The rise of geek chic and the formal as casual has seen bowties make a comeback in recent times. But nowhere has the dear old sweet dickie bow ever been more outrageous than in the hands of Sydney label All of Our Lives (as in ‘where have you been…?’). Run by Perth ex-pat Mitch Wright, this cheeky fun little accessory label reinvents the bowtie in all its guises, adding healthy dashes of humour, sleek moments of sophistication and some more obscure notes… like the Nordic Flap.
All up Wright provides a bevy of bowties suitable for any occasion, from the loud floppy thrill of Sixties Power to the old skool dandy charm of Bold and Beautiful. And the best part? All of Our Lives is incredibly affordable – as all good fashion should be these days – with bowties ranging in price from $39 to $59.
‘I’ve always been a huge fan of bow ties, and neck wear in general, and have many in my personal collection,’ said label dresser and general maverick Mitch Wright. ‘I suppose I really like the idea and concept of the bow tie, and wanted to offer a fresh take on such an iconic member of fashion history.
‘The current collection, The Golden Nymph That Wove Us In, is the debut collection for the label,’ Wright continued. ‘The bows are made from a variety of non-traditional fabrics, such as PVC and metallic knit foil, as well as the more traditional tartan, velveteen, gingham and satin. Fringing, gold detailing, buttons and tassels also feature quite heavily in the collection, and create a more defined aesthetic. The pieces are dreamy, yet still flamboyant. Subtle, yet still fanciful.’
For Wright, the stand out pieces from the collections include The Disco Sister and The Fringeful Delight… in wet look black, both of which are pictured below. It’s these pieces, Wright said, that best encapsulate the humour and adventurous spirit of the label.
‘The Disco Sister is made from rich black velveteen, gold detail and black tassels. The movement of the tassels is enough to entertain me for hours. The Fringeful Delight in Wet Look Black is made from shiny black PVC and black tassel fringing. I like the fact that PVC and bow ties are not commonly linked to each other, maybe it’s because PVC is often linked to S&M and bondage, which is probably why I like the dynamic so much.’
Wright’s accessories are actually making such a splash that his Nordic Flap was chosen by American based fashion blog Nogoodforme.com as being part of the ‘truly exciting and sartorial culture coming out of Australia right now’… which it is. Not bad for a boy with no formal training! Well, that’s if you don’t count the fact that his father taught him to sew at an incredibly young age. Which leaves only one final question: what does next season have in store?
‘Without spilling too much,’ Wright confided, ‘there will be a very interesting colour swatch, new concepts and dynamics, and innovative design. Inspired by the mystical and the magical, the collection will be available in stores around half way through the year, so watch this space!’
In the meantime, All of Our Lives summer range is available now from Harry Highpants in Northbridge. In fact, they are so available – and popular – that a whole batch is about to drop there any day now, so get in quick! www.allofourlives.com
Scott-Patrick Mitchell
