There is something decidedly decadent coming up on the fashion calendar: StyleAid. This year the theme is Opulent, and it promises to be just that, especially with of two of Perth’s hottest emerging labels on the line-up: Tindale and Zsadar.
Tindale, created by designer Shelly Tindale, was the winner of the ABSOLUT Creative Designer Award for 2011, which saw her win $5000 to help market and develop her Spring / Summer range, and an industry mentorship from 2009 winner Garth Cook.
‘At StyleAid 2011 I’ll be showcasing my debut (trans seasonal) collection Forgotten Beauty,’ Tindale told OUTinPerth.
‘I have investigated architectural elements of old buildings and the impact that neglect over time and ageing has on them. Once stunning and grand works of art, they have become less beautiful, showing signs of disrepair and ruin. I found inspiration in the structure and textures portrayed throughout this process of deterioration.’
The results are bold and dynamic, as pictured left. Overall Tindale is presenting 30 separate pieces that together present 12 intense looks.
Tindale says that the idea behind her look is the building up of the garment to create a detailed, architectural presence, the subtraction from which can emphasize the ease and breeze of the Australian summer.
‘She has a really soft but incredibly well constructed aesthetic,’ mentor Garth Cook said of Tindale’s work. ‘She uses a lot of natural fibres, and for something so soft and simple looking there is an incredible amount of construction. There is an unmistakable ease in her work.’
Shane Newton’s Zsadar travels a slightly different trope: his label is all about subversion, even from his approach as a designer.
‘The whole collection is about getting iconic menswear pieces and putting a new twist on them,’ Newton told OUTinPerth. ‘I’ve done that through choice of fabric, choice of hem placement and sense of proportion and unconventional pattern use.’
Among other delights the collection features paper bag pants and shorts, asymmetrical zippered rayon hooded shirts and drop crotched pants and a silk felted Merino wool scarf that is to die for. Not bad for a designer who has no formal design training.
‘If I was to create a collection that was secretive, a little on the edge, subversive – how would those concepts look in a collection?’ Newton said of the impetus that led to the creation of this season’s range.
‘That’s why I’m so happy with this collection’s title – The Creature In The Mirror – because it’s about being self-reflective so that when you look in the mirror you see yourself, but beyond that there is a second level, something unfamiliar seen.’
Newton creates clothes that ‘border on the edge of wearable costume’, his next season promising caper and leather jackets. The best part is the exclusive opulence the label embodies: only 10 of each garment will be available for purchase.
‘I’m not driven by profit, but rather driven by the art behind the label,’ Newton explained.
Witness Tindale and Zsadar at STYLEAID presents Opulent on Friday July 29 at the Burswood Entertainment Complex. Tickets are available now by calling Stephanie Patniotis on 9482 0042 or via email spatniotis@waaids.com. All money raised goes towards research and support in fighting HIV and AIDS.
Scott-Patrick Mitchell
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