Project Series Walking Tour

ALEXIA BREHAS

The Virgin Australia Fashion Festival is all wrapped up, however the style and design continues on. Today I am attending the Project Series Walking Tour, an illuminating and informative guided tour of the most contemporary, cutting edge exhibitions currently showing in Melbourne. Spanning across eight of the city’s most renowned galleries, this tour provides guests the opportunity to gain crucial insights into the process of crafting and ideation.

We begin our journey at Pieces of Eight Gallery in Russell Street, for the first-time jewellery collaboration between Lisa Roet and Kit Willow. We are collected in an intimate circle around Lisa Roet, who begins speaking to us about her process of crafting. The work explores notions of of mortality, humanity, and the animal kingdom, through ape-skin relief prints translated onto handcrafted wearables. Bronzed chimpanzee hands function as elegant and unusual bracelets, while plated yellow and rose gold ape skin materials are crafted to form chokers, cuff-links, necklaces, and rings. There are also some particularly rare materials that have been utilised to form art objects, including mammoth tusk and carved jet (which Lisa explains is petrified wood, and is an extremely difficult material to attain). While it is an exceptionally beautiful and opulent exhibition, it raises some important questions regarding the use of such rare objects and their relation to the artistic and commercial world.

We move towards Bourke Street to enter West Space, a contemporary, airy, and well-lit gallery. The Garden of Earthly Delights by Glenn Barkley and Angela Brennan is a stunning collection of improvised paintings and ceramic sculptures drawing on themes of the natural world. Also on display are Lauren Burrow’s intriguing sculptural works for Exhaustion Builds, while the Victorian College of the Arts group exhibition, Is/Is Not, is a stand-out amalgamation of photography, video, neon and text, exploring the relationship between image and reality. However, of all these exhibitions, David Capra’s Teena’s Bathtime: Eau De Wet Dogge really takes the cake. Influenced by the scent of his dog, Teena the Daschund, Capra created a new fragrance that perfectly captured her wet, animalistic scent. We are warned that the scent is particularly ‘potent’, with a small desk fan in the corner of the room verifying this claim. However we are nothing if not an inquisitive tour group, and so we spray a miniscule amount of the perfume onto the lurid yellow and purple tester cards. I can safely say that the scent seemed to linger with us all day, and it was indisputably the exact scent of a wet dog. Potent, indeed.

Next on the tour is a visit to Craft Victoria, and in particular, the collaboration between ceramicist and designer Vanessa Lucas, and illustrator Courtney King, entitled Orangery. A Craft Victoria curator explains the meticulous process of showcasing the work in the window space, recollecting the amount of time the artists spent artfully and painstakingly draping a handcrafted cape jacket so that the folds fell in the perfect arrangement. This sophistication of design is evident across both the textile and illustrative work. Lucas’ clay work adheres to strict rules of form and function, with an impeccably smooth and refined finish. The disciplined mediums are brought to life by the oddly Moroccan colour palette – a most striking, earthy orange against a washed-out black. After taking in our fill, we move on to BLINDSIDE.

With a firm grounding in the infamous Nicholas Building, BLINDSIDE offers a stunning, high-level view of Melbourne. We are instantly greeted with ‘Paperwork’, the monochromatic wallpaper by Sadie Chandler that is the focal point of the front room, comprised of many faces and frames. Also showcasing at BLINDSIDE is a collaboration between Lesley Duxbory and Paul Uhlmann entitled ‘Breathing Hemispheres (Skies 66.1100°N, 18.5300°W + 32.0569°S, 115.7439°E)’. This is without a doubt my favourite exhibition of the tour, as I have a particular fondness for the night sky. Engaging with skies and atmospheres, Duxbury and Uhlmann each documented the sky at simultaneous key periods of the day and night. However, Duxbury’s photography was located in remote North Iceland, while Uhlmann was based in Western Australia. The work is covered with astrological coordinates, notations, and quotes such as ‘Gazing up in silent wonderment at the night sky’ and ‘Some rarely look up at all’.  In another room, a video installation by Chantal Fraser titled It hangs with rattlesnakes and rubbish loops in the background. With an evocative sense of time and place, textiles blend with human form in this powerful film (which was recently covered by one of our Buzzcuts reviewers here). We soon move on to the final gallery.

