Julia Black: If you’ve ever cringed at the thought of pulling out your plunger, reaching for your broom, or digging for your mop bucket then pay attention, because Alice has a chic solution for you. Alice Supply Co. is the oh-so fab firm behind fashionably hip housewares that are far too cool to hide in the broom closet. Maria Barnes and her partner Raili Clasen are the brilliant minds and gorgeous faces behind the Alice name, and with their common pasts in the fashion industry (over 20 years at companies like Paul Smith, Roxy and Quicksilver) it's no wonder their printed, patterned and anti-beige designs boldly go where none have gone before. The inspiration came to start the business while the pair were on vacation in Mexico, where they discovered a hardware store selling some rather sensational buckets, dustpans, and other bits and pieces, spurring them to launch Alice Supply Co in '08 (and yes, the firm just might be named after Alice Nelson, the housekeeper on The Brady Bunch). After a hugely successful intro you'll now find their designs in some of the best stores in North America - in Toronto they're in both Teatro Verde and The Drake General Store - as well as managing to pick up quite a few fans along the way. Just ask Arren, who's currently waffling between the camo and woodgrain toolboxes! Click here for where to score a bit of Alice near you.
