In early August, Nikki Walker and Darya Bing of Walker & Bing played host to us at Darya's home in East Auckland. A home of character, it boasts a sprawling yard filled with mature fruit trees, a conservatory office with an outlook unto the garden, and an artfully crafted treehouse reminiscent of 'Where the Wild Things Are'. Inside, warm wood paneling and built-ins create a feeling of intimacy, whilst the sculptural work of Darya's husband Gidon Bing and expressive paintings by her father adorn the shelves and walls, providing colour, texture and depth. The light is soft, warmed by the wood.

Greeted by the family cat, we begin in the galley kitchen where Nikki and Darya prepare a simple meal replete with vegetables for us to share at lunch. The table is set with a blue and white gingham tablecloth and a bowl of vibrant oranges. A dried daisy chain created by Darya's daughter frames the window — a precious memory not yet ready to be parted with. The scent of sage and oregano fills the kitchen. As the meal bakes, Darya serves herbal tea made from homegrown herbs in ceramic cups by Gidon alongside Israeli biscuits fragrant with orange zest.

We head down to the conservatory, entering through Gidon's workshop. Here, Nikki and Darya look over hand painted pages at the built-in desk that stretches the length of the conservatory, and discuss upcoming collections. The soft dappled light from the garden outside is contrasted with the strong geometric shadows cast by the angled windows — a beautiful juxtaposition of the natural and man-made. Gidon returns home and sets up at the other end of the desk.

Having first met on an advertising project, Nikki and Darya bonded over a mutual love and appreciation for art, fabric and design. The desire of both women to pursue more personal creative outlets led to lengthy conversations around collaborating on a creative endeavour. With complementary backgrounds in advertising and textile design (Nikki), and fine art and fashion (Darya), they decided that the concept of applying a fine art discipline to multiple textile design projects indulged both their creative and commercial sensibilities. The duo work together on all aspects of Walker & Bing, from initial design and story, to producing the artwork and curating it.

Nikki and Darya's shared connection to fine art strongly informs their design process, which always begins with a hands on approach — ink, paint, watercolour and pencil are applied to paper, allowing for nuanced layering and more organic compositions. The strength of their creative output as Walker & Bing comes down to the place of meeting of their individual references and points of view. Dada, Cubism and Primitivism are noted as sources of inspiration, as is philosophy and human behaviour, both innate and constructed. A common language, however, emerges throughout each of their collections of scarves, sarongs, prints and textiles.