Despite the differences between the two, fashion and art go hand in hand. Acutely aware of this is Australian fashion label, Review. The enduring brand is known for their vintage-inspired silhouettes and playful patterns, but in recent years they’ve reached into the world of art to bring a new creative flair to their designs.
Almost a year ago, the brand approached me and The Design Files to help with a new collaboration that would combine art and fashion in a meaningful way. And it was a joy for me to curate their brand’s latest artist collaboration collection behind their limited-edition summer capsule!
Inspired by Review’s feminine and floral aesthetic, we sought out a trio of uniquely talented female artists that could reflect both the themes of the brand and the spirit of the Australian contemporary art scene.
Melbourne-based artist Elizabeth Barnett was one of the first suggestions we came up with, and really set the tone for the collaboration. For us, Elizabeth’s work is such a wonderful example of contemporary botanical painting, and her work is imbued with such joy and vibrancy. Sam Michelle is another unbelievably talented, local painter who we reached out to for the range, drawn to her hyper-detailed depictions of flowers and plants and her use of line and form.
To round out the collaboration, we also enlisted the inspiring sisters behind Cungelella Art, based in Mount Isa/Kalkadoon country in central Queensland! Glenda McCulloch, Cheryl Perez, Juanita Doyle and Dale Bruce bought their bold yet feminine colour palettes to the beautiful range. The proud Kalkadoon women really represent a new direction in aboriginal art, weaving together traditional motifs and contemporary colours inspired by their incredible natural surrounds, in a style that is totally their own.
Review’s General Manager, Clare Hurley, and her clever design team then painstakingly transformed the artist’s exclusive works into textiles – with great respect for the richness, colour and depth of the original paintings.
The resulting collection sees their own unique interpretations of exotic botanicals, gorgeous gardens, and Australia’s breathtakingly beautiful landscape splashed on dresses, playsuits, skirts, tops, and accessories in Review’s classic silhouettes and new styles.
It’s a beautifully contemporary and diverse range of wearable Australian art, made for women by women!
Watch the video above to see how the exciting collection came to life!
