Can I just say that I absolutely love speaking to all these amazing upcoming designers and seeing into what goes on behind the beautiful pieces we go ga-ga for in boutiques everywhere.
The lovely Gemma and Francesca are no exception - rocking out their collaboration of Eternal Safari and Sebastian's Sister.
1. Hey there, how's it going?
Gem: Good thanks. Very busy!!
2. How did you first start out as a designer?
Gem: I actually wanted to be an actress (as cliched as that sounds, I really did have my Oscars speech written by the time I was nine!). Anyway I wasn't doing anything exciting and acting school was quite hard to get into so I applied for Fashion design at The Canberra Institute of Technology and I studied there from 2006-2008. Since graduating it has all happened pretty quickly and unexpectedly which is cool but scary.
3. So what is your design philosophy when you start any collection?
Gem: Each collection has really been a evolution of ideas as we take a lot of inspiration from books and film. With each project I usually try and work out the mood and feel of the collection and because I work very closely with Francesca we are talking about what has inspired us recently or an idea that is in our heads. We use ourselves as models and make a lot of toiles (practice garments) as opposed to doing a lot of sketches so I guess our philosophy is very materials based and the form of the garment is important. Using ourselves as the models also helps us to figure out whether we would wear it and from there whether anyone else would wear it.
4. I love the quirkiness and edge in your work - where does your inspiration for this come from?
Gem: As I mentioned before a lot of our inspiration comes from books and film, in particular author Haruki Murakami and film maker Wong Kar Wai. These two artist's have inspired me immensely and I love the way they can make complex themes into simple, beautiful and appealing stories. I also really connect to both of their philosophies and the way they work, which again is through an evolution of ideas and through building a mood. I am also inspired by the way clothes make us feel and the fact that they can change the way we perceive ourselves and others. I think there is always an element of 'dressing up' when I design.
5. What would you say is your greatest influence at the moment?
Gem: This is a tough one. I have been so busy that thinking about new influences and inspirations is making my brain overload! I have been thinking a lot recently about using sounds as my starting point for a collection. I have bought a recorder and would like to record different sounds (man made and natural) and try and interpret them into garments. I would then like to have an exhibition with each sound linked up to it's garment and have people be able to interact with and interpret both. Hopefully this will happen soon. I will let you know if it does.
6. What kind of work goes into putting together one piece in a collection?
Francesca: Blood, sweat and tears! We start a collection with a brief and then each garment begins as a vague idea which is refined by the toiling process until we feel we have captured the essence of concept in the garment.
7. I'd love to wear this kind of edginess out as a statement - is it more the street or the runway you're leaning towards?
Francesca: Our design philosophy is to make wearable clothes, throughout our design process we constantly question whether each garment is wearable. We invite the owners of our clothes to wear our garments however they see fit, be it cat walk or street.
8. What are your plans for 2010?
Francesca: A key goal for 2010 is to find production, doing all our own sewing is constricting the business’s ability to grow. Having production will free up our time to focus on designing, and other projects we have on the backburner.
9. Who would you say is the most significant style icon at the moment?
Francesca: It’s hard to be specific however I constantly find myself attracted to Japanese design, designers and their philosophy. I feel their work has infinite appeal.
I always want to know more about Japanese design. I have just finished reading a book by Kenya Hara, Designing Design and it gave me great insights into the design process behind the object. I highly recommend it.
10. What changes do you see happening in the international fashion industry in the near future?
Francesca: China is beginning to develop its own designers, such as Qiu Hao which are taking Western ideas and melding this with an Asian sensibility. Considering China has such a strong production base I think we could be seeing plenty of exciting Chinese design in the near future.
11. A random question from a previous interviewee, designer Magdalena Duma (who will also be showcasing at FFF): How many shoes do you own?
Gem: Unfortunately I only own about three pairs but (talking about shoes) I had a party the other day and we played this awesome game called the shoe game. You get as many shoes together as possible (lucky there was lot's of people there!) and you start with only two shoes touching the ground and then everyone takes it in turn to place one shoe on the pile, building a Jenga like tower and only the first two shoes are allowed to touch the ground. We got up to a stack of 40 shoes! It is the best party game, gets quite tense.
Francesca: I have 100 shoes and I regularly lend them out to shoe game parties.
12. And finally, what is a random question you'd like to ask our next interviewee?
Gem: Will you please play the shoe game?
Francesca: What’s your favourite magazine, and why?
Gem: Good thanks. Very busy!!
