At Good Form (previously known as Mr. Bigglesworthy), Emma and Dan Eagle curate furniture that speaks the same language as timeless fashion — thoughtful design, enduring quality, and stories worth telling. Together, we reflect on how furniture and fashion intertwine, shaping the spaces and lives we love.
M: How are you enjoying this new showroom space with superlative parking?!
GF: Thanks, we are very much enjoying this opportunity. It has been our largest restoration project so far and much more complex than working with furniture pieces. We did enjoy the design process even though there was a pressured timeframe.
Before we started, we looked at international art galleries which were in a raw, industrial environments and took inspiration from the contrast between old and new elements. One of the most important features was to add a lighting track to frame the space and delineate the original saw-tooth roof from the white gallery space below. Once we added our furniture and design objects, the scale of the character space allowed us to create a much more immersive experience.
M: How do people respond when they walk in?
GF: One thing we wanted to do from the start was accentuate scale of the building. Over time it had a lot of additional interior walls added and the large space felt small. We opened the internal space, and people are impressed with the scale of the interior. Also, we worked hard not to over-restore the interior. We are always a little disappointed when vintage furniture is sanded too much and the patina, history and stories are removed.
If people have been to the building before we were here or if they’ve previously visited our old store the change is quite dramatic. We have had some nice feedback, and our customers can see our collection and the restored space in a new way.
M: What are your customers looking for?
GF: Buying furniture or lighting is a big investment and it’s often at a moment when something has changed in life that we need to reconsider our interior. We very often meet people like us who are looking to find quality pieces that will last for a long time or select a unique or prominent piece to elevate their space
M: What are your favourite pieces, designers?
GF: Right now, we have some very special mid-century pieces from New Zealand designers, and we are proud to have them sitting next to some of the best international designs. We have work from Garth Chester, who was a pioneer in early moulded plywood and also impressive mosaic designs from John Crichton who is a leading international figure in the pan-pacific modernist movement.
Every country has its special moments we’ve got to make mention of the bold, lavish Italian works we have, so designers like Osvaldo Borsani and Gino Sarfatti. Or post-war British design is also very memorable and unique with designers Ernest Race and Robin Day. We collect and represent all sorts of pieces and we’re very much into an eclectic, personal approach.
M: Is there a conversation about fashion and furniture?
GF: Of course! Furniture often follows a shared narrative with fashion and art. It reflects a certain time. Designers are definitely following what happens in fashion and the creative response to what is happening in the world filters into architecture, objects and fashion. It’s exciting to be connected to talented people from all spheres making creative, meaningful expressions and standing back to see how that all fits together as a whole.
M: What fashion are you both always seeking, and are there any synchronicities between your aesthetic and Mahsa Label?
GF: Dan’s fairly understated but he does branch out into a little colour or quirky detail. He prefers jeans and neutrals from a few favourite brands. Emma’s into texture, prints, lace and a bit of luxe. We both try to support New Zealand fashion and our friends in the industry where possible. Of course, we are both often wearing favourite, classic pieces from Mahsa Label and it’s been exciting to see it evolve as a label.
M: What is your favourite “still life” moment in your own home?
GF: New Zealand really feels like home when it’s summer and the outdoor lifestyle becomes possible. We definitely love to entertain on the back deck with wine and nibbles, some classic furniture and special table pieces. It’s definitely not ‘still’ life with our 4 year old but that’s a place to relax with the evening light and be surrounded by a few of our favourites.
M: What are you looking forward to — horizon stuff?
GF: We’ve been working on our next adventure, an event called Makers Market where around 20 designers will be able to occupy our space and sell their designs in our gallery. It’s a project we looked at starting last year and now that we have so much space here we decided to go for it. The designers are quite varied in the stage they’re at, some later in their career and some just starting out with it. Each has quite unique stories about what they do and we’re looking forward to seeing what happens.
