Fashion Designer: Above
As we Melbournians wander the streets of this city we love so much, we often wonder what is happening behind the closed doors. On a quiet street in Fitzroy, behind a seemingly typical building front, fashion designers Kerry Findlow and Nyssa Marrow and doing something really quite special. They are the duo behind fast growing label Above. The work is unique, individual and personal, work that is designed to be worn in a way that reflects the person wearing it. This attitude to design is something that Melbourne fashion embraces, so its no surprise that Melbourne Street Fashion loves Above.
Q: When did you launch Above, how did you get started?
A: We've known each other for almost 10 years now, we met through my brother. After starting the all of the above shared studio space and retail outlet in 2005 we found that we made quite a good team since we have opposite but complimentary skills. In late 2007 I asked Nyssa to work on a range of basics with me for the store to sell. Those early days were a pretty steep learning curve and it took some time to figure out our direction but I think it was important to work it that way to give ourselves a chance to define our roles within the label.
Q: What would you say your ‘design ethos’ was? What do you look for in good design?
A: We aim to produce classic, wearable shapes that have the foundations of a well cut pattern. The collections always centre around the basic western wardrobe (shirt, shift dress, cardigan, etc) but are re-imagined from a structural point of view. We like the wearer to be seen when in our clothes; we make things that you can incorporate into your life and wardrobe for years to come. Our process is about looking back through our own history as a label, there’s always an element from a previous season that informs the overall design basis for the next collection. It might be a single garment or a new analysis of previous seasons that creates a new set of structural ideas to explore. But essentially it is a personal body of work that explores sets of ideas that have been circling our lives for years.
Q: What do you think Above brings to the online market that others don’t? What makes you individual?
A: I think in this age it's very difficult to have a completely individual offering but we just want to make sure we are offering a clear, concise collection and a bit of an insight into how we do it. Social media has now become pretty powerful tools and we have only barely scratched the surface with them but we're working on using them more effectively. We do a lot of our own sampling and printing in house and a look at that kind of thing can be a new perspective for our customer's, especially since a lot of this industry is about smoke and mirrors. We're really proud of our connection to the whole process and if we can show people the steps it takes us to end up somewhere hopefully that gives them more of a connection as well.
Q: Do you have any fashion legends or idols? Where does your inspiration come from?
A: We always appreciate someone who knows their own style, I think it's about noticing people in everyday life. Nyssa always talks about op shops being archives of lost construction ideas, and we joke about how she's constantly pulling people's clothes apart with her eyes. Mid conversation you can often see her trail off, zeroed in on a pocket detail or zip placement
Q: Autumn/Winter or Spring/Summer?
A: Autumn/Winter – can't go past layers and knits! Since Nyssa always starts a season with at least a dozen jacket ideas I think she feels more at home with the cooler months.
Q: How would you sum up your current collection? What are the main themes behind your design, can you expand on you ‘classic western wardrobe’ idea that we discussed.
A: Summer is entitled a study in adaptation because it's looking at the ways we all change and adapt our clothes to fit ourselves and our lives. Some of the styles (giant pant/giant blazer) have integrated into their construction the observation of how people will often wear oversized pieces, op shop garments, and find a way of making them fit their shapes by belting or pulling them in. In another sense of adaptation we've applied a scarf, being the most adaptable accessory, and blended it into traditional garments (skirt, shirt) which inherently then transfers it's adaptable qualities to those garments. The most extreme versions of this idea being the scarf pant/scarf dress which have no body reference and need to be worn and adapted to fit a person to give them context.
The 'classic western wardrobe' idea is always our framework for a season, it gives a starting point and allows the structural ideas to be applied to established shapes. We don't want a paint by numbers scenario but essentially it just gives us a chance to plan and edit our seasons pretty early on and means that the design process can be spent focussing and resolving the styles that DO fit. When you break down what people really wear, generally it fits into that framework, we design things that fit those gaps. Say the lattice shirt, it fits into the “white shirt” category but because of the print it's a new modern take on it. Basically it's something that you already know how to wear within your wardrobe but it becomes a new version with the ideas we're exploring for the season applied to it.
Q: What are your plans for Above in the future? A flagship store perhaps?