The Margaret Lawrence Gallery space is the contemporary artistic hub situated within the Victorian College of the Arts campus. In partnership with VAMFF, the works are textural in nature, and have therefore been carefully curated to form Fabrik – a “conceptual, minimal and performative” approach to fashion and art. The artworks range from a table of in-progress pieces displaying the process of crafting, to video installation work, to refined, textural pieces. Simone Slee’s belly harnesses encourage audiences to don the contraption, which frames the stomach area, and post their pictures to Instagram. Slee, who is in attendance, explains that this work aims to highlight an intimate area of the body that is so regularly covered up, in an intimate and appreciative exploration of the human form. Also on display are artworks made out of food and cloth; ‘strap-on’ artworks; imposing and ritualistic gold installations; and indeed, basic t-shirts that have been unravelled and frayed to literally emphasise the fabric of design.

The tour condenses an extensive exploration of eight galleries and countless artists and exhibitions into a meagre two-hour block. However, by the end of the tour, we feel as though it is a perfect amount of time, allowing us to briskly experience a multitude of sensory art practices, while not spending so much time walking and standing as to exhaust us. By the end of the tour, we are collectively overwhelmed and overpowered with the amount of stimulating artistic work we have absorbed, and we leave with a powerful sense of motivation, inspiration, and the desire to create beautiful things.

Beast Cult

Tinning Street Presents

Review by Alexia Brehas

“A collection of garments to wear while conjuring beasts.” Already, the description for fashion exhibition Beast Cult has a strong sense of thematic undertones. Showcasing at Tinning Street Presents, this exhibition is a unique blend of handcrafted fashion and nostalgic art and design. This is the third collaboration between Eileen Braybrook and John Brooks, and their first major gallery showcase.

Audiences enter the space and pick up an exhibition catalogue, with a noticeable visual of the gallery floor plan on the front. Immediately, the arrangement of garments becomes clear – there are two sections organized in half moon semicircles. This is a deliberate decision, and is only one of the many references to rituals and cults that are displayed throughout the work. The garments are hung individually from the ceiling on altered clothes hangers. Immediately noticeable are the mounds of pastel coloured gradients meticulously arranged under each garment. They are created out of colourful gemstones, precious minerals, and rock salt, reminiscent of aquarium sand. This is an evident reference to the ritualistic aspects of positioning crystals in a circle to call upon a deity. Instantly, the mood of the exhibition is set.

Five garments hang in the furthest corner of the gallery, and are clearly the ‘darker’ pieces, as they are mainly black garments. However, keeping true to the Beast Cult style, they are interspersed with pastel scarves, cardigans, dungarees, and extremely cute renditions of monster faces. John commented that this was a deliberate artistic decision, in order to “lighten” the dark nature of demons and rituals, in a similar way that “Goosebumps made horror accessible for children.” This is an interesting aspect of the Beast Cult style – although the surface context may be reflective of darkness, myth and ritual, and the ‘monstrous unknown’, the aesthetic representation of these themes is distinctly light. There is a pastel, ‘bubblegum’ nineties flavour that underpins the exhibition, and truly makes this a unique collection.

In the centre of each garment semicircle there is a textural floor piece designed by John. Even these small touches are reflective of the supernatural, with one floor piece crafted in the shape of a Ouija board pointer, and the other in the shape of a crescent moon. Furthermore, an entire wall is dedicated to the process of ideation, boldly displaying a series of offcuts and preliminary sketches from both artists. This inclusion adds another layer of depth to the exhibition, allowing audiences an insight into the crafting procedure.

The gallery is soon packed with audiences who weave throughout the garments. Perhaps the most exciting feature of the garments is the fact that much of the detail is on the back, with audiences having to be proactive and walk behind each garment to observe more of the detail. This is a welcome surprise from a standard retail space. Clearly, these are not regular garments. The cut of the clothing is relatively modest, as the general style across the collection is androgynous, and shapeless with long hemlines. Certainly, this is a deliberate and considered decision, as the focus then shifts entirely to the textural work. The range of materials and techniques for the garments is explorative, ranging from jacquard knits, hand woven wool and cotton, shag pile yarn, printmaking, and hand knitting. Never ones to step away from a challenge, Eileen and John have also incorporated some exceptionally bold and refreshing additions to their array of textiles, such as faux fur, rope necklaces, bold lettering, pastel tie dyes, lurex thread, and foam and latex objects.

In terms of artistic partnership, I can imagine no collaboration stronger than that of Eileen and John. Their styles blend seamlessly together through this collection of garments, while somehow still succeeding in allowing their individual traits shine through. Eileen’s jacquard knits are particularly popular with the audience, and John’s monster jackets are captivating, especially given that they are the only items in the collection crafted in Iceland. There is a uniform sense of style across the collection, which indicates a level of sophistication and professionalism to Eileen and John’s work. Pastels mixed with grunge are displayed on layered, shaggy garments. I personally get the sense that these could be clothes for a nomad or hitchhiker travelling between universes.

