Interview with

Design Federation spoke to emerging designer, Rachael Cassar about her label of the same name, begun in 2006 and why eco-chic is the one trend in fashion that ain’t going away.

Describe Rachael Cassar the person?

Obsessive. Hoarder. Collector. Dreamer.

Describe Rachael Cassar the label?
The label is experimental, tactile, dark, feminine, strong, luxurious, seductive, fun and eco friendly.
At the moment ”˜Rachael Cassar’ is a made to measure service, every design is a ”˜one off’. I experiment with deconstruction, a process which reclaims existing fabrics. Quality second hand garments are sourced, unpicked and reduced to a flat piece of fabric then re-used in new designs. This is a form of Up-cycling. My ranges are made from 95% recycled materials. Purchased fabrics are second hand, off cuts, table cloths with a special preference for antique lace, silk, cotton, tulle, leather and chiffon. Crystals and old chandelier pieces adorn the garments.

How important to you is sustainable fashion and why?
Sustainable fashion is extremely important to me as having learnt at uni the massive impact the fashion industry alone has on the degradation of our environment and resource depletion. I couldn’t help but feel it my responsibility to rethink materials I use and production methods in order to make my contribution more environmentally friendly. It has become a passion of mine as I want to show people that even though being sustainable means having restrictive choices on fabrication materials and production, this doesn’t mean ones design style has to be stifled. Having limitations often brings about more creative and innovative solutions which in the end can produce equally exciting fashion competing against non-eco fashion

Do you think that the international fashion community is doing enough for this cause?

I believe in the last 5 years eco fashion has exploded! More and more eco runway shows are appearing in cities around the world. However what would be ideal is for eco fashion not to be isolated as a separate fashion unit but rather to join with the mainstream fashion industry and have fashion parades that co-exist in order to communicate to society that yes it is eco but the fashion aesthetic element is just as worthy of recognition.

Have you found the Australian fashion industry supportive of your efforts in the new, eco fashion movement?
The Australian fashion eco community is rapidly growing. At the moment I think the industry is more interested in the growing movement, Who is doing what? What kind of fashion is eco fashion? We are still trying to establish what sustainable fashion actually means. I think it has taken a while because there has been a general impression amongst industry and society that eco fashion is just hemp and organic cotton, so is quite plain, practical and boring. The myth is slowly changing through media attention on designers and more runway shows that present eco fashion with bold aesthetics. This is educating society more about alternative choices. Choices that don’t sacrifice what people are attracted to with fashion.

I see deconstruction and specifically ”˜Up-cycling’ as a catalyst to the more rapid acceptance of Eco fashion in Australia, creating Fashion Design that is environmentally friendly, while at the same time being innovative, exciting and aesthetically appealing.

Hopefully in the next few years, boutiques and department stores will embrace the idea of one off pieces and start to promote fashion that has been designed with a conscience, which is not based on mass producing fast, cheap trends but instead aims to explore the possibilities of experimental quality design.

Which designers inspire you and why?
Alexander McQueen. Genius! He manages to take you to another world through his own stylized aesthetic. His couture has no boundaries. He gives me a heart attack.

How has winning Mittelmoda shaped your work since?
Mittelmoda has given me the confidence to continue to develop my design style. It was an affirming experience, as the competition had nothing to do with eco fashion, my designs won based on aesthetics first. I was put on an even playing field, which was really important to me. That the designs were worthy in their own right.

It pushed me past feeling like a student, and owning my design style and admitting to myself that what I was doing was actually good! Creative industries are so subjective and full of amazing different ideas that you tend to feel lost amongst the many. I was lucky. Being young and judged by such dignitaries of the international fashion world, then winning out of over 600 entries and 27 finalists was an overwhelming, unexpected amazing moment, a moment that encouraged me to keep going.

Where would you like your label to be in the future?
My goal is to open my own boutique while being stocked in retail stores as well. To take the label to an international platform. Recently I have made a leather bag range that I also hope to develop and incorporate with the apparel. It will take time, but one day I hope it can all be done.

And in the meantime we can catch you”….?
Hopefully a few more fashion parades will be popping up. I am starting to plan my new collection and get that out and about early next year. Hopefully in 2009 a select few of garments and accessories will be stocked in some Sydney/Melbourne boutiques. In the meantime my work can be viewed at www.rachaelcassar.com

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Tags: Eco Fashion, estelle pigott, Rachael Cassar