Blog
A Brief History
Ankalia began with my mid-life adventure of quitting my corporate job, studying in Milan as a mature aged student and then working in Italy with a traditional “Papa” Sandal Artisan. The name Ankalia was chosen to reflect our brand ethos – summery, feminine, modern and well-travelled. A timeless aesthetic is synonymous with the brand. From start to finish, from inspiration to final product, every Sandal design is considered, well-constructed and long lasting for the Ankalia woman. Ankalia has now been operational as an online business for over five years and every pair of Sandals is still lovingly handcrafted by me...
International Pink Day
I’m currently pink obsessed so I was so thrilled to discover that every year on 23rd June many places around the world celebrate pink and everything that it represents. Pink was first used as a colour name in the late 17th century and its name came from a flower called pink. I often combine pink with white, or with blue and white which is most commonly associated with femininity, sensitivity, tenderness, childhood and romance. I also like to combine pink with black which I find to be a more mature and stronger look. I’ve read that pink and black together...
Cycling Perth
Working alone in my little studio making sandals most days means I relish the opportunity of getting out and about around Claremont on my bike. Most days I try to cycle and get my happy endorphins going. It’s so easy in Perth, as there’s beautiful bike paths almost everywhere I want to go. Using Claremont train station as my starting point these are the rides I like to do. Generally, they all lead to, or pass by areas with great cafes, so you can also incorporate a coffee pit stop or lunch along the way. 1. Claremont to Napoleon Street, Cottesloe....
My Travel Resume
Although I’m now a Sandal Artisan, in my early days I was a big traveller. For 7 years I was an international Ski Instructor which allowed me to travel and backpack in between the Northern Hemisphere Winters and the Southern Hemisphere Winters. Then in my corporate days I worked globally for a top 100 ASX listed company and this enabled me to work and travel in a 5-star capacity. I Got My First Passport……. when I was 18. At 17 I did my first overseas trip to New Zealand and a passport wasn’t required. I left the day after my...
Pillow Challenge
One of the crazes on Instagram recently was the #pillowchallenge #pillowdress #quarantinepillowchallenge where lots of gorgeous women and little girls too, managed to strap a bed pillow around themselves and wear it as a dress. I loved what Leonie Hanne did and of course her pillow dresses were super stylish and fit for the cover of Vogue. Hannah Strafford-Taylor the uber stylish English Instagrammer also did a very elegant version of the pillow dress. I had a go too! Being at home alone I had to set-up my phone on a ladder and use my Bluetooth remote to snap my...
My Favourite Coffee Places in Perth
I’m an Aussie girl that loves coffee and I need a coffee fix at least three times a day and sometimes four. My coffee of choice is a weak Cappuccino. Sometimes, I think it’s as much about the milk as it is about the coffee for me. I do have my first coffee at home each morning, which I make with my Nespresso machine. Mid-morning, I need my next coffee to keep me going until lunch time. I also have another coffee accompanied by a chocolate bar mid-afternoon so I don’t get “hangry.” I’ve listed my favourite coffee hangouts below...