Last week I made my way through peak hour traffic and stressful motorways (Note to self: Don't detour from usual route) to the other side of town to be humbly welcomed by the steps of a lovely cream coloured Queenslander house, residence of the lovely Ashiya Omundsen. New comer in the fashion design world and the proud owner of her very own vintage inspired label, the House of Cards. Blogger buddy Bianca Blades from sargasso-sea and I had the opportunity to sit down with the young talent and view her latest collection.
Some comments from the designer herself...
As a designer, do you find your self sourcing inspiration for your collections or are you more inspired by your surroundings and day to day life style?
It's definitely a mixture of the two. I'm constantly thinking of ideas at the most inconvenient of times, if I'm lucky I remember to write them down. I think if inspiration is drawn from a whole bunch of things & places, a more unique result will be achieved. Tell me about your design and fashion background and what you have worked on in the past ?
When I was 10 I made my little sister a swimsuit for Christmas from some fluro green & orange Lycra I had picked up at the salvos. I think it was slightly Flinstones inspired, I remember it being a master piece, it probably wasn't. I think after one wear in the pool mum forbid her from wearing it again in fear that it would fall apart in the water.
It's what I've wanted to do since I was a kid & like most childhood dreams I never thought it would become a reality. I'm so lucky I have so many amazing friends that want to help me out, their support is probably one of the biggest reasons I have been able to start the label.
Tell me about your my recent collection and what inspired the prints and designs ?
This first collection has probably been designed a little selfishly, I've pretty much created 21 pieces that I want to be wearing this coming summer
Has this been a lengthy and worthwhile process and what are some valuable things you have learnt along the way?Absolutely. Every aspect of everything I've been doing, I have been doing for the first time & learning as I go, it's insanely scary! Especially alone in a new country (Note: She has been traveling back and forth to Indonesia for months at a time on her own). I love learning though, so that's lucky I suppose.
Who would the House of Cards appeal to and why ? What kind of girl enjoys wearing House of Cards ?I think there are pieces for all kinds of girls in this collection. But in general, it is all very feminine
What direction do you see your label going in ?
Australia, Japan... the rest of the world! It would be super duper if the label allowed me to travel the world.
What are your views on ethically produced pieces and do you believe your garments are sustainable and why ?
Fair trade is super important to me. I think people can jump to the conclusion that something isn't ethical if its being produced off shore, & sometimes that can be true, but not always. My collection is produced by a number of locally owned & operated small businesses in Indonesia, all of which have employees who work 8 hour days. I've been to each place several times & I'm in close communication with each. At one point I waited for an hour watching Indonesian sitcoms while everybody was on lunch, the conditions are very similar to those in Australia.
As for sustainability, using sustainable fabrics is something I definitely plan on looking at in the future. For now my garments are as sustainable as the wearer makes them. My pieces aren't what I would consider to be 'fast fashion' but rather pieces that can be worn this summer & in the summers to come.
Pick one item from your collection, describe it and tell me how you would style it and why it's your favourite.
The t shirt, its a light cotton jersey with a thick 2cm cotton/spandex blend ribbing around the neck & sleeve, with a curved hemline. The style & shape reminds me of the t shirts I see on my Dad in old photos from the 70's, but with a feminine, all over sky blue paisley print. Its such a basic piece, but I love it. I really like teaming it with a midi skirt & vintage choker.
If you get a chance, go over to Sargasso-sea and have a look at the wicked little vinterview (copying writing that word!) that Bianca has put together. Accompanied with Beach Boys background music and starring a snippet of Moi, doing my thang!
TUNE IN TOMORROW FOR A SPECIAL GIVE AWAY PROMOTION FROM HOUSE OF CARDS
Images: from House of Cards and Sargasso-sea
Images: from House of Cards and Sargasso-sea
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