Please share a bit about your journey to embrace fashion design as a career?
Fashion design is an obsession, passion and career for me. Designs are constantly coming to me in a never-ending spiral of inspiration
After graduating with a fashion degree, I got a job with a fast fashion brand. I really struggled with industry practices and felt disillusioned by how shallow, wasteful and fickle the fashion industry can be.After years of trying to find a job that aligned with my skills and values, I realized I wanted to create an up-cycled brand, this has been an 8 year journey for me with both many failures and successes. In many ways I have had to wait for the world to catch up with me whilst I have been trialing and testing different models to see which would work best for an up-cycled brand.
As a creative I love the designing/making aspect, but I have had to learn many skills which didn’t come naturally for me in order to run a business. I know sustainable fashion is the future, and I know how passionate and purposeful this path feels for me. But it is hard-work and the industry has a long way to go.
How did you learn your skill?
I first began sewing as young as age three. I would lie on the floor of my Mum’s sewing room and press the sewing foot while she made me and my sisters dresses. I was always obsessed with clothing and fabric, and started making clothing for my Barbies and other dolls. In high school I’d paint my shoes and make t-shirts out of bed sheets.
I always wanted to look original, and have been up-cycling for over 20 years. I studied Fashion Design & Technology straight out of school, and have been honing my craft in and out of the industry for what feels like my whole life.
Who are you as a designer- aesthetic, customer brand?
Bowe is a brand for the sustainable rebel. It is designed for those that want to rebel against fashion standards and and be their own person. It is made up of high-quality statement pieces in classic shapes that don’t date. A broad range of demographics make up Bowe’s customers, but it attracts those who aren’t afraid to stand out in the crowd, appreciate handmade ethical clothing with beautiful details and quality.
Why did you choose to focus on sustainable fashion? What additional challenges does that create?
Designing sustainably aligns my values with the thing that love most, and it feels like I’m helping to support the Earth with each design and creation. Sustainable fashion is the future!
Creating an up-cycled brand is very challenging as each piece is one of a kind. Therefore the process of designing, manufacturing, and marketing is more time consuming and labour intensive. It is also very difficult to work out how to scale an up-cycled brand.
What comes easiest for you as a designer? What is the hardest?
As a true creative, the designing, visioning and inspiration process comes easiest to me. It is my joy and happy place. Marketing and creating engaging content to share my work and brand with others isn’t as natural for me. I have also found bookkeeping and the financial side of running a business challenging.
Where do you find inspiration for new collections?... How important is colour to your design process?
I find inspiration everywhere – nature, street fashion and the way music makes me feel. I am also inspired by what I am going though personally, and where my life is taking me. I love sourcing fabrics from different cultures and am inspired by traditional dress sense and the history of fashion. Mostly I am inspired by clashing many looks together to create something new. Punk ethos and DIY is very infused in BOWE.
Working with second-hand clothing as my base means that colour is very important and often the starting point for my design process. I love clashing and blending colours and patterns together to evoke and feeling.
Collection you will show on the runway?
The collection is entirely up-cycled from second-hand clothing and found objects. Each piece is one-of-a-kind and crafted with love, integrity and craftmanship
Where can readers purchase your designs?
Readers can purchase my designs at the pop-up shop at EFWA 2004, as well as on my website:
www.bowefashion.com. I also stock in boutiques in Melbourne: Retropolis and Blondies Boutique.
Links
· Website – www.bowefashion.com