They're one of the first things people criticise about our fair town, but for jeweller Tanja von Behrens, Canberra's roundabouts don't just calm her down, they've become a source of inspiration for her work.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
While she now calls Hobart home, the former local's work will be featured on the catwalk at this year's Fashfest as part of the collections by Braddon Tailors and New Zealand designer Melanie Child.
"I wanted to tell a bit of a personal story of my relationship with Canberra and my history with it, so my whole collection is based on street maps in the Canberra area," she said.
"The shapes I've created are fairly graphic. The Canberra streets have a beautiful symmetry to them and the traffic flows beautifully, and it's a well-laid out city. I'm hoping to pull some of that lovely aesthetic into worn pieces, and to celebrate the original planning by Walter Burley Griffin."
The collaborations have happened over email and text messages so far, with Tanja sending samples and graphic designs to Melanie and Braddon Tailors' Pip Morgan.
"I had a whole series of ideas in my head of what I might want to do but for the range that I'm making I've settled on just using sterling silver because it's quite classic. What I've seen from Pip's collection it's going to be quite colourful but the designs within themselves are quite streamlined and Mel's work as well is very streamlined so I wanted something that wouldn't clash so that it could easily be worn with both collections," she said.
"They actually haven't seen the work they've just seen a few photos of unfinished pieces. It won't all come together until I get there which will probably be the first week in May – so about a week before Fashfest."
Having only sold her work since 2012, this is the first full collection for the jewellery designer, but it won't be her first time at Fashfest.
"Last year I volunteered backstage with painting walls and whatever they needed a hand with. It was a really good opportunity to be part of it," she said.
"I guess why I did it was I wanted to see what it was like backstage from a designer's perspective and exactly what was involved and how much work it would be and whether it would be the sort of platform that would work for me for this year."
And the visit back will give Tanja time to enjoy the nation's capital's roundabouts.
"The first thing non-Canberra people carry on about to me when they find out I'm from Canberra is 'all the bloody roundabouts'. I frigging love those roundabouts. Having lived in Sydney, Hobart, and elsewhere – I get back in the car every time I go home to Canberra, and breath a sigh of relief," she said.
"For some reason it's a big deal, which I don't get. Because I currently live in Hobart and the traffic's terrible and would be better if I had some."
Fashfest is on May 13-16 at the National Convention Centre and tickets are on sale now from ticketek.com.au.
