Jodie Fried (Issue 6) has just been nominated for an AFI award for the amazing job she did as costume designer on the film ‘Romulus, My Father‘. ‘Romulus’ has been nominated in all 16 categories. Those of you who’ve read Jodie’s interview in Dumbo feather (Issue 6) might remember that she manages to juggle a career as a very successful costume designer with designing and running her own homewares business, Bholu. Bholu is very special and strongly grounded in India where Jodie spent some early years working in costume. Always keen to give back to the communities there that give her so much inspiration, Jodie recently hosted an exhibition and charity auction of drawings done by street children in Ahmedabad. This little film and the images below show the incredible results, a pure testament to Jodie’s extraordinary spirit and talent.
click to view short clip.
From this to this to this to these new schools for the street children of Ahmedabad.
Jodie is talking at tonight’s D Factory at the Powerhouse Museum, NSW… the theme is ‘Designing for good’. Jodie and the other panelists, architects Jane Rothschild and Sam Crawford, “share a common drive to utilise design to improve people’s lives, through projects that are having a real impact with tangible social outcomes.”

Jodie Fried : Issue Six : Introduction
As soon as we met Jodie we knew that she was a kindred spirit. Actually maybe it was even before then when we visited her websites (www.jodiefried.com and www.bholu.com). Jodie had Dumbo feather written all over her – courage, creativity and integrity being the foundation for her work. In 2001 Jodie went to India on a scholarship as a set and costume designer. Her three month stint turned into two years and during that time she developed an absolute passion for the country and its people. Ever since she’s found ways to make her way back to India, by working on The Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Midnight’s Children or most recently creating her own design range, Bholu, embroidered by women in the north eastern community of Kutchch. We were entranced by her tale – she’s a wonderful story-teller – and a couple of days later we did this interview over a glass of pinot lounging on Bholu cushions. She was back off to India a week later and suggested her partner take some pictures. We never dreamed they would turn out so beautifully – thank you Greig. Here’s Jodie’s story… Df