We own the Melbourne brand and creative platform, Ms. Pam where we endeavour to encourage and support local up-and-coming creatives, while acting as a creative outlet for ourselves too. We began in lockdown of 2020 as a way to create some Purpose And Meaning (MS. PAM) for us as new graduates. From there we realised that we could help other creatives in similar situations to us. We use a combination of our own designs as well as local artist’s designs for our clothing and goods.
As two newly graduated creatives with limited job opportunities due to the pandemic, our decision to start a business together was one that could not have come at a better time. In a period of uncertainty in both our careers and the world, Ms. Pam became a project for us to focus our energy on to both keep us busy and to gain experience in an ever changing creative industry first-hand. Ms. Pam helped us find our feet and we soon realised that our platform could help others find theirs through collaborative projects and through our Creative Directory on our website.
Our goal was to create a brand that both consciously highlights the creative collaboration occurring behind the scenes, and to showcase gender neutral content on our social platforms while striving to keep an even balance of both male and female identifying clothing in our range.
In what ways have you worked with other creatives?
We aim to find new and innovative ways to showcase the works of others within our community. One example of this is a campaign we began this year called ‘Ms. Pam’s Plates’, in which featured creatives design artwork for a plate in their own specific style to then be auctioned off on our Instagram page. In order to highlight the featured creative further, we reshare their previous work to our audience in the lead up to the auction. Currently we are running a ‘Creative Challenge’ where we have asked up-and-coming artists to respond within their own medium to a brief we have written, to be posted on our social media.
We work to create a culture where artists are given constructive feedback and adequately paid for their time and most importantly, a space where they can have a proper go in their own style, without fear of judgement.
In addition to this, we have commissioned multiple artists to design apparel and goods which we sell via our websites. We have deliberately left Ms. Pam’s branding quite broad, so that artists can reinterpret our tone of voice however they see fit.
Every creative that we work with, whether that be for our Plates Campaign, our Creative Challenges or for clothing and goods design, is listed on our ‘Creative Directory’ on our website. This listing includes a headshot, a bio about their creative work as well as a link to check out more of their work.
We both have a really strong connection to our brand as we built it from the ground up during such a difficult time in our lives, with both the pandemic and being fresh grads. We put our hearts and souls into it and Ms. Pam is our lovechild; although there have inevitably been many challenges along the way, we have loved every moment and can’t wait to see where it takes us in the future.
What is next for you?
Looking forward, we want to continue to connect with other creatives and supply them with a space where they can create in a constructive and supportive environment. We are also consistently working on finding more ethical and sustainable ways to produce our clothing and goods. As of this month, we are working with an ethical manufacturer in Bali to create some of our apparel, who promises that all staff are paid a monthly wage, minimum four weeks annual leave, cultural holidays, sick leave and have funded medical care for their whole family. The manufacturer also provides food for the staff and supports each staff member through their own personal hurdles. They are not treated like a disposable at a sweat-shop, they are respected for the talented human beings that they are.
We are also in the midst of an exciting project for the mental health charity, LIVIN for Melbourne Fashion Week this year. We have designed a t-shirt and tote bag that aims to encourage people to speak up about their mental health in a way that aligns with Ms. Pam. We are really excited to be a part of such a great cause and we are looking forward to setting up shop in the city to welcome customers (in real life) to a store we will be running for the next few months - so make sure you come and say hey!