Running from 10 March 2016 until 20 March 2016, Beast Cult packs an explosive punch by reimagining the boundaries of traditional fashion design. The collaboration between Eileen and John is carefully considered and aesthetically harmonious. Most of all, the garments are evocative, conjuring a strong sense of nostalgia and wonderment. Beast Cult toes the line between a retail space and an art exhibition, and seems to linger on the border between the human world, and a mythical, magical other.

INTERVIEW WITH EILEEN BRAYBROOK AND JOHN BROOKS

DISCUSSING BEAST CULT

INTERVIEW BY ALEXIA BREHAS

Meet Eileen Braybrook and John Brooks. They are the artistic power duo behind Beast Cult, a unique fashion exhibition showcasing during the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival. After meeting through a textiles course during their academic years, the pair have worked to create a seamless blend of styles and designs by combining garments and fashion with art and design. And now, they’re raising beasts.

Beast Cult fuses fashion and art in a unique, new way, raising questions about the corporate industry of fashion, in comparison to the relative ‘freedom’ of being an artist. What do you think about mass produced fashion as compared to local design?

JB: I don’t know, I guess, it’s two completely different things. I mean I like making videos and objects, and things like that, and I guess you could relate that to fashion. But I didn’t want to be tied into having to have clothes involved. I mean, I love clothes, and I love making clothes – I don’t really like the industry. Like fast fashion. People don’t understand how much clothes really cost, because we’ve got cheap labour and mass production, so I hate making too many of the same thing. And I can’t make anything identically; I just don’t work that way.

EB: I don’t like [fast fashion] personally. I can’t see a world without it, though. I think if you’re going to buy fast fashion, just make sure it’s of a quality… actually, no, that’s not right.

JB: Just don’t buy it (laughs). Seriously, I’ve stopped, it’s easy.

EB: I’ve stopped too – I buy basics that are quality, so they’ll last a long time, or I buy stuff that really speaks to me, and excites me, that I’ll keep in my wardrobe for a really long time. And I think that’s the kind of thing I want to make – both of those things.

How would you describe your personal styles?

EB: Mine changes, day to day. I think if I didn’t work in a corporate office, it would be a bit of a different story. I love comfort; oversized stuff. It changes day by day. I grew up in Broken Hill, so it’s always sunny, really, really bright, stark – and I’d wear bright clothes all the time. And I think when I moved here, I sort of stopped a bit, because you feel kind of funny sometimes. When it’s grey outside, everyone’s in black, and it’s raining, and if you’re in this bright pink fluffy whatever, sometimes you want to blend in a bit.

JB: I find I wear the most colour towards the end of winter when it’s like, “Okay, enough.” [My style] changes so much, like every year or two, it’s just a bit of “Hey, I like this now.” For most of my life I wore black, and only black, and greys. I was a bit of a goth teenager in the nineties. In the last, maybe, year or two, I’ve embraced colour more.

EB: There’s nothing better than opening your wardrobe and it’s just like this crazy clown wardrobe. Although I’ve noticed a lot of navy’s snuck in, and it’s really boring, but I think that’s just for work. But I’m into utility at the same time as having fun things to look at and wear.

JB: If I look like I’m in a cult, I’m happy. I just really like long hemlines. I kind of now and then go through where I like to wear things that are really camp, like a bit of mesh and fake fur, and leather even. I don’t wear as much shag pile as I would like to. I feel like maybe it’s too much.

EB: If it was as cold as it was last winter, we’d totally shag-pile it up.

Beast Cult draws influence from séances, Lovecraftian beast worship, and rituals. What is it about those themes that interest you?

JB: I think it was just talking about how when we were teenagers, we were really into doing séances, and The Craft would have come out when we were, I don’t know, eleven or twelve. We both have crystals, and all of that stuff is kind of carried through. I think it’s just that unsettling feeling of otherworldly presences – like, I believe in a lot of that stuff. I’m a little bit skeptical, but yeah. […]I mean, I go to psychics, I read my horoscope. I think there was a period where, I don’t know, I felt embarrassed by that? I thought it was a little bit shameful. And so this exhibition is kind of just going way over the top with it.

Did you get a psychic reading for the show?

JB: No! We were actually going to get a psychic to come into the space for one of the days we were sitting. But it didn’t happen. Something for next time, I guess.

In the exhibition space there is a wall that showcases both of your initial sketches and some textural offcuts. What was the intention of that wall, what did you want to show?

EB: I just thought people would find it interesting. And, even though the jacquards are made in a factory, I guess, I wanted to be able to show people that I actually did paint those images first, before I digitize them, and before they [were] given to the technician. Those were actually probably the most work out of all of my pieces. The ones that were made by somebody else, which is weird. They took the most time, they were the most expensive, the most time consuming, the most headaches.