2. How did you first start out as a designer?
Gem: I actually wanted to be an actress (as cliched as that sounds, I really did have my Oscars speech written by the time I was nine!). Anyway I wasn't doing anything exciting and acting school was quite hard to get into so I applied for Fashion design at The Canberra Institute of Technology and I studied there from 2006-2008. Since graduating it has all happened pretty quickly and unexpectedly which is cool but scary.
3. So what is your design philosophy when you start any collection?
Gem: Each collection has really been a evolution of ideas as we take a lot of inspiration from books and film. With each project I usually try and work out the mood and feel of the collection and because I work very closely with Francesca we are talking about what has inspired us recently or an idea that is in our heads. We use ourselves as models and make a lot of toiles (practice garments) as opposed to doing a lot of sketches so I guess our philosophy is very materials based and the form of the garment is important. Using ourselves as the models also helps us to figure out whether we would wear it and from there whether anyone else would wear it.
4. I love the quirkiness and edge in your work - where does your inspiration for this come from?
Gem: As I mentioned before a lot of our inspiration comes from books and film, in particular author Haruki Murakami and film maker Wong Kar Wai. These two artist's have inspired me immensely and I love the way they can make complex themes into simple, beautiful and appealing stories. I also really connect to both of their philosophies and the way they work, which again is through an evolution of ideas and through building a mood. I am also inspired by the way clothes make us feel and the fact that they can change the way we perceive ourselves and others. I think there is always an element of 'dressing up' when I design.
5. What would you say is your greatest influence at the moment?
Gem: This is a tough one. I have been so busy that thinking about new influences and inspirations is making my brain overload! I have been thinking a lot recently about using sounds as my starting point for a collection. I have bought a recorder and would like to record different sounds (man made and natural) and try and interpret them into garments. I would then like to have an exhibition with each sound linked up to it's garment and have people be able to interact with and interpret both. Hopefully this will happen soon. I will let you know if it does.
6. What kind of work goes into putting together one piece in a collection?
Francesca: Blood, sweat and tears! We start a collection with a brief and then each garment begins as a vague idea which is refined by the toiling process until we feel we have captured the essence of concept in the garment.
7. I'd love to wear this kind of edginess out as a statement - is it more the street or the runway you're leaning towards?
Francesca: Our design philosophy is to make wearable clothes, throughout our design process we constantly question whether each garment is wearable. We invite the owners of our clothes to wear our garments however they see fit, be it cat walk or street.
8. What are your plans for 2010?
Francesca: A key goal for 2010 is to find production, doing all our own sewing is constricting the business’s ability to grow. Having production will free up our time to focus on designing, and other projects we have on the backburner.
9. Who would you say is the most significant style icon at the moment?
Francesca: It’s hard to be specific however I constantly find myself attracted to Japanese design, designers and their philosophy. I feel their work has infinite appeal.
I always want to know more about Japanese design. I have just finished reading a book by Kenya Hara, Designing Design and it gave me great insights into the design process behind the object. I highly recommend it.
10. What changes do you see happening in the international fashion industry in the near future?
Francesca: China is beginning to develop its own designers, such as Qiu Hao which are taking Western ideas and melding this with an Asian sensibility. Considering China has such a strong production base I think we could be seeing plenty of exciting Chinese design in the near future.
11. A random question from a previous interviewee, designer Magdalena Duma (who will also be showcasing at FFF): How many shoes do you own?
Gem: Unfortunately I only own about three pairs but (talking about shoes) I had a party the other day and we played this awesome game called the shoe game. You get as many shoes together as possible (lucky there was lot's of people there!) and you start with only two shoes touching the ground and then everyone takes it in turn to place one shoe on the pile, building a Jenga like tower and only the first two shoes are allowed to touch the ground. We got up to a stack of 40 shoes! It is the best party game, gets quite tense.
Francesca: I have 100 shoes and I regularly lend them out to shoe game parties.
12. And finally, what is a random question you'd like to ask our next interviewee?
Gem: Will you please play the shoe game?
Francesca: What’s your favourite magazine, and why?
I love how chilled but edgy the whole vibe is! I would throw all of it on just to go outside, walk up and down the street 3 times, then come back inside and do a swapsie.
Gem and Francesca will be showcasing at Fashion Forward Festival Sydney on the 7th - 9th May 2010 in Sydney, for any of you who are around. To find out more about featured designers, festival info and how to get involved, log on to www.fashionforwardfestival.com.au - the best part is that Fashion Forward Festival is a free cultural event for the public!
*love*
xx
