#vamff 2016

 ORIGINAL ARTICLE: http://buzzcuts.org.au/2016/02/welcome-to-the-future-the-dark-social-melbourne-fashion-festival-cultural-program-2016/

FASHION/ART & DESIGN Fred Hates Fashion: The Dark Social L1 Studios Review by Vanessa Gerrie

The meandering crowds of Melbourne’s White Night cluttered the streets, drowning out any comprehension of location, but I was on a mission. As I walked into L1 Studios, a compact space down an alleyway off Little Bourke Street, I was thrown into a room of dappled light serenity. The Dark Social was the exhibition, and it did not disappoint. Since their emergence nearly three years ago, Fred Hates Fashion has become a platform for emerging designers to confidently present their work with the support and collaboration of fellow creatives. No one can do it alone and Fred Hates Fashion (FHF) offers the service of creating branded content via film and runway shows so that young labels can get the attention they so deserve. Through a collective of renowned producers, makeup artists, stylists and filmmakers a narrative around their clothes is created.

The Dark Social was FHF’s first foray into the still exhibition landscape and was a celebration of five designers they have worked with previously: Vincent Li, Jasmine Alexa, Yesterdays Virgins, Matcho Suba and Millie Mosca. The choice in designers was a considered one, diverse in skill and aesthetic; this only made the show, as a whole, stronger. It also displayed the manifold talent of the Melbourne fashion scene and demanded the viewer to take notice of each designer’s individuality. From Millie Mosca’s confetti glitter hemmed, shibori printed dress wonder, to Vincent Li’s layered androgyny, the future of fashion is looking bright.

Each designer’s chosen pieces for display were suspended peacefully from square black frames. Each designer had their own small space and each was staged individually, hinting to the fact that they would have had some say in how their work was displayed. Jasmine Alexa’s monochrome performance-wear pieces were suspended inside an intricate three-dimensional angular cube. Vincent Li’s pieces, a personal favourite, were dangled in the centre of 3 oscillating frames that created a mesmerising rotating spectacle. Yesterdays Virgins streetwear-style jacket floated in an easel-like structure and Millie Mosca and Matcho Suba’s beauties were draped off of floating mounts suspended from the ceiling. This decision paid off in the best way; by avoiding the age-old idea of presenting clothes on mannequins, FHF propelled the pieces into the realm of art where they so deservedly belong. The only light sources in the space were three or four spotlights aimed upwards from the middle of the floor, which threw dancing shadows that bounced off the sculptures creating a subversive atmosphere. It had a sci-fi element that enforced the collective’s ethos of always looking to the future and being conscious of changes in technology.

The whole exhibition was split-level and once we had taken in the serene floating sculptures we wandered up to the rooftop. While enjoying the sweet escape from the bustling streets below, a series of filmic projections were displayed against the brick walls. These were a collection of past fashion films made in collaboration with the designers exhibited downstairs. Visually stunning, these projections added a whole other dimension to the show, proposing narratives that accentuated the drama of the designs.

The Dark Social was a true testament to Melbourne’s subversive creative collectives. FHF put on an exhibition that was beautifully curated and unpredictable; these people know fashion and love it so much they hate it, they bleed for it, as they stated in the press release. They present it in their own secret language that somehow makes it so accessible and social.

Although this was a one-night only show, be sure to follow Fred Hates Fashion on social media to keep up to date with all upcoming events and projects.

- See more at: http://buzzcuts.org.au/2016/02/welcome-to-the-future-the-dark-social-melbourne-fashion-festival-cultural-program-2016/#sthash.jclXIBew.dpuf

 ORIGINAL ARTICLE: http://buzzcuts.org.au/2016/02/welcome-to-the-future-the-dark-social-melbourne-fashion-festival-cultural-program-2016/

FASHION/ART & DESIGN Fred Hates Fashion: The Dark Social L1 Studios Review by Vanessa Gerrie

The meandering crowds of Melbourne’s White Night cluttered the streets, drowning out any comprehension of location, but I was on a mission. As I walked into L1 Studios, a compact space down an alleyway off Little Bourke Street, I was thrown into a room of dappled light serenity. The Dark Social was the exhibition, and it did not disappoint. Since their emergence nearly three years ago, Fred Hates Fashion has become a platform for emerging designers to confidently present their work with the support and collaboration of fellow creatives. No one can do it alone and Fred Hates Fashion (FHF) offers the service of creating branded content via film and runway shows so that young labels can get the attention they so deserve. Through a collective of renowned producers, makeup artists, stylists and filmmakers a narrative around their clothes is created.

The Dark Social was FHF’s first foray into the still exhibition landscape and was a celebration of five designers they have worked with previously: Vincent Li, Jasmine Alexa, Yesterdays Virgins, Matcho Suba and Millie Mosca. The choice in designers was a considered one, diverse in skill and aesthetic; this only made the show, as a whole, stronger. It also displayed the manifold talent of the Melbourne fashion scene and demanded the viewer to take notice of each designer’s individuality. From Millie Mosca’s confetti glitter hemmed, shibori printed dress wonder, to Vincent Li’s layered androgyny, the future of fashion is looking bright.

