From Eastern Europe with love
The small Russian town of Ibresy is barely a speck on a federation that stretches across one-eighth of the earth's surface. But for a three-year-old child visiting her grandmother there for the first time, it was a haven of salty kisses, of breezes laced with the sweet smell of rising dough and of gardens teeming with acerbic berries and violet grapes.
The bread, kisses and fruit may have melted away when her family moved to the bustling streets of Sydney in 1990, but the memories of a town so seemingly immune to the ravages of globalisation remained.
And, much like Demkiw, Maticevski and Demkiw, I often draw back on these memories as a source of day-to-day inspiration. In between three fashion weeks and a hectic media schedule, these designers took the time to talk to me about how cultural experiences shape their work.
Rosemary Masic, Nevenka
My upbringing is reflected in everything I do in life and what I believe in and what I strive for.
I was raised in two countries. I was born in Melbourne and moved to Croatia when I was seven. We lived in Split for a few years before returning to Australia as immigrants. I have really fond memories of this time because it was the only period in my life when we were all together as a family. My aunties and my uncles were with us and I remember that we'd eat, drink and dance late into the night- it didn't matter if we had work to do the next day. I also spent a lot of time hanging out with my teenage cousins and their girlfriends. I studied them from head to toe. They have that 'European style' and I loved it. It's a 'wog thing'. Confident, alluring, feminine and passionate.
European fashion is so intense. It's heavier with a greater emphasis on detail, it's more intricate. I think that's why designers like Toni [Maticevski] and Mira [Vikovic] and myself have found such a good market for ourselves here. Australia is obsessed with jersey. Jersey, jersey, jersey. You can make some beautiful things with of it but I like to blend it with other European fabrics like gorgeous Italian yarns and beautiful silks.
I recently returned from a trip to Croatia and found the strength, the beauty and the passion in its people very inspiring. In a way, Australians are very relaxed with their clothing but Croatians are more relaxed with their lifestyle. They?re less obsessed with making money and owning big homes.
That being said, they have a really strong work ethic. When my parents came here, they didn't come with Visa's or get government support, they were forced to make it for themselves. Money was always a problem. So was language. I remember one day when my mum and I went to the supermarket at Safeway people were laughing at her accent. It really upset me.
The obstacles of being born to immigrants have made me who I am today. It's now in my blood to work really, really hard. People who endure hardship can gain courage and passion that others can not and this is always reflected in my designs. I named Nevenka after my mother who died seven years ago. It's so important to me because I see so much of her in it.
Jacqui Demkiw, White Suede
I love my cultural background- it has made me what I am today. Even my clothing's name 'White Suede' was born from a connection with my Ukrainian heritage. White and suede are both quite dramatic, individual and descriptive words which embrace the contrasts of the Eastern bloc life- from the hardships they have faced to the beauty of our culture.
I was raised here but our family have always kept strong traditions going. Growing up was interesting. You look like the other kids but have a surname which is always mispronounced. As a kid you want to be just like everyone else. How quickly does that change when people pursue their own individuality by travelling the world with a thirst for culture?
The Eastern bloc has definitely influenced me as a designer with traditional costume, embroidery and embellishments of peasant, rustic styles of clothing made in lightweight cottons and traditional velvets and silks. I am inspired by traditional costume but I only look to the detail, never the whole thing. Many shapes and silhouettes are borrowed from times gone by with a modern approach.
I have been lucky to have a Ukrainian heritage right in my backyard. Think of it like a cocktail; one part Aussie, one part Ukraine, shaken and served together. I loved dressing up in the traditional Ukrainian costumes my family made and I still keep my hand embroidered shirt with me in my studio which my great grandmother made for me when I was born.
My cultural history has provided me with a hard working attitude, a love for design, an amazing family connection and a strong work ethic which sees me through so many different experiences I have faced in the fashion industry. I embrace our traditions and look forward to carrying it on into the future.
My grandparents came to Australia with a dream to create a better life for the family and I am proud to say because of their sacrifices and their stories I live a life I love and a life which inspires me every day.
Toni Maticevski, Toni Maticevski
I guess there is an underlying European-ness in my work. I guess all types of experiences give a person some sort of setting.
I was raised in Australia and lived in Europe as a kid. I take great pride in my cultural background [Macedonian] and I think it's been great being able to speak different languages, have family around and all that comes with it- the music, the sights, the colours. Living overseas as a kid changes how you view things too. Exposed to a culture with history and stories and experience makes life far more interesting than growing up with video games or television.
What I learnt about fashion from East Europe is that there's an underlying realness to it and that I always try to maintain. There has to be more than the surface?Everything and anything influences my designs- music, art, people, life, relationships, film, light, the list can go on forever.
Has European roots been an influence?I never question it.