The Nineties

During the nineties Bec Enterprises Pty Ltd, the company that housed the BEC PIERCE AUSTRALIA, KOALA COUNTRY, KANGAROO TERRITORY and ECHIDNA FARM fashion labels was rapidly growing and diversifying through licencing. This further expanded product demand, brand recognition and income streams. More company owned retail outlets and ‘flagship’ stores were opened and franchising began.

With over ten key Licensees such as Shelta Umbrellas, Fresca Scarves, Tinco decorative tins, and Laurentino bags, full scale concept departments were created within retail stores. Concepts rotating by seasonal prints were sold into department stores and duty-free chains such as David Jones (Innovators Section), Smith & Caughey’s (Department Store, Auckland, New Zealand), DFS (Duty Free Shoppers), JTB (Japan Luxury Travel) Australia and Angus & Coote Duty Free stores.

Theme parks and entertainment venues such as Dreamworld, Sea World, Warner Bros. Movie World, Skyrail and Currumbin Sanctuary also carried the full concept ranges. Rebecca under contract created exclusively designed full product ranges for Ayers Rock Resort, Taronga Zoo, Crown Casino and Star City. She also designed for individuals such as Australian children’s television presenter and singer-songwriter Don Spencer OAM.

This decade saw patriotism come to the fore and blend into fashion. It was a period where brands Bec Pierce Australia, Weiss Art Australia, Ken Done, Balarinji, and Jenny Kee and Linda Jackson’s Flamingo Park, through their clothing and product lines, reflected pride in their country and the Australian way of life.

There were many overseas retailers that BEC PIERCE AUSTRALIA was sold into such as Koala Blue in Hong Kong and France (a chain of 60 boutiques started by Australians Olivia Newton-John AC and Pat Farrar), Printemps (department store chain, France) and Neiman Marcus (American chain of luxury department stores).

Through this decade the following are some of the highlights and collaborations, both commercial and non-profit, from a design and illustration perspective.

In 1991 Rebecca designed a cover for the business magazine ‘The Bulletin’ as part of the not-for-profit organisation NAPCAN’s (National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect) ‘Listen to Children’ campaign. In 1992 she was appointed as Artistic Director for NAPCAN. Also, in 1992 Rebecca was selected as the feature artist for the charity Peter Pan Japan which was affiliated with the Great Ormond Street Hospital and Charity in London. This commitment involved many hundreds of hours of design and illustration work.

In 1993 Rebecca was contracted by The Sydney 2000 Olympic Bid to design an oversized scarf developed as a gift to the IOC Delegates.

In 1996 Rebecca was commissioned by the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) to illustrate several pages in ‘The Play School Red Book’, the feature illustration was titled ‘Little Red Engine’ and was released in both paperback and hardback edition.

In 1999 Rebecca was appointed by the Australian Government as Principal Artist of Merchandising for Australia’s Centenary of Federation (1901-2001). Under this appointment Rebecca worked with 22 individual Licensees to create product for the near yearlong event. Designing limited edition collector pieces through to mass market product ranges provided an amazing opportunity to work with a select group of companies and organisations such as The Royal Australian Mint Canberra, Driza-Bone and Waterford Wedgwood.

Throughout the nineties Rebecca was contracted to work with the RTA (Roads and Transport Authority) on campaigns for child safety at play, on bikes, at school and on transport. This involved posters, stickers, calendars, and brochures that were predominantly distributed throughout schools.