Each designer’s chosen pieces for display were suspended peacefully from square black frames. Each designer had their own small space and each was staged individually, hinting to the fact that they would have had some say in how their work was displayed. Jasmine Alexa’s monochrome performance-wear pieces were suspended inside an intricate three-dimensional angular cube. Vincent Li’s pieces, a personal favourite, were dangled in the centre of 3 oscillating frames that created a mesmerising rotating spectacle. Yesterdays Virgins streetwear-style jacket floated in an easel-like structure and Millie Mosca and Matcho Suba’s beauties were draped off of floating mounts suspended from the ceiling. This decision paid off in the best way; by avoiding the age-old idea of presenting clothes on mannequins, FHF propelled the pieces into the realm of art where they so deservedly belong. The only light sources in the space were three or four spotlights aimed upwards from the middle of the floor, which threw dancing shadows that bounced off the sculptures creating a subversive atmosphere. It had a sci-fi element that enforced the collective’s ethos of always looking to the future and being conscious of changes in technology.

The whole exhibition was split-level and once we had taken in the serene floating sculptures we wandered up to the rooftop. While enjoying the sweet escape from the bustling streets below, a series of filmic projections were displayed against the brick walls. These were a collection of past fashion films made in collaboration with the designers exhibited downstairs. Visually stunning, these projections added a whole other dimension to the show, proposing narratives that accentuated the drama of the designs.

The Dark Social was a true testament to Melbourne’s subversive creative collectives. FHF put on an exhibition that was beautifully curated and unpredictable; these people know fashion and love it so much they hate it, they bleed for it, as they stated in the press release. They present it in their own secret language that somehow makes it so accessible and social.

Although this was a one-night only show, be sure to follow Fred Hates Fashion on social media to keep up to date with all upcoming events and projects.

- See more at: http://buzzcuts.org.au/2016/02/welcome-to-the-future-the-dark-social-melbourne-fashion-festival-cultural-program-2016/#sthash.jclXIBew.dpuf

 ORIGINAL ARTICLE: http://buzzcuts.org.au/2016/02/welcome-to-the-future-the-dark-social-melbourne-fashion-festival-cultural-program-2016/

FASHION/ART & DESIGN Fred Hates Fashion: The Dark Social L1 Studios Review by Vanessa Gerrie

The meandering crowds of Melbourne’s White Night cluttered the streets, drowning out any comprehension of location, but I was on a mission. As I walked into L1 Studios, a compact space down an alleyway off Little Bourke Street, I was thrown into a room of dappled light serenity. The Dark Social was the exhibition, and it did not disappoint. Since their emergence nearly three years ago, Fred Hates Fashion has become a platform for emerging designers to confidently present their work with the support and collaboration of fellow creatives. No one can do it alone and Fred Hates Fashion (FHF) offers the service of creating branded content via film and runway shows so that young labels can get the attention they so deserve. Through a collective of renowned producers, makeup artists, stylists and filmmakers a narrative around their clothes is created.

The Dark Social was FHF’s first foray into the still exhibition landscape and was a celebration of five designers they have worked with previously: Vincent Li, Jasmine Alexa, Yesterdays Virgins, Matcho Suba and Millie Mosca. The choice in designers was a considered one, diverse in skill and aesthetic; this only made the show, as a whole, stronger. It also displayed the manifold talent of the Melbourne fashion scene and demanded the viewer to take notice of each designer’s individuality. From Millie Mosca’s confetti glitter hemmed, shibori printed dress wonder, to Vincent Li’s layered androgyny, the future of fashion is looking bright.

Each designer’s chosen pieces for display were suspended peacefully from square black frames. Each designer had their own small space and each was staged individually, hinting to the fact that they would have had some say in how their work was displayed. Jasmine Alexa’s monochrome performance-wear pieces were suspended inside an intricate three-dimensional angular cube. Vincent Li’s pieces, a personal favourite, were dangled in the centre of 3 oscillating frames that created a mesmerising rotating spectacle. Yesterdays Virgins streetwear-style jacket floated in an easel-like structure and Millie Mosca and Matcho Suba’s beauties were draped off of floating mounts suspended from the ceiling. This decision paid off in the best way; by avoiding the age-old idea of presenting clothes on mannequins, FHF propelled the pieces into the realm of art where they so deservedly belong. The only light sources in the space were three or four spotlights aimed upwards from the middle of the floor, which threw dancing shadows that bounced off the sculptures creating a subversive atmosphere. It had a sci-fi element that enforced the collective’s ethos of always looking to the future and being conscious of changes in technology.

The whole exhibition was split-level and once we had taken in the serene floating sculptures we wandered up to the rooftop. While enjoying the sweet escape from the bustling streets below, a series of filmic projections were displayed against the brick walls. These were a collection of past fashion films made in collaboration with the designers exhibited downstairs. Visually stunning, these projections added a whole other dimension to the show, proposing narratives that accentuated the drama of the designs.

The Dark Social was a true testament to Melbourne’s subversive creative collectives. FHF put on an exhibition that was beautifully curated and unpredictable; these people know fashion and love it so much they hate it, they bleed for it, as they stated in the press release. They present it in their own secret language that somehow makes it so accessible and social.

Although this was a one-night only show, be sure to follow Fred Hates Fashion on social media to keep up to date with all upcoming events and projects.

- See more at: http://buzzcuts.org.au/2016/02/welcome-to-the-future-the-dark-social-melbourne-fashion-festival-cultural-program-2016/#sthash.jclXIBew.dpuf