A QUT student hopes to see her homemade jewellery on the Hollywood red carpet after scoring an invite to the biggest event in the entertainment calendar.
Tiona Pemberton, 19, will rub shoulders with the stars at the 2015 Oscars and showcase her unique jewellery to a host of A-list celebrities.
The second year Nutrition and Dietetics student's Mallow and Thyme business was one of a select group of companies from around the world invited to the Oscars gifting ceremony, held the day before the Academy Awards.
"I was completely stunned when I got the invite," Tiona said.
"At first I thought it was a scam but after I did some research and realised it was real I was incredibly excited. I still can't believe it."
The exclusive ceremony, on 21 February, attracts celebrities from film and television to chat to the business owners and inspect their merchandise.
Any stars who take a particular shine to her pieces could wear them during the glitz and glamour of the famous red carpet with an audience of tens of millions.
"It is a once in a lifetime opportunity because we are reaching a market that would otherwise be completely unobtainable," Tiona said.
"If I'm lucky the celebrities attending the event will be excited about the label and happy to wear the gifted jewellery which would be invaluable promotion.
"There are about 40 companies from all over the world invited to the ceremony and I think Mallow and Thyme is the only Australian one. I keep pinching myself that this is really happening. Seeing one of my pieces on the red carpet would be a dream come true."
Remarkably for a company that was only established in July during Tiona's summer break, her original pieces have already caught celebrity eyes with US stars Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Simpson and Evan Ross requesting her work after spotting it on Instagram.
Tiona now faces a race against time to make about 200 pieces at her Toowoomba home.
"I'm frantically trying to finish off pieces in time to fly to the US. It will be a mad rush but it will all be worth it," she said.
Making jewellery became more than a hobby for Tiona after she was encouraged to get a summer job.
"I have always been making jewellery but my dad was pushing me to get a job so I thought instead I would start my own business and I was quickly getting orders from the US," she said.
"I don't like the idea of mass-produced pieces so the label is about unique, one-of-a-kind pieces."
But, even if her brand becomes a regular fashion choice for the famous, Tiona said she would continue her studies at QUT.
"I love the course and I'm really passionate about health and nutrition," she said.
"And the name of the company was actually inspired by a presentation we were doing about herbs!"
For more information go to www.mallownthyme.com or www.facebook.com/mallowandthyme
Media contact:
Rob Kidd, QUT Media, 07 3138 1841, rj.kidd@qut.edu.au
After hours, Rose Trapnell, 0407 585 901
