collaboration, or did it all fall into place organically?
CVD: I’d originally reached out to SJK about another project that didn’t work out for a number of reasons beyond our control.
I was thinking about the festive season for Faradays and remembered a stunning installation she had created the year earlier. and thought - I know exactly how we could do something unique together for the festive season!
SJK: Paper is a large part of my practice. I’m consistently playing with the medium and sharing the perfectly screwed up experiments.
As one of those examples, Constance had seen a Christmas tree that I designed last year at home, and had shared on Instagram.
I then launched my exhibition, PAPER THIN at Astor Bristed Gallery, across the road from Faradays – intentional in the name – I think it was another lightbulb moment for both of us that we must work together again.
As there was such a synergy between us, a knowing that we would work together again at some stage, but it was just about timing – it was always going to be a when, rather than an if.
What was the impetus for this new project, the Gifts of Desire campaign for Faradays? Had you been looking for a way to work together since the previous successful collaboration, or did it all fall into place organically?
CVD: I’d originally reached out to SJK about another project that didn’t work out for a number of reasons beyond our control.
I was thinking about the festive season for Faradays and remembered a stunning installation she had created the year earlier. and thought - I know exactly how we could do something unique together for the festive season!
SJK: Paper is a large part of my practice. I’m consistently playing with the medium and sharing the perfectly screwed up experiments.
As one of those examples, Constance had seen a Christmas tree that I designed last year at home, and had shared on Instagram.
I then launched my exhibition, PAPER THIN at Astor Bristed Gallery, across the road from Faradays – intentional in the name – I think it was another lightbulb moment for both of us that we must work together again.
As there was such a synergy between us, a knowing that we would work together again at some stage, but it was just about timing – it was always going to be a when, rather than an if.
Tell us a bit about the inspiration behind the project.
CVD: My first business, Love and Object, was about taking vintage jewels from a former era, giving them a new purpose, new life and a new audience.
I love taking things that are often forgotten and shining a light on them in a different way. So that’s where the idea of repurposing our packaging came from.
We have gorgeous gift wrapping at Faradays that often gets reused and kept as a memento by our clients, and I wanted to extend the lifetime and purpose of them even further this year.
SJK creates art out of similar materials so I thought why not create an installation, a window and a festive campaign out of all the packaging that maybe sitting in our clients’ homes?
SJK: What I really enjoy in my work - and I would go as far as saying, I’m almost obsessive about this ‘art’ - is of taking things that feel relatively mundane, perhaps even what some would consider throwaway, and turning them into something exquisite.
Constance had referenced the Christmas tree I’d designed in our first meeting project, and within minutes, I think I threw out the idea of working with the Faradays’ packaging. It is art in its own right, even in its almost disfigured state it is beautiful - it was a no-brainer.
The campaign elements, each one purposefully repurposed. PAPER THIN (the exhibition) housed over 2000 metres of Italian Fabriano Paper, and to weave this into this collaboration - to re-scrunch, re-work, spray paint and create a completely new vista, I love it.
Tell us a bit about the inspiration behind the project.
CVD: My first business, Love and Object, was about taking vintage jewels from a former era, giving them a new purpose, new life and a new audience.
I love taking things that are often forgotten and shining a light on them in a different way. So that’s where the idea of repurposing our packaging came from.
We have gorgeous gift wrapping at Faradays that often gets reused and kept as a memento by our clients, and I wanted to extend the lifetime and purpose of them even further this year.
SJK creates art out of similar materials so I thought why not create an installation, a window and a festive campaign out of all the packaging that maybe sitting in our clients’ homes?
SJK: What I really enjoy in my work - and I would go as far as saying, I’m almost obsessive about this ‘art’ - is of taking things that feel relatively mundane, perhaps even what some would consider throwaway, and turning them into something exquisite.
Constance had referenced the Christmas tree I’d designed in our first meeting project, and within minutes, I think I threw out the idea of working with the Faradays’ packaging. It is art in its own right, even in its almost disfigured state it is beautiful - it was a no-brainer.
The campaign elements, each one purposefully repurposed. PAPER THIN (the exhibition) housed over 2000 metres of Italian Fabriano Paper, and to weave this into this collaboration - to re-scrunch, re-work, spray paint and create a completely new vista, I love it.
Where can people experience it in its different forms this holiday season and why did you choose those mediums?
SJK: Constance, I’ll let you jump in here!
