In Conversation: Beci Orpin & Raph Rashid

To celebrate the release of McKILLOP*—our fragrance created with retaW—we sat-down with a few creative members of the UP THERE community for a conversation about their work.

For this instalment we spoke with artist Beci Orpin along with her partner and hospitality OG Raph Rashid. We visited them in Brunswick at Beci's studio just near Raph's famed Juanita Peaches restaurant.

UT: It's no secret you're both foodies, but when did you first share a meal together?

Beci: I can’t exactly remember our first meal together, but a lot of our first dates were at Cicciolina. I was living in St Kilda at the time and we had friends who waited tables there. It was a little bit fancy, cosy and a fun time.

UT: What's your go-to dish for a dinner party—the guaranteed crowd fav?

Beci: Raph is generally in charge of cooking in these situations and he'll make a curry or a broth—leaning into his Malaysian heritage. A favourite as of late has been a dish taught to him by his Aunty in Malaysia. It's a combination of sweet potato, peanuts and beef served over noodles.

UT: Although your respective worlds of food & art are seen quite differently, there’s a similarity in your work. You both seem to focus on bringing joy to people's lives—is that something you're conscious of?

Beci: I think we both create things which make us happy, and that in turn makes other people happy.

UT: Channelling creativity into a career isn’t easy—was there a point you realised it could be more than a passion project?

Beci: We both had some kind of weird blind faith and didn't really think about it, I guess it's also part of the reason we ended up together. We’ve both always and only been self employed and on the hustle—which is both a blessing and a curse!

UT: At times you've both waxed lyrical about a love of Brunswick's vibrant community atmosphere. How has it shaped your outlook and creative practice?

Beci: We’ve been living in Brunswick for close to 20 years now, it has changed a lot in that time, yet still been a neighbourhood where we could start something and be supported by like-minded people—that’s been key for us! There's also lots of creative and diverse things happening around which is great when you're busy, because even if you don't have time to go to all the things you are still surrounded by it in some way. Also great food and food shopping, which is one of the main reasons we moved here in the first place.

UT: Do you find yourselves collaborating or do you prefer to keep creative worlds separate?

Beci: A bit of both. Our day-to-day is pretty separate, but our offices are so close that we often pop in to eachothers space to ask for opinions (or a cheeseburger). I help Raph with the creative direction for his brands, and he helps me with the business aspect of my work.

UT: It can be difficult to find quiet time, do you have a sanctuary—be it the studio, drive in the car or time in the kitchen—which helps nurture your creativity?

Beci: We recently renovated our kitchen at home—its a super nice space that feels like a retreat and makes you want to cook! Raph likes hunting down meals all over town and we both escape to the beach or nature when we can, or sometimes I drag Raph to flea markets too. Any change of scenery, whether it be near or far, can be inspiring.

UT: If you had to describe your work with a single smell, what would it be?

Beci: When I get to the studio I always open my window to the garden. I’m often there early and the smell of the garden is really unique and beautiful it's hard to describe—earthy, fresh and sweet are some things which come to mind. That combined with the smell of paper, which I’m using in someway or another most of the time. For Raph it's fresh coffee. When he arrives at the warehouse in the mornings everyone is always drinking coffee. It's the first thing on his list too.