Sydney Opera House — Uncovered Award & Exclusive Design

Client: Sydney Opera HouseAward: Uncovered 2025–2026

In 2025, Margot Design was honoured to win the ‘Look’ category of the Sydney Opera House Uncovered Award, a programme celebrating Australian artists, makers, creatives and artisans and providing a platform for exceptional Australian-designed products to be presented through the Opera House’s retail collection.

The award presented two exciting opportunities. The first was the acquisition of Margot Design’s Palais scarf in Jacaranda, Aqua and Aqua, a 100% silk twill design from the DECO Collection. Inspired by Sydney’s remaining Art Deco architecture, the collection explores the distinctive patterns, colours and sculptural forms of the city’s iconic buildings. Each design began as a series of hand-drawn sketches developed through watercolour textures. In the Palais design, a sculptural curve subtly echoes the distinctive forms of the Sydney Opera House, while the soft purple tones of the Jacaranda colourway reflect the blossoms that fill Sydney’s streets and the nearby Royal Botanic Gardens each spring.

The second, and most significant, opportunity was to develop an exclusive design for the Sydney Opera House Shop, launching in October 2026 as part of the Opera House’s 54th birthday celebrations.

Epiphany is an oversized 100% silk scarf, created in a new style.The design looks beyond the familiar silhouette of the Opera House to explore the interior concrete formations and arches of the building. Its name references Jørn Utzon’s architectural epiphany: the discovery of the spherical solution, which unlocked the mathematical and engineering challenge of creating the Opera House’s extraordinary roof.

The design is presented in three colourways — Silhouette, Harbour and Sunset — following the colour principles established by Utzon for the House.

This project brings together Margot Design’s love of pattern, architecture and textiles with one of Australia’s most recognisable cultural icons: proudly Australian design, inspired by an icon.

Available at the Sydney Opera House store and online in October. 

Photographers

Palais Scarf - Virginia Venn

Epiphany Scarf - Daniel Boud