Our story
OUR STORY · HANDMADE IN MELBOURNE
Kuppi & Bear – Our Journey So Far
Hello! I'm Kuppi, the designer and maker behind Kuppi & Bear, an independent handmade jewellery and accessories brand based in Melbourne, Australia.
What started with a few hand-painted wooden beads in 2013 has slowly grown into a colourful little world of playful earrings, original designs and creative experiments.
Over the years, I've explored different materials, learned new techniques, taken a few breaks and found my way back to making things I love.
Here's the story of how it all began, and where Kuppi & Bear is today.
2013 · THE BEGINNING
It All Started with a Paintbrush
While studying 3D game graphic design at Monash University and RMIT, I wanted to create something beyond the computer screen – something I could make with my hands.
I began painting small wooden beads with acrylic paint, experimenting with colours, patterns and tiny illustrations before turning them into wearable accessories.
Those first handmade pieces eventually found their way to local Melbourne craft markets and Design A Space in South Yarra.
Seeing someone choose a little piece I'd made was an incredibly rewarding feeling. It made me want to keep creating.
2017 · NEW POSSIBILITIES
Discovering Polymer Clay
After taking a short break, I returned to making accessories in 2017, this time with polymer clay.
Unlike painted wooden beads, polymer clay gave me the freedom to create almost any shape I could imagine. I experimented with bold colours, unusual combinations and more expressive designs.
This was an important step in finding the playful, slightly quirky personality that still defines Kuppi & Bear today.
2018 · A CREATIVE TURNING POINT
Discovering Laser Cutting and Acrylic
In 2018, another exciting creative opportunity came along: laser cutting.
Through my partner, who worked in the laser-cutting industry, I discovered how digital design could be transformed into physical objects with incredible precision.
Combining my background in digital graphics with hands-on making, I started designing original shapes and cutting them from acrylic and wood.
I could then add hand-painted details, combine different materials and carefully assemble the finished pieces.
This combination of digital precision and handmade creativity became one of the foundations of Kuppi & Bear.
Acrylic remains one of my favourite materials today. Its beautiful range of colours, finishes and textures makes it perfect for creating lightweight statement earrings with plenty of personality.
EXPLORING NEW MATERIALS
A Little Resin, Glitter and Experimentation
My curiosity didn't stop with acrylic.
I began experimenting with resin, creating my own moulds from scratch and exploring different combinations of pigments, glitter, transparency and texture.
Resin opened up another world of creative possibilities, especially when combined with acrylic and other decorative materials.
During these years, Kuppi & Bear also appeared in independent retail spaces, including Design A Space and in.cu8er on Brunswick Street in Fitzroy, as well as weekend craft markets around Melbourne.
Each market and retail experience helped me learn more about what people loved and how my designs could continue to evolve.
2020 · AN UNEXPECTED PAUSE
When Everything Slowed Down
Like many small creative businesses, Kuppi & Bear was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Markets were cancelled, shops closed and everyday life changed dramatically. For a while, I stepped away from making and selling accessories.
But even during that quieter period, the love of designing and creating never really disappeared.
A FRESH START
Finding Our Way Back Through a Local Café
After Melbourne's lockdowns, Kuppi & Bear gradually came back to life.
One of the first steps was a small display at Zetta's Pantry, a lovely local café in Brunswick.
It was a simple but meaningful way to reconnect with customers and bring handmade pieces back into the community.
When the café later closed, I decided to focus more on building our online store, making it easier for people across Australia and beyond to discover Kuppi & Bear.
What began as a small collection slowly grew into a much wider range of original handmade earrings.
KUPPI & BEAR TODAY
Playful Earrings, Handmade in Melbourne
Today, Kuppi & Bear is an independent Melbourne-based creative studio specialising in colourful, lightweight acrylic earrings and other small-batch handmade pieces.
Our collection is inspired by all sorts of things: Australian wildlife, cheeky cockatoos, cats, flowers, ocean creatures, celestial symbols, Japanese culture and the little everyday moments that make us smile.
Our Little Japan Collection celebrates Japan-inspired motifs and café culture, while our animal, floral and coastal designs bring their own playful personalities to the collection.
One of our newer creations, the Japanese Iced Matcha Latte and Croissant Earrings, captures a little café moment in a fun, mismatched pair.
Every original design begins with an idea and is carefully developed, made and finished in Melbourne. Pieces are produced in small batches rather than mass-produced.
I'm also continuing to experiment with creative projects beyond earrings, taking the same love of colour and playful design into new handmade pieces.
Different materials, new ideas, but always the same goal: creating something a little different that brings joy to everyday life.
2026 · A NEW CHAPTER
Back in Store at Market Fair Ferntree Gully
In August 2026, Kuppi & Bear reached another lovely milestone: returning to a physical retail space!
You can now find a selection of our handmade earrings at Market Fair Ferntree Gully, a creative retail community featuring independent makers, local brands and vintage treasures.
After spending so much time focusing on our online store, it's wonderful to have a place where people can discover the earrings in person, see the colours up close and find a little piece they love.
Visit Kuppi & Bear at Market Fair
Shop 2, 794 Burwood Highway
Ferntree Gully VIC 3156
Australia
Our Market Fair space carries a changing selection of designs in limited quantities. For the widest range, you can always explore our online shop.
WHY HANDMADE MATTERS
Made by One Maker, with a Lot of Heart
Behind Kuppi & Bear is one independent designer, turning small ideas into colourful, wearable creations.
Every purchase means more than just another order. It helps keep an independent creative business alive and gives me the opportunity to keep experimenting, designing and making things that feel genuinely original.
I believe jewellery doesn't have to be serious or follow every trend. Sometimes it can simply be fun, a little unexpected and something that makes you smile when you put it on.
That's what I hope every Kuppi & Bear piece brings to its new home.
Thank You for Being Part of Our Story
From hand-painted wooden beads in 2013 to a growing collection of handmade earrings in 2026, it's been a journey full of learning, creativity and unexpected turns.
And the story is still being written.
Whether you've supported Kuppi & Bear from the very beginning or have only just discovered us, thank you for helping a small Melbourne maker keep creating.
Here's to more colours, more unusual ideas and plenty of little things that make us smile.
Made with love in Melbourne.
Kuppi & Bear ♡
Come Explore Our Little World
Discover colourful handmade earrings, explore our collections or follow along for new designs and studio updates.
Follow our journey on Instagram:
@kuppiandbear