puppets and puppets
Founded in 2018 by visual artist Carly Mark and costume designer Ayla Argentina, P&P was originally shown at NY Fashion Week for a couple of seasons as an artistic statement, presented by and to the friends' indie community. On the calendar but off the commercial grid. Mark is now running the brand solo and while still working with her close knit community of artist friends, the brand has taken a commercial turn launching it's very first pieces available to purchase in May this year followed by a launch on major etailer Ssense. The brand may have lost some of its comic naivety of its early shows but not its strength which is not to follow ridiculous seasonal fashion trends but create clothing designed by an artist, in collaboration with other artists for artists and anyone willing to go along for the ride. Unexpected textiles are appealing but the knitwear, tailoring and conceptual accessories are quite incredible. Click the image to shop the collection via P&P.
Blonde Venus
The iconic Brisbane boutique with a 26 year history. Blonde Venus or BV as it affectionately became known was more that a retail store but a place of inspiration and connection. My passion for the arts led to a strong art and design cross pollination. BV hosted many fashion launches, art exhibitions, music and film events to encourage a nexus between the art and fashion communities. A ground breaker, Blonde Venus was the first boutique in Australia to stock many international brands like Jacquemus, Claire Barrow, JW Anderson, Simone Rocha, Roksanda, Mary Katrantzou, Richard Nicoll, Peter Pilotto, Chalayan by Hussein Chalayan. It also championed many Australasian brands from their first or early collections including Akira Isogawa, Dion Lee, Christopher Esber, Maticevski, Karen Walker, Perks & Mini, Verner and Gail Sorronda. Click the photo to read the full story.
cdlm
CDLM stands for Cuevas de las Manos named after the caves in Argentina known for their incredible hand painted rock walls dating back to 11,000BC. Launched in 2018 by Chris Peters who is also a co-founder/designer at Creatures of the Wind with his partner Shane Gabier. CDLM is part of the new wave movement of NY fashion designers thinking outside the mainstream. At the heart is the idea of incorporating dead stock pieces or fabric and up-cycling. The need to create with found items and objects. It’s a brand with no limitations but Peters works to a reductive methodology knowing when to pull it back, knowing when it is done. With echoes of Martin Margiela (as a feeling, not a mirror) it is both bohemian and sophisticated. Click the image to see more.
Giovanna Flores
After graduating from the Pratt Institute in 2015, Giovanna Flores' unique graduate collection caught the eye of celebrity stylist Mel Ottenberg. The next minute, Rhiannon was wearing one of Giovanna’s looks on Saturday Night Live. This early attention could have lured a young designer down a commercial path but Flores decided to stay true to herself by sitting outside of the traditional fashion system. Working to a research based practice, Flores set up a slow fashion brand before the term became fashionable, working to capsules or releases rather than seasonal drops. These releases are formed out of concepts using research, upcycling and draping. In 2022, Flores showed an intimate presentation of her latest work to a supportive audience during New York Fashion Week. Post show Flores is still content to continue this considered process leaving us inspired and wanting. Click the image to see more.
"If you ask me what I want, I'll tell you. I want everything." Kathy Acker
