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Design doubles Wilhelmina McCarroll and Fleur Sibbel of Zuster
The sisters behind furniture brand Zuster are the fifth generation in a long line of craftspeople. Here, the duo reflect on their heritage, working together and Zuster’s design inspirations.
Since launching in 1994, bespoke Australian furniture brand Zuster has been fashioning statement-making pieces that, with their clean, contemporary lines, feel utterly of-the-now, while remaining totally timeless thanks to consummate craftsmanship and top-shelf materials. Zuster translates as ‘sister’ from Dutch, nodding to the ties between owners and sisters Wilhelmina McCarroll and Fleur Sibbel. The name is also a paean to the duo’s Dutch heritage – they’re the fifth generation in a long line of craftspeople originally hailing from Amsterdam, including their father, Meyer Sibbel, whose mid-century ‘Sibbel Houses’ pioneered environmentally friendly home design in Australia. Here, McCarroll and Sibbel reflect on how they work together, the foundations of Zuster and why the brand continues to stand out three decades in.
“I have always loved design and was naturally drawn to designing furniture due to my passion for interiors.”
The Local Project: How did Zuster get started?
Wilhelmina McCarroll: I have always loved design and was naturally drawn to designing furniture due to my passion for interiors. Our father owned a building business and a factory where he produced kitchens and bathrooms for the houses he built. As a teenager, I started designing furniture for my family, such as beds, wardrobes and bedside tables. Dad would have these designs made in his factory and Fleur would sell our old furniture through The Trading Post. After finishing school, I studied Furniture Technology at RMIT and started Zuster, initially known as Sibbel Furniture, in 1994.
Fleur Sibbel: We grew up immersed in our dad’s building business, and I was always proud of the work he created and the brand he built. As children, we visited building sites and completed projects, where he explained his design philosophy and meticulous process. I loved the business side and was always interested in numbers and brand building. As a teenager, I enjoyed the sales process and arranged appointments through Trading Post ads, often surprising my parents with buyers at our house. After school, I studied business and joined Willy [Wilhelmina], after a stint in fashion, in 1996.
McCarroll: Midway through my course at RMIT, I designed a small collection of bedroom furniture and presented it to a local furniture shop I admired. I was surprised when they loved the designs and ordered one of each, referring me to two other stores that also placed orders. We had the designs manufactured in Dad’s factory, by a craftsman who had worked for him for 32 years.
“Our roles complement each other, allowing us to play to our strengths and work on what we love.”
TLP: Tell us about your roles at Zuster.
McCarroll: I am the creative director, designing all the furniture and overseeing the design and marketing aspects of the business.
Sibbel: As the managing director, I focus on business strategy and brand building. Our roles complement each other, allowing us to play to our strengths and work on what we love, with mutual respect for each other’s contributions.
TLP: How has being a ‘Sibbel’ influenced Zuster’s designs?
McCarroll: My design aesthetic was initially inspired by our family’s architecture, specifically the clean lines of Scandinavian style and the Sibbel houses. Details like the butterfly handles in the Sibbel houses inspired Zuster’s Hero and Pearl collections. Since the launch of the Halo collection in 2015, I feel I have evolved as a designer, developing my personal style with layered materials and refined details. For inspiration, I often look to fashion, drawing from tailoring details, material texture, colour, pattern and layering.
TLP: What’s it like working with your sister?
Sibbel: Working together has been incredibly rewarding. We have built the business from humble beginnings and continue to plan for the future together. In a design and manufacturing business, seeing a concept through to completion is very satisfying. We share many laughs, talk from morning to night, and have enjoyed incredible worldwide trips together. Celebrating 30 years as Zuster, we are closer than ever.