JB: Sometimes there’s things that don’t get used, but they still really work, they just never lead to a garment. I did a lot of weavings with googly eyes in them, and I kind of really wanted to show those, even though they didn’t make it to the garments.

What is the future for both of you, and for Beast Cult? Are you looking to explore the connection between art and fashion again, and collaborate, or pursue other projects?

JB: My main focus is art for the moment, definitely. I mean, I’m going to keep trying to have a small business with hand woven pieces, I guess. But at this stage the only kind of fashion related things I want to do are collaborations with Eileen. I don’t really have much interest in doing it professionally, just because I want to enjoy it, so I want to do it on my own terms.

EB: I do want to develop a small label, as I said, and now I’ve done a few of the samples that were in the show so I’ve already started that process. So it would be good to get a little more out of getting all that started. So maybe a small knitwear label that doesn’t necessarily have a new collection every year, but maybe a new garment every year. […] But I definitely love collaborating with John, and would do that again for sure. The process of collaborating has always been really easy with John. I’m always confident that the work will look really good together.

And finally, your garments are made for wearing during rituals, spells, and cults, right – so what sort of beast would you want to conjure?

EB: I would like to conjure some kind of extinct animal, and say sorry on behalf of humanity. I think about it all the time, I really do. Like all the pouches that I use in the show, and the Tasmanian Tiger stripes – I feel so sad for those animals, and for humans, that we don’t have them anymore. How shit is it that we don’t have the Tasmanian Tiger!? So that concerns me, so I would conjure one of those up.

JB: Mine’s probably really selfish. I’d like to conjure something that can just, you know, be my unpaid assistant (laughs). Be at my loom, but [it] really enjoys doing it. Like, I’d feed it, of course.

EB: A craft deity of some sort.

Very good answers. I think your personalities shine through there.

Beast Cult is showcasing at Tinning Street Gallery from 10 March 2016 until 20 March 2016, with garments for sale. Eileen and John will continue to work on their individual projects, and plan to collaborate further, and potentially exhibit work again next VAMFF. Until then, be on the lookout in their studios for any mysterious glimpses of a Tasmanian Tiger tail, or an overworked beast sitting at a loom.

Birrimbi Dulgu Bajal

Reviewed by Alexia Brehas

Tonight, fashion and performance are fused in a spectacular display of colour and vibrancy. The setting is an elegant white tent that extends the size of the Showtime Events Centre, erected on Melbourne’s South Wharf. The show is Birrimbi Dulgu Bajal, a unique fashion performance featuring 11 Indigenous designers and 20 Indigenous models.

Inside, three thin, stylized faux trees peppered with Central Aboriginal dot paintings are positioned in the middle of the catwalk, their leafy canopies brushing the light structures above. The room is bustling with Melbourne’s fashionable and high society, all sipping from their frosted wine glasses. We take our seats, and the show begins. Birrimbi Dulgu Bajal is split into three sections – runway, interval, and performance. The show is introduced, and the audience is offered a translation of Birrimbi Dulgu Bajal to mean ‘Rainforest and Sea Dreaming’. After calling upon the traditional owners of the land, and paying respect to their ancestors, the hosts launch the runway.

The choreography is deliberate, following the same movements for each collection, with two models walking down the catwalk to the beat of the music, and posing at the end of the runway. When all of the models have walked in pairs, the entire troupe weaves their way through the trees, and upon reaching the end of the runway, they raise their arms upwards and forwards. This ‘reaching out’ gesture seems symbolically tied with the emphasis on ancestry in Indigenous culture.

The uniform styling on the models is absolutely impeccable – simple, pared back makeup is used to emphasise the bold, blue shadow on their eyelids, so pigmented and swooping that it looks like strokes of paint. This blue ‘paint’ stroke motif is also seen on the sides of the model’s head, extending into their hair. The hairstyling in particular is stunning, with a middle section that is braided upside down and sewn into the hair roots, with one model describing it as looking “like a cassowary”. The sides of the hair are ultra slick and tied back, splitting into two braids, creating an extremely modern and contemporary feel.

