Community
12 February, 2025
Homemade headpieces travelling far and wide
The Mount Isa craft business is benefiting from the North West's multicultural community.
The founder of a unique Mount Isa business says she specialises in “wearable art”.
Stephanie English has dedicated several years to experimenting with a handmade product that is difficult to explain in a few words because each item is so unique.
Comparable to a fascinator seen at race events or a flower crown popular at music festivals, Skull Crowns Aus create headpieces that stand out for their originality.
For example, some might have a gothic theme or an anime theme, while others are ornate floral bouquets and some even include flashing lights.
From flowers to ram horns to flowing ribbons and bows, Stephanie says each headpiece is “one of a kind” that is either a design based on suggestions from the customer or is a reflection of a moment of inspiration from the creator.
The decorative headpieces can be seen at race days to cultural gatherings and weddings around the North West.
Stephanie explains the business concept was born when she was perusing the aisles of a Mount Isa retail shop looking for a new creative project.
“I saw some flowers at Dollars and Cents one day and I thought to myself ‘I have never worn a flower crown – but surely I could make one,” she said.
“It took me six months to have the confidence to wear them out in public, because it was something I was just doing for myself.
“But I started wearing them to different events and people started asking me about where I had found them – so I began making these for others.”
While decorative headpieces are a niche business, Skull Crowns Aus is increasingly finding a global customer base across five continents.
The business consists of Stephanie and her good friend and fellow Mount Isa mum Nicky Milton and a handful of others who gather on Sundays to sit around a kitchen table and produce the wearable art.
“We each make a piece that speaks to us and we have a policy where $5 from every sale over $10 goes back into the kitty to help pay for the business expenses,” Stephanie said.
“We are finding the street festival is our most popular time of year and we are selling out during rodeo time.”
This simple small business has become an example of how a cottage industry idea in an isolated corner of the Outback can reach all corners of the globe.
In fact, in the case of Skull Crowns Aus, the unique cultural make-up of Mount Isa has proven pivotal in steering the business towards an international market.
Skull Crowns Aus is a familiar sight at many market events in Mount Isa and Cloncurry.
It has provided a repeated promotional opportunity for casual buyers to look over the stock and ask questions.
However, with the North West boasting people from more than 50 different nationalities, the headpieces have proven increasingly popular as a special gift that could be designed, constructed and shipped to families around the world.
Stephanie says interactions with the international community in Mount Isa has led to orders that have been shipped as far away as Africa, Europe and the United States.
“Word-of-mouth among the international community in Mount Isa has proven a strong customer base for the business,” she said.
“I think people see it as something unique and special that has proven to be very versatile because they are handmade.
“We have a website and use social media – but people are now commissioning certain pieces in Mount Isa to send to family and friends all over the world.”