Ray Costarella is pretty well a fashion institution in Perth. Ray has been designing his label for the past 23 years and is now a major force on the international fashion stage. In the past 12 months, his label was listed on the stock exchange in an effort to expand and grow his business. With his jump into couture and the stock exchange, the style and creativity of his label have become popular with celebrity fashionistas, including burlesque beauty Dita Von Teese, Sharon Stone, and Kate Ceberano.
Mark Reid: What inspired your current collection?
Ray Costarella: My inspiration comes from life, and anything around me can inspire – colour, form, art, nature, music and friends. The music from Crash inspired the last summer collection ‘Mirror Mirror’. A love for the Victorian and Edwardian has been the jumping point in the current collection summer 07/08, which I have ‘dubbed’ Chiaroscuro, a journey from light to dark.
MR: Where do you see WA fashion heading in the next few years?
RC: WA fashion designers are becoming known and respected for their talents not only on a national level, but also on the international show circuit. The retail and design industry is growing, and with organizations such as WAFIA (Western Australian Fashion Industry Association) flying the flag, the awareness and promotion of the many wonderful designers WA incubates can only get stronger.
MR: Do you see WA being your base in the future or will you eventually base in the east?
RC: Being based in WA hasn’t stopped me from any expansion or growth. In fact, my company Costarella Design Limited is seen as a leader in many fields. One of the major changes to my brand is that I am now a public company, and we listed on the Australian Stock exchange in March of this year (ASX code: CLD). This is an Australian first for an individual fashion designer. I’m excited by this development as it allows me to expand the company into an international luxury brand and develop accessories, body products and fragrances to sit alongside my fashion collections.
MR: You have been involved with StyleAID for a number of years, what are your reflections on the event? And what does being involved with StyleAID mean to you?
RC: Renowned as a night to glam up, drink, dance and cancel all plans for the day after, StyleAID is a great night to share with friends, supporting the community and raising awareness and funds for a deserving cause. I’m proud to be a supporter of the event.
MR: How do you think WA fashion has evolved over the 10 years since StyleAID first began?
RC: I have witnessed this industry grow from a place of pure manufacture to one that is now an exciting blur of art, textile, design, and fashion innovation. Thanks to ArtsWA funding and the support of Austrade, designers are finally being given the support they deserve as cultural ambassadors and being recognised for the tourist dollars their creative energies generate.
With my recent overseas and national successes, I felt the time was right for my company to return to retail after a ten-year hiatus. In December last year I secured an old Post Office in North Perth as my new studio, which now also houses a retail space at the front called POST Emporium and showcases the entire Aurelio Costarella Ready to Wear and Couture collection, alongside bizarre antiquities and unique home wares.
MR: What trends do you see emerging in the next year?
RC: There has been a strong return to minimalism over the past few seasons, but there is a shift. With the renewed interest in works by past greats Paul Poiret and the designs from the 1920s, washes of colour and intricate handwork/beading/stitch will make a return.
MR: Do you think there is a distinct design influence here in WA. If so, does this influence your designing when you put a new collection together?
RC: No, if anything there is diversity. I believe we are not so fad driven as other states. Funnily enough, the collection that I will show at New York Fashion Week in September has been based on the sun’s reflections and colours cast on the Indian Ocean.
The entire Aurelio Costarella collection is available at POST, 23 View Street, North Perth, 9228 0373 and selected stockists Australia wide. The collection can also be found online at www.aureliocostarella.com.
