Alix Higgins On His New Collection And Afterpay Australian Fashion Week
What Does showing at the Afterpay Australian Fashion Week Mean to You?
The debut of my show was very special last year. It was a momentous occasion for me, as it defined the direction in which I wanted to take the brand. This year I’m feeling more reflective. It’s a huge honour to be on the schedule.
What is on Your mood board at the moment?
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 Alix Higgins?
My friends
Tell us about this collection?
This collection, DELECTABLE Earth Shudder, is about wanting the world to be shaken, to feel more. Is it all? It’s about getting closer to myself, to my friends and loved ones. It’s about trying to imitate how we dress, focusing on earthier, dirty and more distressed clothes. A earthquake. Initial idea was an animal of the future, and there are prints that explore it.
There is a confusion to things, it’s seasonless, it’s very cold and very hot. My first ever return was a pair with a tiny little hole. I immediately felt the weight I had put on every garment I’d made. Since then, they have remained on my desk as I try to find ways to incorporate these imperfections into my 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.
Human error, flaws, and accidents by chance can also cause imperfect results. In our industry, we talk a lot about sustainability but have a very low tolerance for imperfections. Before I started my brand, I worked at a textiles printing company and saw how many brands would reject entire productions for the slightest flaw. I was saddened by this weight and it forced me to look at imperfections, to see their beauty, to value them. In this collection, I’m also tackling up-cycling within my brand for the very first time.
What is the Future of Australian Fashion?
Bright!
What fashion creatives have inspired you at different points in your career?
Early Ksubi inspired me. I love the energy, the excitement, and the commercialism. Just cool clothes. It’s a rare job. It’s my dream job. As for today… Amy Crookes is incredible. Her work has a strong, clean, and modern feel. She and I have been friends since we met during our first week at university in Sydney.
She walked with me in my first show last year, in a full-circle moment that was very touching. Isabelle Hellyer, of all is gentle spring, has a vision so razor-focused that I admire her. She’s extremely smart and charismatic, and her work is so direct, and unwavering, beautiful. She knows business better than anyone else, I’m envious. Maroske Peech’s are amazing. They bring a new perspective to fashion. And they bridge the gap between high fashion and craft core brands. Fit and make, and the fabrications of these garments are extremely luxurious. They have a real sense of elegance and humour.