Ash Grace Gowans (she/they)
Cupid’s Wedding is a slow fashion label entirely conceived in Naarm. Creative Director, Ash, is a soon to be graduate BA fashion student at RMIT University.
Cupid’s Wedding design practice favours the influence of historical dress, mythological symbolism, and intricate detailing; combining these elements allows them to produce intimate, fantasy-centric creations. Designing with genderfluidity and body inclusivity in mind, Cupid’s Wedding reimagines the less accessed aspects of historical silhouette, often referencing the Androgyny of the Dandy and Macaroni eras.
They utilize heritage methodology as it not only produces more meaningful work but more sustainable work. Creating mindfully is an integral part of their design process; their small team are forever conscious of how they obtain materials, exclusively using fabric, trims and thread from strictly deadstock sources. In time for their first collection launch, we sat down with Ash to chat about the label.
Hi Ash! Could you tell me a bit about yourself?
Hi Lucia! I'm a 21-year-old BA Fashion Design student about to complete my degree. I have a rich passion for historical dress favouring its more androgynous and less glamorous qualities. I admire the slow, intimate intricacy that historical-making practices utilize, which I attempt to emulate via my work with Cupid's Wedding. Sustainability and human rights are both passions of mine, and I work hard in my personal life to influence any impact that I as an individual may have. My creative work is no different, as the fashion industry is responsible for an incredible amount of pollution and unethical working conditions. Sustainability and ethics are at the very forefront of my mind.
When did you gain an interest in fashion, and how did Cupid's Wedding come to be?
Not too dissimilar to most of Gen Z, I had a childhood infatuation with Bratz Dolls. I remember adoring their hyper-feminine style and becoming obsessed with the concept of fashion as a whole. My relationship with fashion as a form of escapism expanded from dolls to film, stage shows, and all other forms of storytelling. Costume, specifically historical dress, has always had my heart; It was my gateway to falling in love with intricate garments.
Cupid's Wedding began at the tail end of 2020. With the free time granted by the lockdown, I began making corsets from entirely recycled materials, ranging from vintage duvets to wedding dresses. Because of the one-of-a-kind nature of my chosen materials, each corset was unique and couldn't be replicated. I worked within the custom shape for a while and am now in the transitional period of creating our first ever ready-to-wear collection.
How has the label been getting started? Talk us through the process and the challenges.
It's hard work, but I love every second of it. We have a waitlist of over 500 people waiting to order a custom corset, but we currently don't have the production capacity. By the end of 2022, I'll have graduated from university, at which time I will be able to fully dedicate my time to the label.
Regarding challenges, as sustainability is my primary focus, sourcing materials and fabrics that are truly deadstock can be time-consuming. Another challenge would be proving to consumers that we are a genuinely sustainable and ethical slow fashion label. Differentiating ourselves from other small local labels has been tricky, as the terms 'small’ and 'local' seem too often be mistaken for 'sustainable'.
Where did the name come from?
When conceptualizing the image that I intended the label to omit, I consistently revisited mythology and romanticism. So much of my design persona is centered on theological narrative and its relationship with lust and shame. The concept of Cupid's Wedding consistently re-visited my mind. The tale of Cupid, the Roman god of erotic love, references love, shame, and passion. I imagined his marriage ceremony to utilize the same poeticism and aesthetic imagery as my work, leading me to name the label Cupid's Wedding.
The Oxide Collection
The Oxide collection aims to romanticise the less focused upon aspects of French historical dress and heritage, emphasising the wear of middle-lower class people rather than the regal silhouettes the fashion scape is so familiar with.
Elements of intimacy and androgyny are communicated through the transparent and layered fabric. Mythological symbolism such as the Sacred Heart, the Flightless Dove and the Seraph are embroidered onto relevantly corresponding garment placement.
The collection is comprised of entirely deadstock silk and recycled thread.
Cupid’s Wedding intends to make select garments from the collection available to order as part of our SS23 ready to wear launch.
What are your favourite things about the Naarm industry?
I love the focus local creatives place on inclusivity and individuality. The community feels so richly passionate, with a genuine appreciation for unorthodox artistic expression. There's a connectedness within Naarm's creative realm that feels dissimilar to anything I've known elsewhere.
And, what needs to change?
As mentioned earlier, greenwashing seems to have become increasingly popular. I believe the combination of a hyper-paced trend cycle, rich creative passion, and an intimidatingly talented peer group creates pressure for creatives to produce their work rapidly rather than ethically. The term 'Naarm based' has become more and more prevalent, as many 'local' brands are designing here whilst having their products made overseas. As enticing as the price point is, I think creatives need to remember that the decrease in cost is often due to the abysmal labour and wage laws, disqualifying their work from being advertised as 'ethically made.’
Finally, what projects are next in store for you?
I plan to grow Cupid's Wedding in 2023 and expand our currently tiny team. There may be a few runway events on the horizon that I'm not allowed to mention. Our main focus will be establishing our ready-to-wear collection, and finally being able to keep our online store stocked. We would also love to organise a pop-up event in 2023 to meet some of the angels supporting us!
