Perth sisters Cath and Anna Murphy’s range of accessories was created to complement their active, outdoors-y lifestyles, and so came their eponymous range of locally designed and manufactured gear that is useful, practical and stylish.
For example the Murph & Murph Cove Beach Bag hold-all is big enough to hold six towels. “It has individually waterproofed side pockets to separate wet bathers from dry towels, has an insulated drink holder at one end (that will also fit a bottle of wine if so required),” Catherine said. “At the other end is a zipped section with a holder for a phone and sunglasses which will also fit a tablet, and once this is zipped up it prevents sand and water getting into it.”
Made from heavy-gauge canvas, which has been stiffened, dyed and waterproofed, Ms Murphy said the Cove’s freestanding design is perfect for picnics, boating, camping and swimming lessons, as well as the beach.
Anna Murphy came up with the idea for the brand’s neoprene (wetsuit fabric) picnic rug, the Rock Rug, thanks to the needs of her own surfing family.
“It is naturally completely waterproof, grass and sticks don’t glue themselves to it and the rubber gives it a natural cushioning,” she said. “It is also easily washed or hosed down at the end of a picnic and when hung up will dry very quickly.”
The design was inspired by a trip to Rottnest, with the pattern produced from close up images of water running over the reef and the limestone rocks at Longreach. “We blew these images up and they looked brilliant so we decided to put these images on the neoprene rugs,” Ms Murphy said.
The first run of the 2m x 1.4m rectangular shaped rug ($220) sold out in December, becoming firm favourites for everything from outdoor movies to the beach and picnics at the river.
The Cove bag ($275) is currently available in three different colourways from Adam Heath in Claremont, Flannel stores across Perth, Little Leaf Co in Booragoon, or direct from Murph & Murph by calling 0409 685 372 or visiting murphandmurph.com.au.