MELBOURNE EXPO RECAP – WHAT AN INCREDIBLE FIRST YEAR
Well… Melbourne, you absolutely blew me away.
This was my very first time exhibiting at the Melbourne Oddities & Curiosities Expo, and I’m still processing just how huge, warm, curious, supportive, and beautifully strange the weekend was.
From the moment the doors opened, the crowd energy was unreal. So many of you told me you'd followed my work online for years, that you’d travelled across the city to find my booth, or that you’d waited until this expo to make your first purchase — and honestly, that means everything to a small maker like me.
Thank you to every single person who stopped by, browsed, chatted, bought a piece, or just shared in the excitement. Melbourne, you showed up.
MELBOURNE EXPO HIGHLIGHTS
Two days flew by in a blur of conversation, laughter, restocks, and “Wait… that’s the last one?!” moments. Some of the most-loved pieces at the Melbourne expo were:
The new dark botanical jewellery collection
Fresh batches of framed bird wings
One-of-a-kind bone pieces
Statement earrings and necklaces from the macabre range
Limited-edition curios created specifically for Melbourne
Many designs completely sold out (again!), and hearing your reactions in person reminded me why I love showing my work at events like this.
A COMMUNITY THAT GETS IT
What I love most about the Oddities & Curiosities Expo — in every city — is the people.
Melbourne’s community of collectors, artists, taxidermists, witchy humans, nature lovers, skull enthusiasts, and oddity appreciators is truly special.
You’re the kind of people who don’t shy away from the weird and wonderful. You celebrate handmade work, slow processes, unusual materials, and the art of the macabre. Being surrounded by that energy makes the long studio nights and frantic pre-expo prep absolutely worth it.
BACK IN THE STUDIO — RESTOCKING & PLANNING WHAT’S NEXT
After two massive back-to-back expos, I’m now returning to the studio to:
Rebuild sold-out ranges
Create new stock for the website
Restock bestselling pieces from both cities
Begin planning the next limited-run collection
Prepare a new round of framed wings
And take a tiny breather (maybe)
Thank you for your patience as the online store slowly returns to life — everything is made by hand, and I’d rather make it slow and right than fast and sloppy.
THANK YOU, MELBOURNE
To everyone who supported Olivia Dryden Jewellery at the Melbourne expo:
your kindness, enthusiasm and curiosity fuel everything I do. It was an honour to bring my work to your city for the first time, and I genuinely can’t wait to come back.
If you missed out on something (or want to know when restocks drop), keep an eye on my Instagram and join the mailing list — you’ll be the first to know when new pieces go live.
Stay strange 🖤
Olivia
