Good caught up with up and coming fashion designer Georgia Bretnell of AUT’s Fashion School, whose recycled polyester skirt features in Good’s seriously good fashion issue on page 33. We asked her about her fashion inspirations and what’s in store for her in 2016.
Designs from Georgia’s ‘Runway Princess’ rookie collection.
Princess shoes from Georgia’s rookie collection
The Scoobie jacket
What first got you inspired and interested in fashion?
I have loved being creative since I can remember and clothes have always been an exciting creative outlet for me. I really love the ability clothes have to tell a story and the relationship between the clothes and the personality of the wearer.
Which designers are your current fashion inspirations?
I have a bit of a weird mix, but my rookie collection was definitely inspired by Galliano, particularly in the 80s and early 90s. Dame Vivienne was my first love in terms of fashion designers. Ashley Williams is also a huge inspiration, she has such a cool cult following and I love how she has created that through clothes! And Faustine Steinmetz has a really awesome philosophy to her label, producing the most incredible hand woven garments that I would kill to see in real life!
Do you have a must-have piece or accessory for Autumn/Winter?
I just bought this faux fur coat from Savemart with the coolest slouchy pockets I am really excited to do a bit of DIY embellishment on it. More of a winter than autumn piece but I’m sure it will be a staple.
Do you think sustainable fashion is becoming a growing trend in the industry and why?
Definitely. It totally still has a long fight ahead against the consumerist culture we are so used to. But it is great that designers and brands are finally being pushed towards transparency. What also really deserves so much more attention is the Fashion Revolution initiative and support for the people that are suffering the concealed effects of fast fashion.
Tell me about your collaboration with Lucy Clement.
It was so exciting to collaborate on this project. I love having another creative mind to work with. We were both very hands-on and interested in a slightly more unconventional approach to fashion. I actually made a couple of my own textiles as well. Lucy had spent the year coming up with the most amazing textiles inspired by a technocraft approach and it was so exciting to see how the relationship between her textiles and my designs developed.
What’s in store for you in 2016?
I really want to get overseas ASAP, so I am doing Honours this year to set myself up as best I can to explore beyond New Zealand. For me, 2016 is very much about producing work I can make myself known through. I am yet to get establish a website and I don’t have an Instagram handle so I think the time has come to start that up!
Do you have a favourite piece from your collection and why?
I spent FOREVER on this jacket, I like to call it my Scoobie jacket. I made the fabric for it out of this product I found online called Jelly Yarn which is exactly like Scoobies, and it has recycled denim details that I got my friend Phoebe to paint. It just has such a life to it. The idea was for it to have a strong nostalgic value for any girl that grew up in the ‘noughties’.
