An interview with BAINA founders Anna Fahey & Bailey Meredith
What inspired you to create a brand like BAINA?
“As childhood friends, we had often mused about
starting a business together, and given our
backgrounds, had assumed it would be within
the fashion industry. However, we serendipitously
found ourselves working in the interior design
industry at the same time. After experiencing
the cyclical pressures of fashion, we were drawn
to the principles of a season-less, inclusive and
functional product.”
– Anna Fahey, BAINA Co-Founder
How would you describe BAINA’s approach to design?
“We wanted to take a modern approach,
challenging the conventions of towelling - these
norms that had existed in the category;
monochromatic sets, quiet designs and
conventional fibres. Drawing inspiration from
fine art, sculpture and architecture allowed us to
create a unique and distinct offering in the
bathing space.
Our design DNA is anchored in print, texture and
colour theory - carefully balancing the elements
used to ensure each style is fully resolved and
realised with a strong BAINA signature."
– Bailey Meredith, BAINA Co-Founder
How did BAINA’s signature checkercoard come to be?
“Our first collection, designed in 2018, featured
our signature checkerboard and was an
answer to avoiding the expected striped towel. At
the time, checkerboard wasn’t a trend. We were
reviewing quintessential bathroom tile
formations - and were drawn to the nostalgic
quality of the checkerboard. Through ordered
graphic repetition, it created disruption within the
neutrality of the typical bathing space”
“Since its launch, we have been quite astonished
by the response to this pattern in the market and
its interpretation across many other
design industries”.
–Anna Fahey, BAINA Co-Founder
What drew BAINA to the towelling category?
“Before we launched BAINA in 2019, the category
had been somewhat overlooked in terms of design
and quality. Towelling was an afterthought
for our customer - a purchase that was given very
little consideration.
With a mutual affinity for bathing - using it as a
way to decompress and reset - we wanted to
provide a more considered offering in the towelling
space. Elevating the towel - an everyday object
- through modern design, mindful craftsmanship
and a seasonless approach”.
– Bailey Meredith, BAINA Co-Founder
In your view, what is the significance of the
bathing ritual?
“Bathing as a ritual has a long and varied history,
that spans thousands of years and is deeply rooted
in culture. While the specific customs associated
with bathing have evolved over time, the practice
of bathing continues to hold cultural and personal
significance for many people.
Today, however, more often than not, we can
find ourselves moving quickly and absently
through the daily bathing routine. Re-engaging
in the ritual of bathing can enhance overall
well-being. A bathing ritual can aid relaxation,
promote mindfulness, contribute to physical
health and mental well-being, and provide sensory
pleasure through the feel of warm water, soothing
scents and the tactile sensation of cleansing.
What is so unique with bathing, is that it doesn’t
need to be elaborate or expensive; it can be a
simple act of self-care - and essential time
with self.”
– Bailey Meredith, BAINA Co-Founder
What message do you want to convey to your customers?
“BAINA is designed to create ceremony in the
daily bathing routine. We want to convey that
bathing as an intentional practice - can be an
everyday act of self-care.”
– Bailey Meredith, BAINA Co-Founder
Why is sustainable production so important to you?
“We veer away from presenting ourselves as a
sustainable brand. Given that we bring new
product into the world, we feel it would be
irresponsible of us to do so. We are however a
conscious brand, designed with permanence in
mind. BAINA is intended to be intimately woven
into the daily ritual of bathing - so it’s incredibly
important for us that our towelling is produced in
an environmentally and socially responsible way.
We take a mindful approach to craftsmanship,
materiality and design to promote longevity over
seasonal trends.”
– Anna Fahey, BAINA Co-Founder
What are your own personal bathing rituals of practices?
“For me, bathing as a mother has become less
solitary, and more so a part of my son’s nighttime
routine. Carving out time to turn this necessary
task into a ritual takes commitment - but even on
the busiest of days, I always find it a welcomed
chance to exhale. A ritual that is grounding and
calming for both of us. It feels very special, and
something that I know I’ll look back on as having
great importance and significance for me.”
– Anna Fahey, BAINA Co-Founder
“A hot bath has always been the perfect antidote
to the day for me. And a rare opportunity to find
time for self. Bathing allows me to shut off from
the outside world and find clarity in stillness. I
love to bathe in the evening right before bed,
indulging in the feeling of having nowhere to be, so
I can soak for as long as I need. I keep my bathing
practice simple, maybe adding some Epsom Salts
to soothe achy muscles or applying a nourishing
face mask before sinking into the tub. It’s often
the simple repetitive self-care actions that keep
me most grounded.”
– Bailey Meredith, BAINA Co-Founder