EUDON CHOI UNCOVERS/ LIV & DOM
Liv & Dom
Ceramicists and Illustrators
www.livanddom.com
@livanddom
Identical twins,Liv & Dom are a creative duo based in Lewes, UK, who specialise in ceramics and illustration. Combining their artistic vision and strong twin bond, the pair launched their eponymous homeware brand in 2015. Liv & Dom offer a range of functional and decorative pieces, striving to make unique and well-crafted statement pieces which they carefully design, hand sculpt, glaze, and sustainably package themselves.
SHOP THE LOOKS
AMARA SHELL EARRING, SOFIA SHELL HOOP EARRING
ISABELLA DRESS BLACK, ELENA TOP BLACK, POWELL SHORT OFF WHITE
EUDON CHOI: What interested you to start making ceramics and start your own brand?
LIV & DOM: Whilst studying at University, we both began to struggle with our individual practices, and we were finding it difficult to produce work that we were truly proud of. We thought back to our childhood, in particular the times where we came together to create really interesting work and decided to make something of it. Our lecturers weren’t on board with it at the time, but we pursued it regardless and it ended up working out really well. Three-dimensional design is definitely our strongest area, however we wanted to make it accessible and easy to sell and we found that the best way to achieve this was through creating ceramics and homeware.
EUDON CHOI: Where does your inspiration come from, can you tell us about recent inspiration?
LIV & DOM: We get a lot of our inspiration from venturing out to antique or charity shops, while picking up pieces for our house and also to wear. Walking around our town, admiring old tiles, and accumulating things from our local area is an easy way to get inspired; we don’t have to look too far when we live in such a pretty area.
SHOP THE LOOKS
AMARA SHELL EARRING, SOFIA SHELL HOOP EARRING
BLONDY TOP OFF WHITE/ HAY, JOAN TOP BRICK/ SAND
EUDON CHOI: Why is the female form such a recurring theme and signature to your pieces?
LIV & DOM: The nude theme emerged during our last project at Bournemouth University after spending a lot of time at the beach. We started to draw unclothed figures and decided to base our project around this. We also found it difficult to illustrate clothing, so we drew the characters in our project nude. People responded really well to it and the nude female figure in particular was really popular.
EUDON CHOI: What was your favourite part about the EUDON CHOI x Liv & Dom collaboration?
LIV & DOM: Our favourite step of the process was definitely the initial design stage. The mood board and whole aesthetic that Eudon had curated for his SS21 collection resonated with us and we could see clearly what he had envisioned for the collaboration. It was super fun to come up with ideas and it was also so exciting for us to work with a successful fashion designer for the first time in our careers.
SHOP THE LOOKS
AMARA SHELL EARRING, SOFIA SHELL HOOP EARRING
JOAN TOP BRICK/ SAND, BLONDY TOP OFF WHITE/ HAY
EUDON CHOI: What did you both want to be when you were 10 years old?
LIV & DOM: At such a young age we definitely didn’t have a clear idea of what we wanted to do. If you had asked us then, we probably would have said we wanted to be backing dancers or popstars. However, I think we have always thought about doing something art-related and our mum often encouraged us to engage in creativity. We had never really considered doing art as a career until later in our lives and if you had told our younger selves that we could pursue art as a career, it would have seemed as far-fetched to us as being a princess.
EUDON CHOI: What is your favourite street in Lewes?
LIV & DOM: There is a really pretty area in Lewes called ‘The Paddocks’ which has rows of sweet cottages, each with idyllic front gardens and seating areas. The houses are opposite an allotment and it was particularly nice during the lockdown to take a walk through there; it definitely made everything seem more bearable. A quintessentially Lewes street which we love is named ‘Keere Street’. Even though it is really steep and actually quite challenging to walk down, the houses on there are really pretty and it’s the first truly eye-catching thing you see after getting off the train.
SHOP THE LOOKS
AMARA SHELL EARRING, SOFIA SHELL HOOP EARRING
AGNES DRESS OCEAN BLUE, JASMIN DRESS NAVY
EUDON CHOI: What advice would you give to other women thinking about starting their own business?
LIV & DOM: Whenever we get asked this question we always say, find something that only you can offer. The market is so oversaturated. It is so easy to be able to access other people’s ideas and work for inspiration and implement these into your own work. We don’t think there is anything wrong with this in moderation, but you will not feel creatively fulfilled if you are copying someone else’s business. Our best advice would be to ensure that you are being unique, individual and true to yourself in whatever you do. From a more practical standpoint, we would also say to not expect things to happen overnight and be prepared for difficult times; we still face challenges even though we have been doing this for 6 years.
"Whenever we get asked this question we always say, find something that only you can offer. Our best advice would be to ensure that you are being unique, individual and true to yourself in whatever you do.”
EUDON CHOI: Can you tell us about anything exciting you have coming up?
LIV & DOM: We are collaborating with a female-founded, sustainable puzzle company to create a 1000-piece puzzle. It has been a really interesting challenge to create an image that can work as a puzzle because it has got to be complicated enough so that it can’t be completed easily. We have also got exciting future plans for our own ceramic work, including bringing back our zodiac wall hangings with an adapted style to match our current aesthetic. Customization is also another avenue which we are wanting to explore so that people have the option to personalise what they are buying from us.
Credits
Photography @aurianedefert
Location: Liv & Dom's Home in Lewes, UK