Each designer collection looks like a work of art. Ranging from the bold, sea-creature earrings and patterned headscarves in Cynthia Voglier’s ‘Paradeese’, to the woven, rope necklaces and fascinators in Yalanji Arts Centre’s ‘Majda’, each collection brings something hand crafted and stimulating. The Yarrabah Art Centre introduces smart-casual work wear into the mix, with structured blazers and cape jackets, while Teho Ropeyarn showcases one of the few monochromatic collections of relief screen print patterns on leggings and tunics. Headwraps, bold pops of red, yellow, blue or green, and layers of patterning are prominent across the board, with unique inclusions of rope crowns and shell necklaces. Grace Lillian Lee’s ‘Jetty Love’ collection is a personal favourite of mine, with her statement woven and feathered neckpieces juxtaposed against soft, sea foam coloured swimsuits and tieback halter necks. Finally, Mornington Island’s ‘Miart’ concludes the runway with a male model clad only in tight black shorts dancing and crouching throughout the space with a large square of rainbow fabric in his hands. Models soon appear in similarly multicoloured felt accessories, with sheer, knotty, asymmetrical tunics made of textural fabric resembling crepe paper.

The colours of the runway evidently reflect reef and rainforest hues, with textural fabrics, basketry, and woven headpieces demonstrating the intricate detail of hand crafted Indigenous design. During the interval, a beautifully shot video is shown to the audience, documenting the behind-the-scenes process of the show. The curators, choreographers, designers and models all express their thoughts on being involved with Birrimbi Dulgu Bajal, and due to the young age of many of the models, there are several touching moments in which they state they just want to “make [their] parents proud”. Grace comments in the video that the performance will showcase fashion that is like “pieces of art holding so much representation of who [the designers and models] are and where they come from.”

The final section of the show tonight is a performance, choreographed by Fiona Wirrer-George. The house lights are dimmed, while circular, geometric yellow lights slowly rotate on the runway floor against the sounds of the rainforest. Models take tentative steps to arrange themselves across the runway, standing or sitting in front of the trees in a breathtaking tableau. One of the male models appears covered in ritualistic, chalky white powder, weaving, crouching and dancing his way amongst the motionless models. The chalk is dusted across the model’s foreheads, blown into the air in a spectacular puff of powder, and is dusted onto the floor.

A woman playing a woodblock soon accompanies 17 year old Taeg Twist, who is undeniably one of the highlights of the show, as she begins to sing in a tremulous, melodic, and utterly breathtaking voice that surpasses her years. She sings in an Indigenous language, and for someone who is an outsider to this culture, you cannot help but feel you have been granted special access to a very sacred and significant moment. The performance crescendos and concludes with a beautifully choreographed dance, that is received by a smattering of applause and a standing ovation.

Birrimbi Dulgu Bajal is a parade of cutting edge design that simultaneously makes bold nods to the rich and vibrant history of Indigenous culture. This collection of far-north Queensland design encapsulates the deep, sea blue hues of the reef, and the tropical textures and colours of the rainforest through pattern, craftsmanship, and movement. Olympic Gold winner Cathy Freeman who attended the show as a VIP, commented:

“I feel extremely proud to have been here tonight to see Indigenous Australia – but particularly far-north Queensland – Indigenous creativity, expression and power shape Australia in this way.”

Ultimately, this performance is only a small glimpse of the pulsating and electric heart that is the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair. One of the most memorable aspects of the show is the fact that despite having a professional attitude to the catwalk, the models occasionally ‘break out of character’. They would steal quick kisses from parents in the front row, hastily hug a friend or mentor sitting close by, and toss their woven headpieces to grandparents as they strut past. This solidifies the uniqueness of the show, and demonstrates that the traditional boundaries of runways are not only able to break, but should be encouraged to break. Birrimbi Dulgu Bajal is unlike any runway I have ever attended, and more than being a fashion show, it is an immersive experience of colour, culture, and total creative expression.

INTERVIEW WITH GRACE LILLIAN LEE

Alexia Brehas

Grace Lillian Lee is a fashion designer and curator who is bringing Indigenous design to the forefront of the fashion industry. I had the honour of chatting to her about her work with the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair and the upcoming fashion performance as part of VAMFF, Birrimbi Dulgu Bajal. Squeezing my interview into her busy schedule only one day before the show, Grace is surprisingly bubbly. She begins speaking with an evident and authentic passion for her work and her involvement with Indigenous fashion design.

You are a fashion designer yourself. How does your work in fashion design compare to your curatorial exploits?

No one’s ever asked me that question before – good question, I like it! I guess they go hand in hand, because in the curatorial work, I get to work with designers like myself who are exploring their culture through fashion. So the fact that I’ve been able to do that as well really helps that whole process. But I think when I’ve created fashion I’ve always been quite theatrical. So as much as I love simplicity and easy to wear clothing, which I wear for myself, when I go to a presentation or a performance I want to be pushed emotionally. When I’m viewing something, I just want it to affect me. So I guess that for me to be able to do that within a curatorial role, that’s what I’m really looking for: how it’s going to affect people, and if that’s going to change their emotions and perceptions […]. And especially because it is Indigenous culture, it really creates a beautiful space for people to engage with Australian Indigenous culture in a different way, instead of just going to an art gallery or to a performance. They’re all beautiful in their own way, but this is something really new, where a lot of elements come together.

