By Fereshteh Nazari Photos Gary Sissons
Ainsley Kruithof was the winner of the AusMumpreneur Award in 2020 for her business, Daffi Leather Studio; she is now making her mark in the fashion world with her custom creations.
Recently, she collaborated with a country pop artist, Taylor Moss, to design outfits for her Nashville performances with more designs currently under production. In January this year Ainsley teamed up with Australian opera La Boheme, crafting leather jackets for the actors alongside designer Isabelle Hudson. Her creative reach extends to Captain Robbo, a Northcote retail store, and her unique dog collars and belts are now featured at the Mornington Peninsula Gallery shop.
Ainsley explained that this was a magical time for her and her partner, as they were experiencing a life beyond anything they had ever dreamed of. It all started in 2018 when her world was shattered as she unexpectedly lost her mother. While she tried to process the tragedy, she spent ten days by her mother’s bedside, reflecting deeply on her own life and what she truly wanted to pursue.
Throughout this period, Ainsley began transferring her ideas onto a paper. At the time she was searching for a pink belt with a specific thickness and length; one that would fit a size 16 woman. Unable to find what she needed, she decided that custom, colourful belts were required, and she would be the one to create them. “While I was sitting with mum for those last few days I just started drawing, writing and I started basically writing a business plan not knowing how I was going to make this work at all,” she said.
During this time, she met her partner, with whom she moved in. This new chapter made her realize she could no longer continue in her previous role. “I told my new partner that I could not go back to what I was doing. I was working in disability employment services and it was not working for me, and I was in quite deep grief of losing my mum at the time,” she said.
Ainsley and her partner often imagined running a belt business together. She explained that they would say, “Imagine if we had a belt business where we both worked and sold belts, how cool would that be.” “It was like something was stuck in my mind, and I went into my workshop, starting to question how I would make this happen.
I had no idea what kind of leather to use,” she said. She began doing research to bring her vision to life. During this process, she discovered a workshop in Sydney that offered a class on making belts. Ainsley decided to travel with her partner to Sydney where they discussed her idea with the instructor. Here she received guidance on how to turn her idea into reality.
After mastering the craft of belt-making, she embarked on starting her own business. However she didn’t know what to name it. One day a friend who had no prior knowledge of her mother, came over and delivered a beautiful healing massage. This friend, sensing something profound, pointed to a spot in the room and said, “Your mum is here.” Remarkably, this was the very place where Ainsley had placed her mother’s ashes in an orange bucket.
The friend also mentioned sensing daffodils everywhere, a detail that deeply resonated with Ainsley. It was at this moment that she decided to name her business Daffi Leather Studio. The name was a heartfelt tribute to her late mother, who had lived in Daylesford. Each spring, they would fill their home with daffodils, and these flowers had always held a special significance for her.
It was just so, so exciting connecting with women
In 2020, during COVID, she launched her business, and decided to collaborate with influencers to attract customers. Her first partnership was with ‘Let Me Try Before You Buy.’ While the initial video created by this influencer didn’t gain much traction, the following one did. The influencer praised her mustard Daffi belt, leading to ten thousand dollars worth of orders within a week. “For about a year I was making belts 24/7 and I was doing the social media. It was just so, so exciting connecting with women,” she said.
Post-COVID, Ainsley decided she wanted to expand her business and sell a variety of items rather than just belts. She travelled to Bali and collaborated with a family called ‘Leather Artisans’ who helped her create leather boots and bags. To gain recognition and increase sales she began participating in festivals and markets. She joined events such as the Melbourne Muster, Port Fairy Folk Festival, Ute Muster, Women’s Biker Rally, Seven Sisters Festival, and Ridin’ Heart Music Festival.
Ainsley Kruithof envisions a future filled with her creations, showcased on stage, sharing her love for colour through her leather designs. She encourages mothers everywhere not to underestimate the power of social media and to fully embrace their creative journeys. “If you can dream it and put it out there, people will come,” she says, a testament to her belief in the possibilities that lie ahead.
daffileather.com.au