33. From Vintage Store to National Brand: The MCM House Story
About this episode
In this episode, Camilla Ingall interviews Charles Hinckfuss about the journey of building MCM House, focusing on timeless design and the importance of craft and resilience in business.
Trends come and go, but brands built on craft, instinct, and resilience tend to stick around. In this episode of Behind the Design, host Camilla Ingall sits down with Charles Hinckfuss, founder and creative force behind MCM House. Charlie shares the unpolished reality behind building one of Australia’s most recognisable furniture brands, from early days focused purely on survival, to growing a national retail presence grounded in craft, instinct, and energy. This conversation goes beyond aesthetics to explore what actually sustains a creative business over decades: trusting your eye, understanding materials deeply, resisting trends, and building a team culture that feels supported and excited by the work. You’ll hear how Charlie’s early hands-on making shaped MCM House’s DNA, why texture and material honesty matter more than polish, and how resilience, humour, and momentum play a bigger role in success than any rigid plan. This episode is a reminder that great design isn’t about chasing what’s new, it’s about creating work that still feels right years later. What You learn in this episode: * Timeless design outlives trends; Charlie explains why MCM House avoids trend-driven…
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