A: We'd love to have a store at some stage, but for now we're focused on gaining a few more stockists. We've signed on with a Scandinavian sales agency for next season so that will hopefully turn into some international accounts. Design wise we're really excited about the print development for next season and expanding our knitwear.
Words and photos: Max Sanderson
Q: When did you launch Above, how did you get started?
A: We've known each other for almost 10 years now, we met through my brother. After starting the all of the above shared studio space and retail outlet in 2005 we found that we made quite a good team since we have opposite but complimentary skills. In late 2007 I asked Nyssa to work on a range of basics with me for the store to sell. Those early days were a pretty steep learning curve and it took some time to figure out our direction but I think it was important to work it that way to give ourselves a chance to define our roles within the label.
Q: What would you say your ‘design ethos’ was? What do you look for in good design?
A: We aim to produce classic, wearable shapes that have the foundations of a well cut pattern. The collections always centre around the basic western wardrobe (shirt, shift dress, cardigan, etc) but are re-imagined from a structural point of view. We like the wearer to be seen when in our clothes; we make things that you can incorporate into your life and wardrobe for years to come. Our process is about looking back through our own history as a label, there’s always an element from a previous season that informs the overall design basis for the next collection. It might be a single garment or a new analysis of previous seasons that creates a new set of structural ideas to explore. But essentially it is a personal body of work that explores sets of ideas that have been circling our lives for years.
Q: What do you think Above brings to the online market that others don’t? What makes you individual?
A: I think in this age it's very difficult to have a completely individual offering but we just want to make sure we are offering a clear, concise collection and a bit of an insight into how we do it. Social media has now become pretty powerful tools and we have only barely scratched the surface with them but we're working on using them more effectively. We do a lot of our own sampling and printing in house and a look at that kind of thing can be a new perspective for our customer's, especially since a lot of this industry is about smoke and mirrors. We're really proud of our connection to the whole process and if we can show people the steps it takes us to end up somewhere hopefully that gives them more of a connection as well.
Q: Do you have any fashion legends or idols? Where does your inspiration come from?
A: We always appreciate someone who knows their own style, I think it's about noticing people in everyday life. Nyssa always talks about op shops being archives of lost construction ideas, and we joke about how she's constantly pulling people's clothes apart with her eyes. Mid conversation you can often see her trail off, zeroed in on a pocket detail or zip placement
Q: Autumn/Winter or Spring/Summer?
A: Autumn/Winter – can't go past layers and knits! Since Nyssa always starts a season with at least a dozen jacket ideas I think she feels more at home with the cooler months.
Q: How would you sum up your current collection? What are the main themes behind your design, can you expand on you ‘classic western wardrobe’ idea that we discussed.
A: Summer is entitled a study in adaptation because it's looking at the ways we all change and adapt our clothes to fit ourselves and our lives. Some of the styles (giant pant/giant blazer) have integrated into their construction the observation of how people will often wear oversized pieces, op shop garments, and find a way of making them fit their shapes by belting or pulling them in. In another sense of adaptation we've applied a scarf, being the most adaptable accessory, and blended it into traditional garments (skirt, shirt) which inherently then transfers it's adaptable qualities to those garments. The most extreme versions of this idea being the scarf pant/scarf dress which have no body reference and need to be worn and adapted to fit a person to give them context.
The 'classic western wardrobe' idea is always our framework for a season, it gives a starting point and allows the structural ideas to be applied to established shapes. We don't want a paint by numbers scenario but essentially it just gives us a chance to plan and edit our seasons pretty early on and means that the design process can be spent focussing and resolving the styles that DO fit. When you break down what people really wear, generally it fits into that framework, we design things that fit those gaps. Say the lattice shirt, it fits into the “white shirt” category but because of the print it's a new modern take on it. Basically it's something that you already know how to wear within your wardrobe but it becomes a new version with the ideas we're exploring for the season applied to it.
Q: What are your plans for Above in the future? A flagship store perhaps?
A: We'd love to have a store at some stage, but for now we're focused on gaining a few more stockists. We've signed on with a Scandinavian sales agency for next season so that will hopefully turn into some international accounts. Design wise we're really excited about the print development for next season and expanding our knitwear.
Words and photos: Max Sanderson
 |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |
0 Comments