CVD: From this week onward, the campaign features on billboards and posters around the city. Plus, visitors will see the window and installation at Faradays store over the festive period.
The collaboration sees the artful re-use of Faradays' iconic, beautiful packaging as the tool and hero material for Sarah’s sculptural masterpiece. After the holiday season, what will become of the sculpture and its componentry?
CVD: We have plans to again repurpose all the packaging afterwards, which will see them transformed into more permanent ‘Gifts of Desire – watch this space…
SJK: I mean, naturally there is a plan to repurpose once again. Push the boat out further. The elements rewoven to live on in a new form. As Constance says, yes watch this space…
Where can people experience it in its different forms this holiday season and why did you choose those mediums?
SJK: Constance, I’ll let you jump in here!
CVD: From this week onward, the campaign features on billboards and posters around the city. Plus, visitors will see the window and installation at Faradays store over the festive period.
The collaboration sees the artful re-use of Faradays' iconic, beautiful packaging as the tool and hero material for Sarah’s sculptural masterpiece. After the holiday season, what will become of the sculpture and its componentry?
CVD: We have plans to again repurpose all the packaging afterwards, which will see them transformed into more permanent ‘Gifts of Desire – watch this space…
SJK: I mean, naturally there is a plan to repurpose once again. Push the boat out further. The elements rewoven to live on in a new form. As Constance says, yes watch this space…
What does the holiday season mean to each of you? How do you plan to spend it this year?
CVD: The holiday season is one of the most emotive times of the year for so many of us - it can be a mixture of joy, excitement, sadness, hope and happiness.
I’ve worked retail over the Christmas period since I was 16 as a student and I have seen all of the above in people during this time.
The one thing about what we do at Faradays is that we try to create a highlight experience for our clients, offering them a service and a location that makes the gifting season not only easy but the best part of their day, with a curation of gifts that will surpass the season and are of course deeply desirable.
SJK: I agree with Constance about the intensity of emotion during this season. In all forms. And there is so much going on.
With that being said, I love that the energy changes across the board, there is just a little buzz amongst the everyday. As we get nearer to Christmas, there’s that feeling that the New Zealand summer holiday (in whatever form that is delivered!) is almost upon us, which for me almost brings relief, it means time-out. Rest, recuperation, recharging.
What does the holiday season mean to each of you? How do you plan to spend it this year?
CVD: The holiday season is one of the most emotive times of the year for so many of us - it can be a mixture of joy, excitement, sadness, hope and happiness.
I’ve worked retail over the Christmas period since I was 16 as a student and I have seen all of the above in people during this time.
The one thing about what we do at Faradays is that we try to create a highlight experience for our clients, offering them a service and a location that makes the gifting season not only easy but the best part of their day, with a curation of gifts that will surpass the season and are of course deeply desirable.
SJK: I agree with Constance about the intensity of emotion during this season. In all forms. And there is so much going on.
With that being said, I love that the energy changes across the board, there is just a little buzz amongst the everyday. As we get nearer to Christmas, there’s that feeling that the New Zealand summer holiday (in whatever form that is delivered!) is almost upon us, which for me almost brings relief, it means time-out. Rest, recuperation, recharging.
Finally, on the subject of Gifts of Desire... What is on each of your wishlists this Christmas?
CVD: I wish for a peaceful Christmas creating lasting memories for my three-year-old, with close friends and family – moments that he hopefully remembers (as I did of my childhood) as a time of excitement, anticipation and love.
SJK: For me, for my work and my craft, I’m hoping to give myself the ultimate gift of time out. It’s been an incredibly busy and fulfilling year and it’s taken a lot of energy to produce that.
That would be the greatest gift, because you can’t pour from an empty cup. – time to regenerate and birth new ideas. I’ve learned now that this is necessary for my craft.
Finally, on the subject of Gifts of Desire... What is on each of your wishlists this Christmas?
CVD: I wish for a peaceful Christmas creating lasting memories for my three-year-old, with close friends and family – moments that he hopefully remembers (as I did of my childhood) as a time of excitement, anticipation and love.
SJK: For me, for my work and my craft, I’m hoping to give myself the ultimate gift of time out. It’s been an incredibly busy and fulfilling year and it’s taken a lot of energy to produce that.
That would be the greatest gift, because you can’t pour from an empty cup. – time to regenerate and birth new ideas. I’ve learned now that this is necessary for my craft.