THE LAIR

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2018-2020 METAMORPHOSIS

SO MUCH HAPPENED DURING THESE YEARS, BUT ONE OF THE BIG CHANGES WAS THE METAMORPHOSIS OF THE LAIR APPAREL.

FROM 2016 WE HAD MADE OUR APPAREL RANGE IN-HOUSE, WE HAD 2-3 GARMENT TECHNICIANS WORKING ALONGSIDE OUR LEATHER ACCESSORIES TEAM, AND ALSO A GRAPHIC DESIGNER AND PR CREW WHICH WAS A HELL OF A LOT OF TEAM FOR OUR SINGLE STUDIO.

THERE WAS FABRIC AND LEATHER ROOLS, OFFCUTS, INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY, PATTERNS AND OFFICE DESKS EVERYWHERE, AND MY ROLE AS DIRECTOR/DESIGNER TURNED MORE INTO MORE OF A C.O.O ROLE.

IT WAS FUN HAVING SUCH A LARGE TEAM DOING SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS AT ONCE, BUT THERE WAS ALSO A UNALLOCATED FEELING OF NEEDING TO SIMPLIFY.

DUE TO A COUPLE OF THE TEXTILE TEAM MEMBERS WRAPPING UP UNI AND FLYING THE LAIR COOP, I DECIDED I WOULD TURN TO OFFSHORE MANUFACTURE TO CONTINUE THE LAIR APPAREL.

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THE DIGITAL HOLE EXPLAINED

SO I THINK I'VE GOTTEN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE 2017-18 BLACK HOLE. I HAD BROKEN UP WITH MY THEN LONG TERM BOYFRIEND, AND WAS DEEPLY HEARTBROKEN, IT LOOKS LIKE ONE OF THOSE TIMES WHERE I DELETED OR HID EVERYTHING THAT MIGHT REMIND YOU OF BETTER HAPPIER HEALTHIER TIMES, AND THE ONLY SKERRICKS OF MEMS I CAN FIND ARE OF ME TRAVELLING THE WORLD, CANADA, NEPAL, MEXICO, MELBOURNE, I WAS RUNN-ING AS FORREST SAID.

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2017 - A DIGITAL BLACK HOLE

I'M ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT DOESN'T BACK UP THEIR PHONE (I MEAN, NOW I DO) AND THERE ARE SOME DARK PERIODS WHERE I HAVE ALMOST NO PROOF OF SHOP LIFE. 2017 IS ONE SUCH TIME. I KNOW WE WE'RE UP TO A LOT IN THE STUDIO, DEVELOPING OUR APPAREL LINE THAT WE THEN MADE IN HOUSE. LOTS OF LINEN IN THOSE DAYS.

IN 2017 MY THEN PARTNER AND I CREATED A VINTAGE LABEL. IT WAS CALLED 'CHUKO' AND WE WENT OVER TO CANADA TO SOURCE VINTAGE THAT CAME IN THROUGH VANCOUVER AND FOR SOME REASON, THERE WAS JUST ABSOLUTE HOARDS OF GREAT VINTAGE THERE! THIS WAS A FUN LITTLE SOJOURN INTO VINTAGE, THAT LASTED JUST ABOUT AS LONG AS THAT RELATIONSHIP DID..

ALSO, THIS IS BEAUTIFUL BELLA, WHO WORKED IN THE LAIR STUDIO FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS! BUT PRIOR TO THAT WOULD MODEL FOR US , AND SOMETIMES HELP OUT WITH FINISHING JEWELLERY BACK IN THOSE DAYS, WHAT A SWEETHEART!

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APPEARANCES 2016

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I LIED ABOUT TONING DOWN THE COACHELLA VIBE

AFTER FINDING MORE PICS OF OUR FIRST YEAR IN MELBOURNE, I MUST SAY I WAS PREMATURE IN THINKING THAT WE HAD BUGUN REFINING WHAT WAS OUR THEN DESIGN AESTHETIC. THE CHOKERS, FRINGE, TASSELS, CONCHOS AND STUDS RAN THEIR COURSE FOR MAYBE ANOTHER TWO YEARS OR SO.

LITERALLY - BURNING MAN 2016.

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WORKING TOWARDS PERMANENCE IN MELBOURNE, 2016

THE FITZROY POP-UP LASTED FOR THREE MONTHS, AT THE END OF WHICH, ROSE AND I WERE EXTREMELY EAGER TO MAKE A PERMANENT SPACE IN MELBOURNE. WE KEPT IN TOUCH WITH OUR LANDLADY FROM THE POP-UP, AND AGREED TO SIGN ONTO A TWO YEAR LEASE THE FOLLOWING YEAR IN 2016.

