McIntyre Merino and Saint Cloche Gallery announce exciting new partnership.
Presenting an exhibition of works by Emma Labattaglia.

Opening Night @ McIntyre Merino
Thursday 8th August 2024, 6-8pm

Shop works by Emma Labattaglia here

McIntyre Merino and Saint Cloche Gallery are thrilled to announce their first collaboration as fellow Paddington locals, merging the worlds of art and fashion and joining forces creatively. This partnership is a natural extension for Gallery founder and curator Kitty Clark, who, with her background in design and experience as a buyer for Gucci, is adept at creating captivating new reveals that blur the lines between art, fashion, and design.

McIntyre the label was born in 2016, founded by creative couple Ned Scholfield and Raquel Boedo after they spent a year living and working on Ned’s family’s sheep farm. With a family history of wool growing spanning over 150 years, they fell in love with merino wool but were frustrated with the available clothing options. From this frustration, McIntyre luxury basics were born, made from 100% Australian merino wool. “Once you start wearing merino wool, you will never go back to synthetic fibres. Welcome to the future of fibre”, says Ned and Raquel.

“McIntyre draws a lot of inspiration from art, and in 2023 launched ‘Not Normal People', a Zine focused on highlighting Australian creative who captivate and Inspire McIntyre. After the success of our Zine, we wanted to build on that and work even more closely with Australian artists. We are super excited to announce that we are partnering with Saint Cloche to bring talented Australian artist Emma Labattaglia into our Sydney flagship store. At McIntyre, we have always been inspired by art, especially when it comes to colour selection. Emma was a natural choice for us because we love her use of colour and her quirky style - something we can relate to!” said founders Raquel Boedo and Ned Scholfield.

Raquel and Ned are regular opening night attendees at Saint Cloche and a friendship blossomed, leading to brainstorming between creative minds to launch this cooperative. “This partnership represents a beautiful synergy between the tactile luxury of McIntyre’s merino wool and the vibrant, thought-provoking art of Emma Labattaglia. It’s a celebration of creativity that transcends traditional boundaries,” states Kitty Clark, founder and curator of Saint Cloche Gallery.

We hope you can join us to celebrate this special partnership of art and fashion on Thursday, 8th August, from 6-8pm at McIntyre’s store, 208 Oxford Street, Paddington NSW 2021.

Shop works by Emma Labattaglia here

“I have used a large array of materials, from oil paint, oil stick, spray paint, charcoal, and pastels. There are many layers applied, and at times, I have sanded back to reflect the rawness of reality in juxtaposition with something bright and overly joyful.

Behind all this perfection we see in nature and the world we have created, I wanted to explore what lies beneath. The big perfect smiles, perfect lives, the natural beauty in a flower, and the clouds.

There is a definite darkness behind these initially joyful works. I have played with the crossover of tears and rain. I’ve always found beauty in the rain and showing real emotions instead of hiding them.”

- Emma Labbataglia

About Emma Labbataglia

Emma Labattaglia is a contemporary Australian artist based on the Mornington Peninsula along the Victorian coast. With a background in Fine Arts Painting, she completed her studies in Melbourne, Australia, and Italy in 2003.

Growing up watching her Opa draw and paint in his backyard studio, Emma developed a profound love for art. Now residing in a coastal town an hour from Melbourne, and working out of her home studio surrounded by rugged ocean and bushland, her work explores the intersection between the natural world’s beauty and the artifice found in human life.

Shop works by Emma Labattaglia here