Dream the World Awake

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A short visit to the  Walter Van Beirendonck exhibition one afternoon was pretty exciting. It had this creepy/eerie/’what the hell’ atmosphere with mannequins positioned in varying heights, some were as high as 15ft above the ground, some slightly hidden behind others and staring straight at you.  I didn’t know who Walter was ’til I got to the RMIT design hub (we were encouraged to go see the space for this week’s exhibition design homework….and I didn’t even know we had our own design hub oh my goodness). Beirendonck is a Belgian fashion designer who uses graphics, unusual color combos and humor to describe his own sense of style. If you’re in the city near RMIT go visit building 100. You might be inspired.

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Look at these two lovely folks. Can it get any creepier?

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Italian-esque

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Glad to be a part of this team. Really excited to see the design on a shirt!

Was a pleasure working with Panel Clothing

The Art of the Trench

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It’s nearly winter but Melbourne’s constantly hitting an overnight low of 10 degrees so I guess winter’s already here. I like winter and I like winter fashion because it gives me the excuse to wear a trench coat (my most favorable piece of item in my closet). I like the shapes, the little things like epaulettes, cuffs, flaps that make up the clean and distinctive appearance of a trench. The 21st century has really embraced the trench coat as a classic and fashionable garment. Traditional beige trench coats are typically warm, highly durable, light and flexible in comparison to other bulky coats and jackets. So what’s not to love about them? I find it to be extremely versatile and fitting, although the intent is to wear them during the winter season, there are always new designs flooding in specifically made for all sorts of weather conditions.

One of my favorite fashion designers, Christopher Bailey, is responsible for the birth of trenches in the modern era. Bailey’s edgy style has kept up with contemporary fashion trends yet still maintains a sense of sophistication with every design he produces. Not only is the iconic trench sold exclusively in Burberry stores, it has rapidly expanded to many fashion outlets. Prominent designers such as Miuccia Prada and Issey Miyake are amongst the many who’ve adopted the garment and developed their own range of stylistic coats. Trench coats appear in all sorts of designs…now with more color, less materials, more materials etc.

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Biker, scrunchy dress and studded sleeve trench

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Designs with patterns and varying use of materials (top right looks like silicon sleeves and flaps with thick gold-trimmed pockets)

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Transparent coats. Last one is a crazy design by artist Yayoi Kusama for Louis Vuitton

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Burberry Black Patent Trench Coat

Bailey’s metallic and glossy designs

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Short, sleeveless and cape designs

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How whacky is this! One of Gary Harvey’s interestingly creative designs for an eco-friendly couture fashion show called The Green Shows. Consisting of 18 trench coats (now that’s heavy) you might want read more about it here.

 

Design had evolved naturally, as a passion and a lifestyle beginning at an early age when I made trips back to the motherland, Indonesia, I experienced the surroundings and the lifestyle that was vastly different from what I was used to. I found myself passing by villages where children made their own toys with whatever was left around them; scrap metal, bits of cloth, banana leaves, and even cigarette butts. Despite this, the children were happy and proud with anything they created.

This image struck me and forever inspires me to contribute my skills to places that need it the most. Design helps me make decisions, while art helps me take risks. Both areas reward me with opportunities to create something impactful and everlasting!