THE YEARS THAT FOLLOW, 2016-2018 THERE IS A NOTABLE VIBE SHIFT IN TERMS OF DESIGN, WHERE I REMEMBER STARTING TO PAY ATTENTION TO FASHION BEYOND INSTAGRAM, TUMBLR AND RUSSH MAGAZINE, AND STARTED TO ENGAGE WITH STREET FASHION IN MELBOURNE, WHILST SIMULTANEOUSLY (THANK GOD) TONING DOWN ON THE STUDDED AND FRINGED COACHELLA MARKET. SEE BELOW;

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2015, MELBOURNE HERE WE COME

IT WAS JULY 2015 THAT WE OPENED OUR GERTRUDE STREET POP-UP STORE. I CANNOT ACTUALLY REMEMBER HOW THE OPPORTUNITY AROSE.. I THINK I HAD BEEN HOLIDAYING IN MELBOURNE EARLIER IN THE YEAR AND SIMPLY CALLED A TELEPHONE NUMBER IN THE SHOP WINDOW SO GLEAMING WITH OPPORTUNITY. WE MADE IT HAPPEN, THE STUDIO WAS PUMPING OUT STOCK, AND WE GATHERED UP ALL OF OUR COW-HIDE RUGS AND LEATHER TASSELS AND MADE OUR WAY DOWN. I REMEMBER MY OLD DOG WOODY MADE THE TRIP TOO, AND OUR BEAUTIFUL LITTLE MELBOURNE COMMUNITY WERE SO HAPPY TO SEE HIM!

ROSE MY SISTER CAME DOWN AND HELPED SET UP, AND THEN I THINK WORKED THE SUBSEQUENT 3 MONTHS OF THE POP-UP, SLEEPING AT A FRIENDS PLACE AND TAKING HERSELF HAPPILY TO GERTRUDE STREET YOGA EVERY AFTERNOON IN THE FROSTY WINTER.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE LAIR BELTS WERE STILL REIGNING AT THIS TIME, THE CHOKERS WERE HOT AND I'M CERTAIN WE WERE MAKING A LOT OF SKIRTS AT THIS TIME TOO..

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CRUISING THROUGH 2014 WITH ALL THE CONFIDENCE OF A MILLENNIAL WITH INSTAGRAM

I'M GOING TO SKIM 2014 FOR A MIN. ITS MORE OR LESS THE SAME AS THE PREVIOUS YEARS. THERES ONE STRONG THEME, WHICH SEEMS TO BE DESIGN AND EXECUTION OF SAID DESIGNS, OVER AND OVER AND OVER.

IT WAS A VERY INTERESTING TIME WHERE I BECAME CONFIDENT THAT I COULD MAKE ANYTHING I COULD THINK OF, AND DID. I PUMPED OUT IDEAS WITH MORE OR LESS NO CURATION, AND WAS ABSOLUTELY STOKED TO DO SO.

PICS OF THE STORE ARE ABSOLUTELY RIFE WITH STOCK, MAX EVERYTHING; HANDBAGS, BELTS, FOOTWEAR, JEWELLERY, YOU NAME IT, WE CRAMMED IT.

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2013, HUNTER ST

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THE LAIR SKIRTS CIRCA 2013

A FEW MORE CLASSICS FROM 2013. I HAD MADE ONE SKIRT PATTERN THAT WORKED WELL ENOUGH, AND WOULD CONSTANTLY TRANSFORM THE HEMLINE OR THE FEATURE TO CREATE A NEW STYLE.

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HERE WE GO. FROM 2013-14 THE LEATHER GAME WAS RAMPING SO HARD. A FEW OF THE STYLES THE TEAM WAS MANUFACTURING DAILY INCLUDED (FROM TOP LEFT) THE JEFF BUCKLEY BAG, THE ASSYM SKIRT, THE KRAVITZ BAG, AND THE CONCHO AND HENDRIX BELTS. IF YOU WORE ANY ONE OF THESE, AND WENT TO A SPLENDOUR, GROOVIN' THE MOO OR COACHELLA, THEN WE KNOW ONE ANOTHER.

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IF YOU REMEMBER THE JEFF BUCKLEY BAG (SHOWN) YOU HAVE BEEN A FRIEND OF THE LAIR FOR QUITE SOME TIME..

THE DESIGN TRAJECTORY OVER THOSE EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN YEARS WAS THIS; FIRST BELTS, SMALL CLUTCHES AND SKIRTS (DID YOU OWN ONE?), FOLLOWED BY HANDBAGS AND CHOKERS (REMEMBER CHOKERS?)

THE LAIR'S LEATHER ERA, WHICH OF COURSE WE ARE STILL IN, STARTED HEAVILY IN 2012 AND RAMPED UP CONSISTENTLY UNTIL AROUND 2016. WE WE'RE PUMPING OUT SO MUCH GEAR, AT TIMES WE WOULD HAVE 5 TECHNICIANS WORKING IN THE STUDIO, WHICH IN THOSE DAYS WAS LOCATED ABOVE THE STORE. WE WOULD ALL CRAM ON ONE LARGE TABLE, AND HAVE OUR INDIVIDUAL WORKLOADS TO HIT.

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LETS FORGE AHEAD

I'LL TRY TO SPEED THINGS UP A LITTLE, LEST I GET LOST IN 2012.