Birrimbi Dulgu Bajal fuses a traditional runway with vibrant performances. Can you speak about the creative decisions behind this unique event?

It started in 2013, and I didn’t know what the show looked like. But I knew that I had an opportunity to really do something unique to Australian Indigenous culture on a fashion platform. And I wanted to help that happen. So that really made me realize that there was potential to create change not only to the spectator, but also to the models involved. To be able to connect with their lineage through adorning themselves and wearing the clothes, and understanding where they came from. And then also collaborating – a lot of my work is done collaboratively […] So for this show, I’m collaborating with Fiona Wirrer-George, and she is a choreographer and an amazing dancer, writer, and multi faceted, talented woman who brings so much to the show in terms of collaborating with me, and understanding that there’s a bigger meaning to all of this. And it’s quite a spiritual meaning of finding connection and showcasing that on this stage. But it’s very crucial for us to do that in a way that pays respect to what we’re sharing, and communicating with each other.

Birrimbi Dulgu Bajal features work by 11 Indigenous designers and artists, and 20 Indigenous models. How important is increased Indigenous visibility in the art and fashion spheres? Have you faced many challenges?

I think that there’s lots of challenges that everyone goes through, and I think that the fashion industry is probably one of the most challenging industries you could try to be in. We’re definitely pushing ourselves and breaking new grounds, and I feel like we’re at the beginning of this. It has happened in the past, but it’s been more so the designers going to communities, drawing inspiration. It hasn’t been the artist from the community representing themselves as designers, and showcasing their work. So it’s really about time that that’s happened. And in the show we have a variety of different backgrounds and knowledge, so some people have been in production for a while, and other people are just getting into it. I feel like it’s a platform for the start, and hopefully in the future it will definitely become more mainstream and out there. But at the same time, I think the beauty about it is that it’s not accessible to everyone, because it is so special, and has story behind each design. There’s a hundred and thirty looks in the whole show, which makes up nearly four hundred items and artefacts that we’re travelling with. So it’s a big thing.

How will Birrimbi Dulgu Bajal aim to tell a story through the performance and fashion?

The show is in two sections, so the first section is showcasing designers and their own collections, and their own stories, prints, weaving and beading, and the textiles that they choose – either dyeing or felting. So it’s very textural. And then we have an interval, and this time we’re showing a little bit of a short documentary of the process, so everyone can connect and understand what’s happening. We really want to communicate what we’re doing, so we’ve created a little video just to tell you about what’s happening. You know, some of these girls haven’t been on a plane before. We’ve got four girls from Mornington Island from a little community – there’s a thousand people and one shop – and now they’re here in Melbourne. And so the last section is a space for us to be more creative, and be ourselves, and to really incorporate elements that we wouldn’t showcase in a normal fashion show. We want to be able to show that we can play in those two realms, so it is pushing those boundaries of fashion, art and performance.

What is the future for Indigenous art and fashion?

Like I said before, I think that this is a really new platform of collaboration and celebration, and I think that it’s something that should be nurtured. And therefore we’ve really got to teach the youth about how special it is. For me personally, it reignited my journey of understanding of where I come from. So not to forget about that, and to be able to have the opportunity to connect. I think that it is important that we continue to do things like this, that can engage the youth, so it’s not something that’s lost. I think that’s the problem, because, you know, that’s what happened. It’s what happened to my grandma, and so it’s something that we need to make sure we can continue from, and learn, and share. That’s all, I think.

Sarah Scout Presents Studio

Review by Marisa Jayne

Nestled between the walls of inner city apartments and offices, the Sarah Scout Presents Studio showcases Espace, an exhibition combining the mystic worlds of both art and fashion. As you travel up the small elevator and depart the bustling city below, you are transported into a world like no other.

With a title so ambiguous, it is easy to ask what exactly is Espace? To put it simply, it is an exhibition curated by the talented duo from S!X and aims to add a Parisienne touch to the city of Melbourne that we all know and love. The influence of the baroque era is clear, with glimmers of opulence being apparent throughout.

This night in particular was the launch for the exhibition, and began with guests taking a slow and calm wander through the space.  Each room contained completely different works of art constructed from contrasting mediums, yet they all replaced focal points of the work with by using tattered mirrors, thus placing the observer in the foreground of the image and combining them into the art.

