Our Story

Metal Trend began not in a boardroom, but in a workshop during Melbourne’s 2020 lockdown, with a spark of inspiration and a single fire pit called The Ember. With no brand name, no website, and no marketing, over 200 units were sold via word-of-mouth and Facebook Marketplace in just two months. That raw momentum proved something powerful: Australians were craving honest craftsmanship, timeless design, and metal products that could elevate everyday outdoor spaces.

Founded and led by siblings Stephanie Pope and John Nicolaci, Metal Trend is now the lifestyle design arm of AC Laser, one of Victoria’s most respected metal fabrication companies. Operating from within the AC Laser facility in Thomastown, Metal Trend brings together the precision of industrial manufacturing with the creative freedom of lifestyle design.

As Co-Directors and the driving force behind the Metal Trend brand, Stephanie Pope and John Nicolaci blend industrial strategy with aesthetic sensibility, bringing a future-facing vision to Metal Trend, one that centers on local manufacturing, family values, and customer experience.

Metal Trend is on a mission to become Australia’s most trusted and recognisable metal lifestyle brand, with a focus on:

• Sustainably manufactured products made in Australia
• Design-led, industrial-grade outdoor goods
• Wholesale, trade, and retail expansion
• Support for the landscaping and builder community
• A future global presence backed by innovation

We are committed to sustainability not just as a checkbox, but as a guiding principle. From minimising production waste and sourcing locally, to designing products that last years, not seasons, Metal Trend is built to honour people, place, and planet.