Yolande Woods loved flying from a very early age – relishing the freedom and the adventure. As a pilot she wanted to design her own travel experience and began searching for stylish accessories that were befitting to her stylish aircraft. Beauty Life Moments shares a style moment with Yolande Woods – founder of luxury accessories label Aerohart. Discover her life moments and what inspires Yolande each day.
A PASSION FOR FLIGHT
Combining your passion for interior design and flight what led you on your path to the Aerohart collection?
Learning to fly has been one of my greatest senses of achievement. Something I have grown up around and now I get to share the passion with my father who has been flying since he was sixteen in both fixed wing and helicopters.
While learning to fly, I quickly realised there was a lack of style and colour options of products for pilots other than black for example flight bags. Everything was clunky and unrefined. I just had to make some improvements. So, I set out to enhance the flying experience through thoughtful design. There was no lack of inspiration from my life on the land. Working with the likes of leather is such a beautiful material. The use of aluminium is an ode to the glamorous aviation days of yesteryear.
LIFE ON THE LAND
How would you describe yourself? Always moving.
Your first home? Grew up on the land and as I got older my parents purchased several cattle properties mostly with neglected homes that required renovating. So, my mother would set about creating a warm loving home with limited resources. This is where my love of design came from.
Where do you live? On the Banks of the Macintyre River in Goondiwindi, a vibrant rural town on the border of Queensland and New South Wales.
What is a typical day for you? My daily life entails life with my husband and four children, flying, fixing stock water pipes and fences, tending to cattle, creating the Aerohart business and designing the collection of products.
I try to start my day with an early morning Pilates class, or a run followed by a coffee. After my youngest is dropped off to school, I come back to our garden to turn hoses on. We have a large garden, and I shift 15 hoses constantly to water it. My office is in my garden, so I stop in and check emails and get parcels ready to post to customers. Then I hop in my work Ute with my kelpie Rocky and head 30 minutes out of town to check on our cattle and do whatever is needed like cleaning troughs, or working the mob or fixing fences.
Back home in time to pick up my son from school. Then the afternoon flies by with errands, housework and preparing dinner. I love to cook.
MORE THAN A PRODUCT
How has being a female pilot influenced the design elements of the products?
Aerohart became more than just the products that were being designed. It has been a way for other female pilots to reach out for help with gear that is mostly designed for male pilots, usually ill-fitting or poorly designed. With the help of our incredible industrial design team, Clandestine Design Group we are also looking into other real-life frustrations from pilots.
I will feel Aerohart has been successful when I can give other young girls the opportunity to obtain their pilots licence like I have achieved. Such an incredible gift to give a girl the freedom of flying and the feeling of self-worth.
A BRAND PHILOSOPHY
What is your brand philosophy when bringing a piece to life.
Aerohart collaborates with forward thinking designers to reimagine aviation solutions that improve the experience for everyone. We are the flying gear customers want to have on display. Our products represent a natural feeling of ease, quality and luxury. To enhance the flying experience through thoughtful design.
Practicality – Everything we do is geared towards solving real life frustrations and making life easier for pilots.
Progress – We believe in pioneering new ideas and working towards a better future.
Quality – We are passionate about best-in-class design and precision engineering.
THE BRAND ESSENCE
Who does Aerohart speak to? Stylish pilots and travellers and people looking for that unique special gift to buy for their loved ones.
What would you say what lies behind the name Aerohart? Generational, Aero – aviation Hart – hand on heart a trusted brand.
How to you go about designing a piece and what do you look for in the design? Industrial designers delved into real life frustrations.
What was behind the collaboration with artist and designer Penelope Bell? I loved that her art was fashionable and that she draws on her own connection to the land being raised on a property in Western Queensland. I commissioned Penelope Bell to create a bespoke piece and she interpreted the brief and beyond. It’s a strong female figure yet classic and quintessentially Australian.
YOLANDE AT HOME
What is your style on the land and when in the air? And which designers do you turn to for your style directions? My style is classic. I am a jeans girl, so you will always find me in a blue jean on the farm and white jeans with a classic blazer when I am flying into a metropolitan destination.
In your beauty tray? Coco Mademoiselle, Chanel Mascara and Lip Gloss, and Aesop’s hand cream in all vehicles.
A vase full of? Roses freshly picked from my garden.
You love interior design – what is your personal style? Relaxed mix of classic, country and a hint of modern. I love to mix antiques with modern art and traditional fabrics. I always have a multitude of interior books and gardening books in my home.
Are there other designers that give you inspiration? Bunny Williams, Adelaide Bragg, Steve Cordony and Paul Bangay come to mind.
A piece of homeware that you covet? Anna Weatherley hand painted porcelain plates.
You love flying are you just as passionate about driving and car choice? Range Rover Sports Supercharge but I do love my Toyota Landcruiser Work Ute. Both solid and dependable.
A destination I would like to travel to is…? Because I love to cook, Spain would by my ultimate destination. Also, I would love to fly along the Great Australian Bight to see the incredible landscape from the air.
When you leave home to fly somewhere – what piece of Aerohart always travels with you? Flight Bag and Tourer Case always! And the Aerohart Travel Blankets rolled neatly on the passenger seats.
ON THE HORIZON
What has been the greatest learnings since starting the brand? Patience. Everything took longer than I expected and what I am used to. I am a very decisive person and thought that would help things move quicker but it really does not.
What is on the horizon for the brand? Aerohart has been designed in Australia but for pilots around the world. I am looking forward to getting the brand out into the greater aviation community.
Beauty Life Moments thanks Yolande for sharing her beautiful story. To discover more visit at Aerohart, you may be inspired to make a life-changing moment and take to the skies.
Shop The Aerohart Collection. And discover Grace Quest who captured the beautiful Aerohart imagery.
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