ACTRESS Anne Curtis-Smith, the face for Australian brand Anko in the Philippines, told an audience of fans and media guests about her favorite items from the store during a design class on Sept. 8, which served to introduce the store’s new collection which focuses on the color lilac.
Anko is Kmart Australia’s in-house home and lifestyle brand, established in 2017. Anko is part of the Kmart Group, which also includes Target Australia, and Anko Global, and is owned by Wesfarmers Ltd. The brand is here through a joint venture with Ayala Corp.’s Ayala Malls, opening its first store in November 2024 in the conglomerate’s Glorietta. The brand has opened two more stores since: in Alabang Town Center and in TriNoma Mall, where the design class was held.
Ms. Curtis-Smith’s — she uses her maiden name onscreen; she has been married to food personality Erwan Heussaff since 2017 — Australian roots were emphasized with her endorsement of Anko: “I am Filipina-Australian, so this partnership with Anko is definitely both personal, and of course, purposeful for me.”
Speaking of the new collection introduced that day, Sarah Dummett, business manager for home at Kmart Australia Limited, said, “We’ve designed this range with functionality and versatility; premium pieces that could seamlessly fit into our customers’ home.
“The Anko design team has really explored some of the biggest color trends in the world: we’ve been bold with lilac, which you’ve worn today,” said Ms. Dummett to Ms. Curtis-Smith, referring to the actress’ lilac outfit. The same color was reflected in several new items at the store, from sofa cushions to storage ottomans (more on that later), and even cast-iron enamel pots. Ms. Dummett herself was in green, another key color for Anko, seen in sage towels and deep green marble coasters and trays. She told BusinessWorld that the color choices of her outfit and that of Ms. Curtis-Smith were completely coincidental.
Other colors in the collection are deep rich reds and some soft neutrals.
Both women exchanged style tips — they talked about pairing bold-colored pieces on neutral backgrounds, noting its practicality. They also talked about playing with shapes through things like using curved accents like pillows and trays on straight-lined items like sofas or tables.
Ms. Curtis-Smith also suggested playing with other sensorial elements to complete a space: asked how she makes her home more warm and welcoming, she suggested scent: “I personally have the scent of vanilla in my home, just because I like that smell of it being cozy and warm.”
“I’m a top fan of the candles,” she said during a Q&A session at the class. “I can never get enough of the candles.” While Anko’s candles can cost up to P500, the vanilla and jasmine candles cost much less, at about P100 or less. A line of multilayered scents exists at about P220.
She also talked about her own affection for the muslin bedsheets (“I have to get it before it runs out; the fabric is so nice”), and those ottomans. She said that since having a daughter, Dahlia, in 2020, the ottomans have been important at home due to her daughter’s toys. “You can put all the stuff in it and it will still fit (in) the living room,” said the actress. She’s also trying to limit her daughter’s screen time, she said, making use of Anko’s toys and art supplies to entertain her instead.
It would be noticed that a lot of Anko’s new items have natural finishes: there’s marble and wood, but Ms. Dummett also pointed out linen looks for their home linen line. “It’s really just what the customers [are] telling us that they want,” she told BusinessWorld. “The customers are really looking for those natural fibers and breathable fabrics.” — Joseph L. Garcia
