The First Cushion Offering From Aussie Label Kobn Mixes Turkish Kilim Hand-Weaving With Unexpected ’90s Colours

Photo: Courtesy of Kobn

Textile designer Sophie Matson built Kobn with soothing, linear motifs on Turkish-made towels. Now she’s bringing us more Istanbul finds in a one-off cushion drop that’s all chunky weaves and colour blocking.

Last time Kobn founder and designer Sophie Matson was cushion-shopping in Turkey it was just meant to be for her own place. As it turns out, she brought some back for the rest of us as well.

“I came across these cushions purely by chance,” Matson tells Broadsheet. “I discovered a small kilim store on a side street in Istanbul and spent time going through piles of cushions for my home. They kept bringing more and more from out the back.”

Eventually, she says, the owners came out with a pile of these “completely unexpected” cushions. “My heart sang and I immediately knew these needed to be part of the Kobn website.”

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The drop features nine cushion-cover styles in heavy textured weave, with chunky stripes in black, lime, honey, pink and natural oatmeal.

The cushion covers are a departure for the Melbourne brand, which focuses on organic cotton towelling designed by Matson and made in Turkey. Still, there’s a connection: in blocky designs, muted hues and Turkish artisanship.

Each cover is “handwoven on a traditional kilim loom and made with hemp fibres on the front and linen on the reverse”, Matson says. And since they’re handmade, each piece is “individual with imperfections”, she explains.

“I love the colour blocking and unexpected colour combinations on a traditional-style cushion. The juxtaposition of a ’90s palette against a natural chunky hemp weave felt so right.”

Matson talks about the cushion covers “modernising a very traditional technique”, and you could say the same for her regular offering of Turkish towels, hand towels and bathmats.

“The Kobn collection was born from traditional Turkish weaves and references to the hammam towel, modernised with unexpected colour combinations and a play on stripes,” she says.

The label’s new spring/summer collection references multi-coloured marble and Italian architecture, with earthy shades contrasting neon brights.

Travel is a big part of the inspiration for Kobn, Matson says, so she plans to source more wares on future overseas jaunts.

“My ambition is to share a thoughtful curation of globally sourced homewares that are aligned with Kobn's values and aesthetics, making the Kobn store an online go-to for ethically and beautifully designed homewares that are one-of-a-kind,” she says. “There will be more to come.”

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@kobn.au

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