As more people stepped  inside the gallery to  admire the art, one by one, an army of metallic clad strad models softly marched through and moulded within the space.  Their clothes reflected the modern artwork and the clean, crisp space allowed the volume of their outfits to echo loudly. They complimented the mirrored artwork, with each outfit having a touch of metallic, all the way from the elegant chandelier earrings, to the bold reflective clutches, and back to the matte silver makeup.

Each garment was uniquely structured, however, interacted in unison within the collection through similar materials and motifs. To further instate the cohesiveness of the event, the staff also wore a hint of the collection being shown, with most opting for the thigh high sequined boots that became a clear favourite, with attendees oohing and ahhing over their grungy shimmer.

It was clear a lot of thought came into the concept of this exhibition, although this at times was confusing as there was no real explanation of what was going on. This could be seen as both a negative and a positive; while it was potentially frustrating, it allowed all bystanders to take in everything and make their own mind up for the evening. It forced reflection within a bustling city that never stops and it is safe to say that it would achieve the goal of becoming a talking point for the next few days.

The event is not for the light hearted, or for someone looking for a relaxing stroll to admire some uniform art. It is confronting, in a good way, and should instead be enjoyed for its light nudge out of your comfort zone.

The Deakin Edge

Review by Marisa Jayne

Gemma Turvey was not wrong when she described her New Palm Court Orchestra and Vincent Li collaboration as “poetic, theatrical and fantastic.” She was spot on with her depiction, and the evening was nothing short of eerily magical.

The night started with a panel discussing the importance of improvisation within the different arts industries, moderated by Carol Saffer. It included opinions from Vincent Li, Dan Walker (a renowned composer) and Janice Breen Burns (an established journalist and owner of Vox Frock), and turned out to be an insightful chat teaching attendees about what the music and fashion industries contribute to our cultural landscape and therefore, built up anticipation within the audience for the main event.

The evening began with the New Palm Court Orchestra (NPCO) playing a repertoire of their work, which symphonically filled up the light-laden space of the Deakin Edge. The songs were strong in momentum and were easy to grasp for those not fluent in classical music, meaning NPCO would be able to tick off their goal of reaching a newer and broader audience from the night.

After a few songs, we saw our first glimpse of Vincent Li’s latest collection, as models draped in his offerings marched melancholically around the space and perched themselves sombrely around the orchestra. The music was hauntingly beautiful and not a peep elsewhere could be heard. To say the audience was captivated would be an understatement.

The garments Vincent Li created were architecturally stunning. Inspired by one’s first love and the idea that the left ear is closest to the heart, the range featured strong yet tender structures leaning to the left and incorporated fluid elements to represent the feelings of both pure love and crashing heart-ache.

Young countertenor Maximilian Riebl also joined the NPCO for several of the pieces. Each time he entered the stage, he was in a different outfit. Progressing from a dapper, tailored suit, to a fluid Vincent Li shirt, the contrast between traditional fashion and Vincent’s more modern take was evident. Riebl’s final outfit, a striking trench coat, earned great cheers and applause from the audience.

The evening was nothing short of enchanting, and was evidently well received by all who had attended. Although being a one night only event, the evening will be uploaded to Youtube in the near future, and is a definite must-watch for those who love all things exploring music and fashion.

By Marisa Jayne

The New Palm Court Orchestra (NPCO) is involved in one of the highlights of the VAMFF Culture program. For their one night only event, they team up with up-and-coming men’s designer Vincent Li, to create an exquisite collaboration between fashion and music. I had the chance to chat with the artistic director of the NPCO, the lovely Gemma Turvey, and tried to pick her brain about the relationship between the two industries and what to expect from the event.

What is the New Palm Court Orchestra and what are your aims?

The New Palm Court Orchestra is a 9-piece chamber orchestra, and we combine the freedom and improvisation of jazz with a more classical kind of aesthetic. We are trying […] to make beautiful music accessible to more people. [As the Artistic Director] I am involved in looking at the programming, organising the musicians and deciding what the theme for the music is going to be. For this concert, rather than looking at a direct fashion line, it was more looking at a program that was going to speak to the audience on a variety of different levels.

To you, what’s the connection between music and fashion?

There are so many and the more we have been working with Vincent, we have kind of both agreed they are inseparable. I mean you can look historically how pop music influenced fashion and vice versa, and I think that the similarities are that we are both trying to create an aesthetic and to communicate a mood, or a feeling without being too imposing.

What are the thoughts of the role of individual expression in the two industries?

It is really important that individual expression is nurtured across both industries. I think that we are in a very interesting time where that it could go either way with the pressures of current political events. We must make sure that individuals know how to express themselves or can articulate their own feelings and thoughts and opinions. [This] is important to shape all the arts.

