Designer Rugs Celebrates 40 Years with a Landmark Charity Auction
Six Designers, Six Stories, Six Causes
Designer Rugs is marking its 40th anniversary with an online charity auction. Six of Australia’s most acclaimed creative talents have each designed a one of a kind hand knotted rug, with all proceeds benefitting a charity of their choosing. The auction opens on 15 September and closes at 10pm on 15 October, offering collectors and design enthusiasts a rare opportunity to acquire a bespoke rug while making a meaningful contribution to some of Australia’s most charitable organisations.
Since its Founding, Designer Rugs has been built on a singular belief; that the finest design is born from genuine creative collaboration. The company has spent four decades partnering with Australia’s leading artists and designers to produce collections that are as technically masterful as they are artistically compelling.
This anniversary auction is a natural expression of those values, a celebration not only of exceptional design, but of the community that has made Designer rugs what it is today.
Catherine Martin – Dianthus | Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation
Academy Award winning designer Catherine Martin drew on two textile fragments, an 18th century piece of crewl embroidery and a fragment of Chinese embroidery to create Dianthus, a design that honours historical artistry whilst feeling entirely at home in a contemporary interior. The cause is profoundly personal: Martin lost her aunt to ovarian cancer. “We are closer than ever to developing life saving treatments and hopefully one day, eradicating this silent killer altogether,” she says. All proceeds go directly to the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation
Akira Isogowa – Wedding Birds | BirdLife Australia
Fashion designer Akira found his inspiration in an unexpected place: a hand embraided wedding dress from his archive. Wedding Birds features two birds as symbols of love and celebration, their imagery reinterpreted through the ancient craft of hand knotting. “I was intrigued to see how this original textile could be translated into a completely fidderent form,” Akira explains. Proceeds benefit BirdLife Australia, whose work protecting native birds and their habitats he describes as deeply meaningful.
Silvana Azzi Heras – Ruby Rising Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation
Silvana Azzi Heras, who has collaborated with Designer Rugs for over a decade, drew deeply on personal experience for her contribution. Having survived cancer at 33 and later becoming a mother, Ruby Rising expresses a journey “from dark, silent endurance to a flourishing garden of life.” Proceeds from the auction support the Kids Cancer Centre at the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation. As Silvana shares, “Surviving cancer and becoming a parent made the thought of a child facing that same battle heartbreaking. Supporting their mission turns my survival into vital help and hope for young patients and their families.”
Greg Natale – Passi | PROJECT ROCKIT Foundation
Greg Natale’s Passi takes its name and spirit from the Italian passeggiata the beloved daily ritual of wandering through cities rich with architectural beauty. Stepped geometry, rounded arches and an earthy stone inspired palette define the composition. His chosen charity, PROJECT ROCKIT, is equally close to his heart. “I believe that addressing bullying, particularly the discrimination experience by LGBTQ + youth must begin with education from an early age,” he says. Greg’s relationship with Designer Rugs stretches back to 2005, with a formal collaboration established in 2009.
Louise Olsen – Natures Rhythms | Bob Brown Foundation
Louise Olsen, one of Australia’s most distinguished decorative artists and co-founder of Dinosaur Designs, is renowned for her mastery of colour, pattern and organic. A cherished creative partner of Designer Rugs for 25 years, Louise drew on “Natures rhythms, the sounds and movement of birds and insects” to shape her contribution, a testament to the deep connection with the natural world that has defined her practice throughout her career. Proceeds support the Bob Brown Foundation, which she praises for working “fearlessly to act for nature, protecting wildlife and the ancient rainforest of Tasmania.”
Ken Done – Studio Reef | Great Barrier Reef Foundation
For Ken Done, coral reefs have always been a wellspring of creative energy. “It's always a visual feast anytime you get to dive on a coral reef,” he reflects. His Studio Reef rug channels that wonder into vivid pattern, while his chosen charity, the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, channels it into urgent conservation. “Protecting the marine environment and restoring the reef is so important, and their work is making a real difference.”
Bid, Celebrate, and Make a Difference
The Designer Rugs Anniversary Chariy Auction represents the finest expression of what the company has always stood for: the intersection of exceptional design, enduring artistry, and genuine community spirit. The auction is open through to 15 October at 10pm. Each piece is one-of-a kind design that will never be reproduced. Place your bid HERE and be part of a milestone worth celebrating. The Sydney showroom invites you to inspect auction rugs on Friday 9th October. Please register your interest in our private viewing by emailing marketing@designerrugs.com.au