Meet four of Australians burgeoning fashion labels: Bree Bennett Customised Vintage, Zipporra, Recreational Jewellery, and Love & Luck accessories. The talented players behind these up and coming brands are currently showcasing their wares as part of the Westfield Sydney initiative 100 Squared – a concept designed to create opportunity and exposure for the city’s underground talent through showcasing their work across 100 squares of black retail space. We spoke to a handful of the 100 Squared designers about their work, inspiration and dream clients…
BREE BENNETT CUSTOMISED VINTAGE
Who are you? “I’m Bree Bennett. My background is in fashion design and my label is “Bree Bennett Customised Vintage” which can be found at 100 Squared in Westfield Sydney.”
Describe your work “My collection materialised out of a love of vintage clothes. I have been chopping and changing vintage since I was about 10 years old. My inspiration comes from the fabric of the each individual garment that I’m working on, no two are the same. I also draw inspiration from what’s currently on trend when deciding on buying a piece and changing its shape.”
“I notice fabric more than the cut of a vintage piece, so my eye is firstly drawn to a beautiful brocade, a soft printed silk or a buttery leather texture. I then set about transforming it into a more contemporary design whilst still retaining its character and originality. There’s something fascinating to me about finding a unique piece that nobody else has.”
Who’s your design hero? “My design hero is always changing but I can’t go past the late Alexander McQueen.”
Where would you like to be in five years from now? “In five years I hope to be developing my own range and on the road to success.”
Who would be your dream client and why? “Alexa Chung because of her eclectic mix of vintage and designer fashion. She sets her own fashion rules and everybody else follows!”
ZIPPORRA
Who are you? “Karen Fulton, I grew up in Epping, a north-west suburb of Sydney. I am currently still living and working from Epping. My label is Zipporra and I have recently opened a store at 100 Squared. I am also about to start selling online through my website www.zipporra.com. You can find me on Facebook and Twitter…and Zipporra is also very excited about starting our own fashion blog later this month!”
What do you do? “I source fabrications, get inspired by creative people, artworks, the ocean, pretty much anything…and then use these things to create my range. I do not design from trends – I love creating detailed, timeless pieces that a person can wear forever and always look breath taking, individual and stylish.”
“Zipporra’s AW11 range consists of a myriad of shades of blacks, yellows, blues and reds in both beautiful, bold colour blocks and patterned artistic fabrics. Intricate detailing is used innovatively and consistently throughout the winter range with significant utilisation of feathers, weaves and cuts. The key fabrications used in the range are leather, denim, duchess satin, chiffon, lace and feathers. Trims are also a key part of the range as many fabrics have been constructed purely from trims, provoking the conception of a pioneering garment.”
“Zipporra has also used the element of weaving material into fabrics continually throughout the AW11 range. Furthermore, the iconic box detailing is a prominent feature of the AW11 looks. The range consists of timeless pieces, using strong, beautiful cuts in detailed jackets, long flowing maxi gowns and short fitted novel cocktail dresses.”
Who’s your design hero? “My design heroes would have to be Balmain and Chloe and, from Australia, I love Dion Lee and Ellery.”
Where would you like to be in five years from now? “I would love to be in New York! I would love to get Zipporra established nationally in Australia, before traveling to New York and presenting Zipporra!”
Who would be your dream client and why? “My dream client would be Corinne Roitfield – she is so talented, beautiful, glamorous, hard working, confident, real, stylish, creative and inspirational. I would be honoured for her to wear Zipporra. She is such an inspiration to me on so many levels.”
RECREATIONAL JEWELLERY
Who are you? “Emma Swann. Born in London, now residing at St. Peters, Sydney. My label is RECREATIONAL Jewellery and it’s available on www.recreationalboutique.com and at 100 Squared, Westfield Sydney.
Describe your designs “Inspiration for the designs is often reflective of today’s culture whether its graffiti art, music or technology. The designs are approached with a cheeky, irreverent and often-ironic tone, which ensures the brand is ‘keepin it real’ for its mass cool audience.
“The ‘pieces’ are aimed at cool discerning men and women who appreciate great design and who want to make a style statement. Recreational is the jewellery brand that reflects their lifestyle by being authentic and culturally relevant. It’s the generation Y mindset who are living life and marking the moment.”
Who’s your design hero? “Vivienne Westwood, for her maverick designs and relentless quest to push the boundaries of fashion whilst staying true to her brand.”
Where would you like to be in five years from now? “Sailing round St. Tropez in my Recreational yacht…….And for Recreational to be an internationally established accessories brand.”
Who would be your dream client and why? Mary-Kate Olsen – I LOVE her style! She’s cool, individual and brave with her fashion choices. I think I would literally ‘DIE’ if she wore a RECREATIONAL piece! She can contact us at http://www.facebook.com/recreationalboutique and hello@recreationalboutique.com.
LOVE & LUCK
Who are you? “We’re a young couple from Sydney who launched our own label a few months back. Our last name is Luck, and given our love for each other and for our business, we called the label ‘Love & Luck’. At the moment you can find us online at www.loveandluck.com, or at 100 Squared – a fashion “incubator” for emerging designers located on the Urban Precinct level of Westfield Sydney.”
What do you do? “Love & Luck is a luxurious handbag and accessories label. Our designs are darkly inspired – using buttery-soft Italian leathers, and with a strong focus on custom-hardware. For example, our Skull & Bones collection features chunky skull tassels. The skulls were caste from an antique tribal bone carving, carved out of animal bone. This type of custom-made hardware reinforces the strength and originality of the designs. We love to take avant-garde ideas and then peel them back to create pieces that are strong but wearable.”
Who’s your design hero? “Our favourite designers would be Jeremy Scott, Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen (RIP). In Australia, Romance was Born have done amazing things over the past few years. What all these designers have in common is that they’ve been able to take people with them on their creative journey – not having to dilute their aesthetic or conform in order to find success.”
Where would you like to be in five years from now? “We don’t want to be mass. We just want to be what we are now – but with more reach. An underground label – but instead of just in Sydney, we’d like to become an underground label that has a following across Europe, North America, Japan and beyond.”
Who would be your dream client and why? “Ruby Rose is loving Love & Luck and was seen wearing one of our “Skull & Bones” satchel bags at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week! It’s great for our brand to be recognised by the likes of a style icon such as Ruby and, of course, for our designs to get the kind of exposure that comes with that… In terms of other dream clients? Well, given what Alexa Chung did for Mulberry, you’d have to be pretty happy to have her loving your label!”
For details on all the 100 Square designers head to http://westfield.com.au
