Fashion: Punk to Pakistan

Photo Credit: Sally Edwards,
Boys and Girls are Choice

Exams are over, pencils tidied and library books returned, which means it's time for QUT's fashion graduates to don their best frocks and tails and walk their collections down the runway! This year's show entitled, Six, sees each designer debut a collection of six pieces, with inspiration for the designs internationally eclectic. Designer Sally Edwards says her androgynous collection, Boys and Girls are Choice, is aimed at "new punk" mixing tartan with the "sartorial elegance of a well-made suit". "Referencing suits and styles throughout history, I want to use these guidelines of menswear to create a collection that can be word by either men or women," she says. Opening night was last night and closing night has already sold out! But luckily, the creative folk behind the parade planned ahead for your silly season, book-in-advance forgetfulness and there's still a whole chunk of tickets left for your spontaneous attendance tonight and tomorrow. You can even bring a friend for free! Bargain!

follow the finch

Photo credit: Linsey Rendell

So last weekend I was wandering about the Young Designer Markets, minding my own business (well not really, I was snapping photos of trendy folk), when the follow the finch stall jumped out into the walkway, grabbed me and took me prisoner among its pretty handmade wares. And it was awesome!

Follow the finch is one delightful little label, stocking wallets handmade from carefully curated combinations of recycled fabric, notebooks featuring vintage music parchment and typewriter-ed titles, and sunglass cases made from vintage fabrics and old dress patterns. My favourite of the wares though is the kitchen clutch – named just so because they’re made from top-notch, never-been-used, vintage tea towels. The designer Renee inherited a whole stash of English tea towels from her grandmother and rummages about op shops when the collection is running low. The designs are all limited run and Renee makes everything by hand herself – from her business cards and swing tags to all the products.

She’s based near Byron Bay, so you won’t see her friendly face at markets every weekend, but check out the finch’s facebook or website for when she’ll next be flying about (and online sales of course).

Meet Me Monday: above.

Photo credit: above.

If you haven’t heard of Melbourne-based label above. yet, you are really missing out! Kerry and Nyssa are the brains behind the label. Their garments are timeless and can easily be reworked for a new look. We spoke to Kerry to find out a bit more about above…

How does above. differ from your studio collective, all of the above.?

The collective has evolved into some pretty distinct separate businesses over the years. Just a few months ago we knocked out a wall and expanded the space so that all of the above. can keep going with the screen printing business and the other half of the studio is for us at above. and a few other labels. We're working on opening the front of the above. side to be a retail showroom as well so that we can have a direct link to our clientele and have a physical space to house all the various projects we work on.

What inspired you to make the above. research & development series? (ps. we love it!)

The last year has been a really pivotal shift for us with wanting to showcase the elements along the way that get us to the final collections. Because the actual making of things is so paramount to how we develop ideas, we've always ended up with standalone objects that are the building blocks to a final piece but don't necessarily fit in the season. It seemed a natural progression with our new 'open book' policy that they should be an above. product as well. 

What is next in this DIY series? And when will it be launched?

We're working on a few ideas, the goal is to eventually offer full garment patterns for new takes on above. styles. It comes from the same kind of logic as the Research & Development items. Our aim with seasonal collections is always to offer a very tight, cohesive story which often means that some great shapes get cut. We want to make sure they land somewhere instead of falling by the wayside and since Nyssa is a pattern maker by trade it again felt like a natural progression for us.

How does the label reflect both of you as people?

Indirectly the label is a representation of what we both need functionally in our wardrobes. Nyssa is constantly wanting tailored elements, shirts, jackets but I always prefer to be less structured.

With time, it becomes harder to spot the 'Nyssa' or the 'Kerry' parts of above.. There is enough history within the label itself now, we've embedded our own sensibilities into above. to give it a unique profile that reaches beyond each of our own personal preferences. It is almost as if there is now a third personality to contend with.

If you could choose one person to wear your label to an event, who would it be, what would they wear and where are they going?

You know, we always struggle so much with this kind of question! I think because when we are imagining who might wear above. it's always in relation to the people in our lives rather than a style icon or celebrity. We love the way different people can wear the same item and mould it into their own personal style. Ideally, we'd see someone mixing old season in with a new season, the play between old and new is always nice and seeing new life breathed into an old favourite is always inspiring.