FROM 2012-14, I STARTED HEAVILY MAKING THINGS. MY BOYFRIEND AT THE TIME BOUGHT ME A SEWING MACHINE, AND LATER ALSO ENROLLED ME IN A JEWELLERY MAKING WORKSHOP TWO DOORS DOWN AT MELT JEWELLERY. BOTH OF THESE GIFTS HAD AN ABSOLUTELY FORMATIVE EFFECT ON THEN 24 YEAR OLD ME, AND I SPENT A HUGE AMOUNT OF TIME DRAWING, DESIGNING AND MAKING ANYTHING I COULD WITH THE LIMITED RESOURCES I HAD.

THIS STARTED BY EMBELLISHING A LOT OF GARMENTS. YOU CAN SEE IN THIS PIC THERE ARE SOME PATCHED AND STUDDED DENIM JACKETS, SOME SPRAY PAINTED MUSCLE SHIRTS, EVEN THE MANNEQUIN LEGS HAVE BEEN SHARPIE TATTOO'ED HA!

LATER IN 2012, I WOULD BEGIN MAKING SILVER JEWELLERY AND LEATHER GOODS FROM SCRATCH. COMING SOON.

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OKAY 2012.

BY NOW I HAD MADE THE MOVE TO TO HUNTER ST MALL. A COUPLE OF FACTORS, KING ST WAS DEAD IN THOSE DAYS, AND THE MALL WAS THRIVING! THE RENT WAS MAYBE AROUND HALF OF WHAT I HAD BEEN PAYING ON KING, SO THAT WORKED FOR ME. I'M SURE A FEW PEOPLE REMEMBER RENEW NEWCASTLE, A GREAT ACTIVATION WHEREBY THE EMPTY SHOPS WERE GIVEN TO YOUND ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS IN AN EFFORT TO ENLIVEN THE STREET.. IT WORKED THOROUGHLY AND THE STREET WAS PUMPING THERE FOR A WHILE. THAT PAIRED WITH THE RED LANTERN NIGHT MARKETS AND IT WAS A PRETTY COOL ZONE FOR RETAIL!

IN THE INTEREST OF ARCHIVING I FEEL THE NEED TO LIST OUT THE BRANDS I HAVE FOUND THAT I STOCKED ON MY FORMER BLOG. HERE THEY ARE;

STYLESTALKER

FRIEND OF MINE

CASSETTE SOCIETY

BJORG JEWELLERY

MANIAMANIA

RVCA

STUSSY

UNIF

KSUBI

STOLEN GIRLFRIENDS CLUB

I'LL LEAVE IT THERE. YOU GET THE DRIFT.

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I SUPPOSE I'LL KEEP LEAKING THESE PICS, BACK FROM THE KING ST LAIR DAYS. OUR FITTING ROOM WAS CLAD WITH PERMANENT MARKERS, OUR RACKS WERE FILLED WITH DENIM (PROBABLY ONE TEASPOON) AND STRIPED SHIRTS (WHICH TOOK ME YEARS TO CLEANSE OUT OF OUR STOCK, AND I STILL GET ANXIOUS ABOUT BUYING BLUE DENIM OR STRIPES HAHA)

FRIENDS ALL GETTING OUR FIRST TATTOOS, AND ME WITH DARK HAIR, IN MY GOTH ERA.

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NOSTALGIA

SO I HAVE UNCOVERED THE LAIRS FIRST TUMBLR ACCOUNT. ESTABLISHED IN 2011, IT IS AS YOU MIGHT SAY 'OF ITS TIME'. ITS VERY PERSONAL, THE RAMBLINGS OF A 23 YEAR OLD WOMAN WHO THINKS SHES A PUNK AND WANTS TO TEAR EVERYTHING DOWN, BUT AT THE SAME TIME IS ABSOLUTELY DESPERATE TO ESTABLISH A FUTURE AND MAINTAIN SOME SORT OF CONSISTENCY.

ITS LOOKING LIKE THIS TUMBLR IS GOING TO BE A GOOD DOSE OF NOSTALGIA FOR A WHILE. IM IN MY NOSTALGIA ERA. LETS LOOK BACK.

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2011 - KING ST

I'M GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOME SERIOUS DIGGING TO FIND SOME IMAGERY OF THE FIRST STORE. IT WAS 168 KING ST, AND I LOOK OVER THE EXISTING BUSINESS AND LEASE ETC AS IT WERE. I REMEMBER ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I CREATED TO DIFFERENTIATE THE STORE WAS TAKING MY OLD RUINED BIKE, AND MY THEN BOYFRIEND AND I SPRAY PAINTED IT FLURO PINK, AND HUNG IT FROM THE RAFTERS OUTSIDE OF THE SHOP ON THE STREETFRONT. WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE COOLEST THING ON THE STREET.

I'M HOPING I CAN DIG UP SOME PICS, AS I'M ONE OF THOSE DIGI-LOSERS WHO LITERALLY HAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANYTHING BEFORE 5 YEARS AGO DUE TO BEING UNABLE TO UNDERSTAND ICLOUD AND/OR THE LOGISTICS OF BACKING-UP A PHONE.