Tell us about yourself?
Hi! My name is Amy, I’m a 25 year old, Sydney based fashion designer specialising in print and especially digital print. Besides fashion, I love cooking. I always want to have my friends over for dinner, but our schedules rarely align these days. I love my dog, Manchee, who lives with my parents and I miss him, and even though I don’t go as much as I used to, I love the beach.
How would you describe your designs and style?
Bright, bold, print oriented, my digital prints have been described as psychedelic but I also love having a nostalgic element to my designs, referencing my own childhood and the way I used to dress. Something about my designs is a bit beachy which, again, is a reference to my childhood.
The nostalgic element is really important to me, it’s where all my designs start, from surface design to silhouette. I think the combination of old and familiar with new and unfamiliar gives the designs depth. It adds an element that is personal to me which is unique but also relatable.
Have you always known you wanted to work in the fashion industry?
I’ve not always known I wanted to work in the fashion industry but I have always wanted to do something creative. Pretty much everyone in my family is creative in someway so its just always felt natural to follow.
What is your most favourite piece you have made?
My favourite piece I’ve made are a pair of pants I call the ‘illusion pant’. The design is basically one pair of pants sewn to the front of another with an all over floral print. I call them the ‘illusion pant’ because the print makes them feel like one of those magic eye artworks that looks just like a bunch of colours and shapes but if you stare at them long you can see an image. I love wearing them and I love the moment when people realise they’re looking at two pairs of pants sewn together.
Your fabrics are so unique, how do you find the creativity to produce new designs?
All my digital prints are collages of my own photos which I play around with in photoshop. I use photos of myself, my friends and just other things I like. I also screen print a variety of Amy Baran logos which are inspired by the logos found on clothes in photos of my from the 2000s. I think the key to the uniqueness of my designs is that everything is personal to me and I’m drawing inspiration from my own experiences.
Would you share your thoughts on plagiarism in the fashion industry? Are you ever worried that your designs could be imitated?
I’m not so much worried that my designs will be imitated, in saying that, I would be devastated if they were, but the reason why its so frustrating to me is that its just one big cog in the machine of why the fashion system is so terrible. Fast fashion companies copying independent and emerging designers speaks volumes to how much the greater industry actually cares about them. It feeds the consumerist mindset of buying more for less and completely devalues the clothes that are being imitated.
What is next for you?
I’m currently working on setting up my website so I can start retailing some pieces, and now I have a small studio space set up, hopefully I can push out a collection by the end of the year.