Vanishing Elephant Pre-MBFWA 2013 Questionnaire


Vanishing Elephant‘s signature aesthetic of clean classic tailoring with subtle twists of rock and roll will hit Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia (MBFWA) for the first time next week with the Sydney label’s debut on-schedule collection show on Wednesday, 10 April. Designers Huw Bennett, Felix Chan and Arran Russell are effectively doubling their design studio as a bunk house while they pull together the final looks for the show, but quickly filled out our pre-MBFWA survey. We got the skinny on their Fashion Week survival requirements, their favourite Aussie model and which classic b-side is the song that best summarises their collection.

1. Without giving too much away who or what has been the muse/s for your Fashion Week collection?
A bunch of well-dressed Japanese men, a round trip to London, Paris and Berlin, a few good meals and a lot of smart friends.

2. If your new collection could be summed up in a song what would it be?
“Plastic Passion” is hard to handle! (The Cure)

3. In what way is this collection different to anything you’ve done before?
That’s a tough one for us. It’s more about specific pieces in there and how the silhouettes work together. It’s all about a harmonious relationship between our classics, plenty of the brand new, and a few ideas that we’ve wanted to try for some time.

4. Describe the state of your studio right now with a week left before MBFWA?
We’ve all moved parts of our wardrobes into the space so that we can change easily and arrive early. There are piles of boxes and model cards and bags of jewelery and empty tea cups, lots of shoe laces and socks – it’s a pig sty.

5. What are your 3 must-have items for surviving MBFWA and the lead up?
New music, plenty of chocolate and our awesome team.

6. Who is your favourite Aus model/s to work with and why?
Ollie Henderson. Best attitude, best look and most interesting mind.


Image from Ollie Henderson’s Photo Diary from MBFWA 2012.

7. What’s the first thing you’ll do once your show’s over?
Drinking a beer in between tears.

8. Send us a selfie.
This is a picture of the 3 of us.

This is a picture of the 3 of us all at once:

For more pre-MBFWA BTS action check out:
We Are Handsome’s questionnaire here.

Emma Mulholland’s questionnaire here.

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