Kate Rohde has pieces in two 2026 Melbourne Design Week shows - Breeding pair cane toad bud vases in Toad Takeover, and Green hedgehog and birds in Re:Born
Toad Takeover reimagines Australia’s most notorious invasive species as a catalyst for bold, regenerative design. Bringing together Melbourne/Naarm makers Lia Tabrah of VERMIN, Simone Agius of simétrie and upholstery designer Kirk Ireland, the exhibition transforms cane toad skin into finely crafted leather goods and contemporary furniture.
The space features resin toad sculptures by Kate Rohde, alongside a short documentary by filmmaker Meg Carlsen capturing Lia’s practice, process and research, including the environmental legacy of the toad’s 1935 introduction.
Through material displays, process documentation and in-space conversations, Toad Takeover invites audiences to consider how skilled craft can shift ecological damage into enduring, future-focused design solutions.
RE:BORN unfolds as an exploration of reimagined beauty, transforming overlooked furniture and discarded forms into works of wonder and discovery.
Presented as a collaboration between Romance Was Born and Cultivated, and supported by Artbank, studio x us, Cult Design and TSAR Carpets, RE:BORN weaves fashion, art and design into a richly layered tapestry of surprise and delight.
Romance Was Born bring their signature imaginative vision and bespoke textile artistry to reimagine iconic furniture designs, each piece second-hand, each one restored and elevated into an expressive new form. Objects once at risk of disposal are honoured for their history and character, transformed into works that enchant and endure.
Curated by Romance Was Born with interior support from studio x us, the exhibition becomes a fully realised environment of lighting, architectural elements, bespoke surfaces and custom sound, a sculptural terrain built in part from the existing NEWNEW pavilion structure, alongside newly crafted elements.