Ethereal forest creatures emerged from the runway at Alix Higgins ‘Delectable Earth Shudder’ resort show.
Ahead of Afterpay Australian Fashion Week, we caught up with the designer, who’s clothes have been worn by the likes of Grimes and Hunter Schafer, to get the low down on his upcoming collection.
What Does Showing At Afterpay Australian Fashion Week Mean To You?
Last year, my debut show was incredibly special, a landmark moment for me in defining where the brand is at. This year feels more reflective. It’s a huge honour to be on the schedule.
What Is On Your Mood Board Right Now?
Charlotte Gainsbourg, Chalk, Crocodile, Forests, Fordite, Coates earthmoving equipment hire, Digimon, a project I completed in second year university called NEW ISLAND, Ethel Cain, Florence Welch, geotextile, Chloe Corkran’s paintings, Bill Henson’s photography, PS2 Memory Cards, Kingdom Hearts, Serena Van der Woodsen, Personal Shopper, Lizzie Grant and a wolf fur coat.
Who Is The Alix Higgins Wearer?
My friends.
Tell Us About This Collection?
This collection is called DELECTABLE EARTH SHUDDER, and is about wanting to shake the world, to feel something deeper. Is this all there is? It’s about getting closer to myself, to my friends and loved ones. Looking at how we dress and trying to replicate that, with a focus on earthier, dirtier and more distressed clothing. An earthquake. The initial idea was a sort of future animal, so there are some prints that explore this.
There is a confusion to things, it’s seasonless, it’s very cold and very hot. I felt the weight of every garment I made up until this point after receiving my first ever return – a pair of shorts with a tiny tiny hole in them. They have been on my desk ever since, as I think of ways to embrace these imperfections and work them into the garments. The same with the prints, it’s a water-based ink printed on the fabrics ‘digitally’, but there are many hands involved and it is a slow, expensive, artisanal process.
And in this process there are human errors, flaws, chance accidents that cause an imperfect result. There is so much talk in our industry around sustainability, yet we have very little tolerance for imperfection. I saw this working at a textiles printer prior to starting my brand – the amount of brands that would reject entire production runs for the smallest flaw. This weight was incredibly sad to me and forced me to focus on imperfection, see the beauty in this, the value in this. In the collection I also approach up-cycling for the first real time within production for my brand.
What Does The Future Look Like For Australian Fashion?
Bright!
Which Fashion Creatives Have Inspired You At Different Points Of Your Career?
Early Ksubi inspires me, the energy and excitement, the commercialism in a sense. Just cool clothes. No one works like this really anymore. It’s my dream job. As for today… Amy Crookes is incredible. Her work is so strong, simple, fresh. She and I met in our first week of university in Sydney and have been close ever since.
She walked in my debut show last year in a full circle moment which was really touching. Isabelle Hellyer of all is a gentle spring has such a razor focused vision, I really admire her. She’s extremely smart and charismatic, and her work is so direct, and unwavering, beautiful. She understands business more than anyone, I am extremely envious. Maroske Peech are so great, they bring something so fresh to fashion, and bridge a gap between the million craft core brands and high fashion. The fit and make and fabrications are super luxury, with a real elegance but at the same time there is such a sense of humour.
About The Alix Higgins AAFW 2023 Show:
Feet muddied by earthy body paint, models floated to the rhythmic beat of ‘River Nessus’ leaving trails of gradient coloured scarfs and delicate lace netting in their path.
Higgins’ signature texts led many of the looks, fused with rich velvets and a harmonious balance of colour. Deconstructed polo shirts featured heavily through the resort 2024 show, along with oaky woodland prints.
Highlights included a skirt emblazoned with the word ‘baby’ and a striped polo shirt that read ‘Alix Higgins, King’ on the front and ‘In the dream it was all right’, on the back.
