Holly Mason is a passionate advocate for all things Tasmanian.
Holly Mason has a cup of tea in hand as she leans on the bench in her recently refurbished kitchen and takes a rare moment to reflect on the hectic journey that’s brought her to this bolthole in Hobart’s inner south. She gazes across the Derwent River with its pleasure craft and larger commercial vessels decorating the view and outlines the many professional and personal balls she has in the air. Regular readers of Australian Country will recognise Holly as the face of our long-term advertisers Smitten Merino, a proudly Australian brand that makes lightweight Merino wool clothing for men and women. Holly is a regular model for the family label, which was established 17 years ago by her parents, Carl and Nicola Mason, to make Australian garments suited to our climate and conditions. Today, they remain steadfast in their mission to produce sustainably and ethically and, in spite of increasing financial pressures, to continue to manufacture in Australia.
Holly’s siblings, Brooke and Daniel, also occasionally help out in the business, but most weekends, it’s Holly’s beaming smile that greets visitors to Hobart’s Salamanca Market, where they’ve maintained a stall since day dot and gain their best customer feedback. These days, however, the brand — with outlets in the US and Europe — is sufficiently established for the Masons to have outsourced bumping in at sparrows every Saturday morning. Holly counts herself lucky that she gets to sleep in until the luxurious hour of seven, rather than the ungodly predawn time that’s been her routine since she was a teenager.
As a natural adjunct to Smitten, Holly also runs Mason Hats, producing classically styled felted Merino wool hats, which have the advantage of being crushable and, therefore, packable. “We’re a big outdoors family and love bushwalks and the beach,” she explains. “Unfortunately, we also have a family history of melanoma, so hats are an essential accessory for us, every time we step outside.” Still on the fashion front, Holly adds that her family has big plans for 2025. “Mum and I are in the process of developing Mason Clothing,” she says. “We will be producing our trademark elegant garments in cotton and silk, which is an exciting new direction for us and will complement our Merino ranges nicely.” There are also discussions about a possible extension of their Hobart retail outlet across Bass Strait with a pop-up store to test the waters in Melbourne. But the project that is most exciting Holly at the moment is a complete detour from the world of fashion into the realm of science-based wellbeing, with the creations of an aloe vera-based skincare range under the label Agloe. In collaboration with her friend, neuroscientist and University of Tasmania lecturer Dr Lila Landowski, Holly is in the process of launching a range of wellness products that combine topical lotions with supplementary drinks to promote healthy skin as well as cognitive wellbeing. “Lily and I go way back,” Holly explains. “We met when we were much younger but we formed a friendship that’s now turned into an exciting new direction combining brains and beauty in a game changing range of wellness products. Clinical trials are in process and hopefully we will be launching soon.”
In her “spare” time, Holly, who studied journalism and marketing at uni, has a television gig hosting a travel program called Left off the Map for Hobart’s Channel 7. “It began during COVID lockdowns with a show that was designed to encourage Tasmanians to explore their home state while the rest of Australia couldn’t,” Holly says. “It’s a dream job for me, as I get to showcase my home state and share the places I’ve discovered.” Heading Holly’s list of “must-dos” around Hobart is the Truganini Walk to Mount Nelson Signal Station and the Waterworks Reserve Walk in south Hobart. Her favourite coffee haunt is Coffee Roasters at Franklin Wharf, while she also recommends the Sunday Farm Gate Market in Bathurst Street and, of course, the Salamanca Market. Describing herself as “more of a high tea than a winery girl”, Holly loves nothing more than a leisurely catchup around a tiered plate at Deco Lounge in the Tasman Hotel or perhaps a drive out of town to the historic village of Richmond for afternoon tea at Richmond Estate. She’s also fond of pre-loved fashion shopping and nominates consignment store Bruce in Criterion Street as a great spot to pick up a designer label.
All these commitments involve a considerable amount of travel, and highlights include Holly and Nicola’s trips to introduce the Smitten brand to New York and Paris during Fashion Week. “One of the great joys of being in a family business is being able to share the highs,” she says. “Of course, you also share the tough times, but it’s great to be able to travel and work with the people you love the most.” In spite of this full dance card, Holly has recently completed a renovation of her home kitchen in collaboration with Mitre 10’s Design 10 and documented the journey by recording it for Prime. “It was a great experience,” she says. “When I bought the house in 2020, it was pine-lined like a sauna, so the first thing I did
was paint everything white to make it more liveable. The kitchen was the first major reno I’d done, so it was fantastic to have their advice for everything from smart technology appliances like the Whirlpool 6th SENSE oven and fridge to Hafele cabinetry and beautiful marble benchtops and the gorgeous fluted Laminex surrounds. I’ve stuck with the white, but added nude pink touches as that’s my favourite accent colour. I do love all the travel and the fact that I have so much going on, but it’s wonderful to come home to Hobart and the river. Every time I walk into the living spaces, I take a deep breath and relax. It’s truly a place to refuel.”
