Zuster
means sister in Dutch, but in terms of Australian contemporary
furniture design it stands for well-conceived design and quality
craftsmanship. In the 1990's four sisters began creating timeless and
beautifully crafted timber furniture, by applying contemporary and
world class design, supported by excellence in craftsmanship.
The
Sibbel family arrived in Australia from Holland in the 1950's, and it
was not long before they had established their design credentials in
the arena of home building. Meyer Sibbel set benchmarks in house design
and demonstrated how good European design could be interpreted for the
Australian environment.
While studying Furniture Technology at
RMIT in 1994 Wilhelmina identified a growing niche in the market for
contemporary, clean line furniture. Using Meyer's cabinet making
factory, she produced a range of bedroom furniture, changing the
direction of the company forever. Willy believed there was scope in
Australia for investment furniture that moved design forward, rather
than reflecting the past. It was time for Australia to demonstrate its
design potential and for furniture buyers to have access to Australian
designed and crafted furniture that celebrated great design.
Today
Zuster is a testament to the family's rich design heritage and business
acumen. The four sister team is a formidable force with an impressive
mix of talents from design, to marketing, manufacturing and strategic
management. The business has been an amazing home grown success story,
as Zuster has taken centre stage in the arena of Australian furniture
design.