Ruby + James presents 'When Mars meets the Moon'

Ruby + James and Harry the hirer.

Ruby and James is a partnership of two strong, creative women, who complement each other through the shared passion of delivering an unforgettable styling service possible, intertwined with creating jaw-dropping experiences and events for their clients that touch and evoke the 5 human senses

R+J: Ruby and James was born through sheer luck and universe alignment. We met each other through our day jobs as retail visual merchandisers, and our values and ethics couldn’t have been more suited. We both had the same clear vision to create exceptionally beautiful events that had meaning and purpose behind them.We also share the love of nature and have a deep respect for our planet by living as sustainably as possible. It’s one of our personal missions to reduce the amount of waste that is produced by an event and be as smart as possible with our material and medium choices.

Our earliest memory of Harry the hirer was during VM school, we remember going on a tour for schooling purposes and being blown away at what they could offer the world to create exceptional events. Now we are lucky enough to work alongside these cool cats as they are the most authentic, warmest, helpful human beings in the industry.

Tell us about your Style Lab, 'When Mars meets the Moon'?

R+J: We have been constantly reminded as of late how beautiful and magical this universe really is. What better inspiration could we have then from the Moon and Mars?! We are in love with earthly terracottas and mustards, mixed with feminine, soft gooey pinks.

We really wanted to achieve a sensory experience, to show people that we are more than just your regular event stylists. We wanted to transform our space and show people that the possibilities of event design are truly endless. We wanted to play with colour and push the boundaries with lighting ideas and add unconventional elements to evoke curiosity - thus, the dirt!

What do you think creates a successful space?

R+J: We are really focusing on creating meaningful events that capture the 5 human senses of smell, touch, sound, taste and sound. A successful space honestly comes down to creating the right ‘vibe’ as it’s the feeling that’s most important above anything.

With the senses as our focus, we have introduced into the space an ambient scent by Lui, custom created especially for this concept for the sense of 'smell'. Sound, of Mars through AV; sight, through Harry's on-trend new furniture ranges and the custom AV creation of our ‘modern moon’ light; touch and feel of the dirt. Taste was hard to capture yet you can get the idea we are going for as it a dining setting on Mars.

What worked and what didn't during this process?

R+J: After sitting down and brainstorming our ideas with the Harry's team, we had tossed up an idea to create a moon out of a weather balloon that would hang above the dining table. After investigating this idea, it, unfortunately, wasn’t going to work as we couldn’t guarantee the balloon wouldn’t deflate over the course of the month. Together with the incredible productions and design team at Harry's, we came up with another solution for the moon which we couldn’t be more thrilled with! The furniture selections we chose also worked effortlessly with the space style theme.

Why do you love what you do?

R+J: The amazing people that we get to meet, and the overall journey that creating an event from start to finish takes you on! We can honestly say our job is far from boring.

What trends do you see emerging in 2019/20?

R+J: Modern simplicity and sustainability. Paired back designs that focus on high-quality materials and elements.

What are your favourite types of events to attend?

R+J: Events that have substance and a good vibe! Dark Mofo festival in Hobart is a must every year!

What is your favourite Harry the hirer piece?

R+J: This is like trying to choose your favourite child! We’re loving the Elle range and the new Harrison range ...super sexy!

And lastly, what is your favourite Melbourne hangout? Or place to go for inspiration?

R+J: The NGV is one of our favourite places to visit for inspiration in Melbourne – ever changing and the best place to people watch. As we’re close to the Dandenong Ranges, Proserpina Bakehouse is one of our favourite places to stop off for a coffee and pastry after our walking meetings.