Looking at my fashion from the 1980’s and 1990’s.
I recently got the urge to drag out all my old fashion photo albums to do a bit of good old reminiscing. I was confronted by my various fashion incarnations, generally, beaming back from the pages, dressed in what I thought were “groovy outfits” (although, in some I was scowling and downright horrible!). Squeals of disbelief emerged from my mouth and emotions stirred in my belly!
Bad hairstyles aside (and believe me there were some doosies) …I had forgotten just how much I had done in my short 57 years and how all those experiences had impacted my life. But, I must admit, in this instance I did feel a real sense of achievement and pride.
One set of photos, well… a few albums really, got me pretty excited. They spanned the 5 or so years I was a fashion designer in Sydney. My dad a photography teacher at the time took a lot of the photos using unusual backdrops in my hometown of Newcastle.
More were taken when visiting my brother, also a photographer, in rural New South Wales and some more mucking around with my friends in the dingy back lane behind my house.
It was always crazy fun running around like mad things, get dressed and undressed in unusual exposed places with people wondering what on earth we were up to. We experimented with masks, reflections and poses trying to create strong images and be “arty”. I am sure way too many onlookers got to see body parts they shouldn’t have!!
When I got more serious in my business, I hired a model. I remember her name was “Natushka.” She was so lovely. With a friend who was a professional photographer we headed for Balmoral beach in Sydney on a beautiful sunny day to do a “real” fashion shoot of which the results I think, were pretty amazing.
By this stage, I had an agent in New South Wales and was supplying my range to several stores around the state. After a successful fashion show at Centrepoint in Sydney I was approached by the buyer of a major chain store to design a fashion range for pregnant women and women with a fuller figure.
These were the days when these women were grossly undersupplied with anything remotely interesting and basically wore a “sack”. What a challenge! Thankfully it was a success and I went on to supply all their stores Australia Wide.
Looking back, I have good and bad memories of this time. The Fashion Industry is a fickle, difficult and relentless machine which can chew you up and spit you out. (and, believe me… I felt spat out!!) Even though I eventually left the industry I knew the incredible value of my experience and understood that one day I would resurrect these skills to create something new and exciting. The very act of reminiscing made me realise that I had done that. Phew!
So, go on. Get into those cupboards and drag out your albums. Delve into your past, have a bit of a laugh at your hairstyles and clothes and see how far you have come!
Kaye xx
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