How did the concept come about for Saturday Night’s event?

There are lots of different components, so it is not just a runway with some music in the background. The idea was actually quite mercurial to start with, as we wanted to reach a new audience base and VAMFF was offering this cultural program and we thought let’s put the two together. Carol (Deputy Chair of NPCO and moderator for panel discussion) was already working with Vincent Li with his first range last year and put us two together and we talked about the possibility of doing something. We clicked straight away […] as Vincent comes from a very similar place artistically to me.

What can we expect from the night?

The evening will start with an optional panel discussion which [will explore] fashion and music and improvisation across both those industries and how it is used, to try and dispel the myth and fear about it. […] [The panel includes] Janice Breen Burns, Vincent Li and Dan Walker (a Melbourne composer). The concert will then be in two parts, […] with the first part showcasing Vincent’s Li’s new autumn/winter 16/17 collections, which will be showcased with some models on stage whilst we play. [...]

The second part includes our guest soloist, Maximilan Riebl. He is […] a countertenor, and […] it is stunning, seeing this muscular, big guy with this beautiful high voice. Vincent is dressing Max in some really theatrical garments to match the pieces that he is singing. We might start with just a black tuxedo, just to show the contrast. The male musicians of the orchestra will also be wearing Vincent’s shirts, so fashion is threaded throughout, giving the audience lots to look at and think about without just being cut and dry.

Lastly, describe the event in three words.

Poetic, theatrical and fantastic!

You can check out our review of the New Palm Court Orchestra and Vincent Li Collaboration also here on Buzzcuts.

Recalling the Glamour: The Johnston Collection

Review by Alexia Brehas

In a modest Victorian house in East Melbourne on a Wednesday morning, filmmaker and writer Lesley Sharon Rosenthal is preparing to take her audience back in time to the golden age of Collins Street. After being greeted with complimentary tea and shortbread, guests are led into an intimate room adorned with oil paintings where Lesley will be speaking.

Much like the house, Lesley radiates classic glamour, with a Bettie Page fringe, cat-eye glasses and a bold floral headpiece. After publishing a novel investigating Flinders Lane and its connection to Melbourne’s ragtrader history, Lesley found her love for historical fashion by default. This passion is evident from the moment she begins speaking, taking her audience on a journey through the vibrant and fashionable history of Collins Street.

Accompanied by black and white images and historical drawings, Lesley’s speech spans across a variety of eras. From its origins in Elizabethan trends, the style of Collins Street soon expanded as it was influenced by Parisian haute couture in the 20s and 30s, the swinging 60s London boutiques, American discount basements, and the contemporary introduction of young designers and affordable retailers. Lesley ruminates on the everyday glamour of both boutiques and shoppers alike with a fond nostalgia. She believes that 1940s Melbournians made an effort in their presentation in order to show the world that despite their global isolation, they were not “devoid of chic”.

However, Lesley maintains that the frocks were not the only contributor to the glamour of Collins Street. Accessible precincts, innovative couturiers, and fashion-conscious shoppers all worked cohesively in order for Collins Street to become a glamorous thoroughfare. Handsome streetscapes, clubs, theatres and balls also complimented the luxury of the imported, handcrafted outfits. Collins Street became a showpiece for Melbourne, soon to be known as the ‘Paris end’ due to its imitation of European customs.

Humorous recollections include historical skin treatment boutiques that offered services to “treat double chins and superfluous hair”, as well as My Lady’s Rest Lounge – a lounge, hosiery repair station, and manicure bar for women to rest after a tiring day of shopping.

With each new slide, and each memory of what Collins Street used to be, the distinguished crowd eagerly murmurs in unison. The majority of the audience has lived through the very eras Lesley is discussing, with many guests commenting on their association with a notable designer of the time, or their haute couture purchases from decades ago. It is a room full of people with affection for the past, for a time period where an emphasis on glamour and fashion was not only customary, but also boldly displayed.

“I have a deep passion for history and fashion,” Lesley commented, “and the glamour  that was Collins Street. It shows the time when creative people worked with commercial and business people – and it was a successful cooperation that is rarely seen today. A collaboration to build a community.”

Though Recalling The Glamour is a one-night event during the Melbourne Fashion Festival, Lesley plans to offer tours of extinct department stores in the coming months. Various other events hosted by The Johnston Collection can also be found here. Leaving the vibrancy and nostalgia of the house, walking down Collins Street today brings forth ghostly images of fashion parades, ornate parlours, ladies promenading, milliners and couturiers, and the thrumming heart of Melbourne’s most historically fashionable district.