‘She Lives in a Dollhouse’: Inside Caroline Caroline’s uncanny graduate collection
images via @c___caroline/instagram
AS TOLD TO DAISY HENRY
“Some of the most incredible and meaningful work starts from concepts that don’t even make sense at first.”
LCI student Caroline Caroline had to enlist the help of a local boatbuilder when designing her graduate collection, ‘She Lives in a Dollhouse’. Featuring both wood and silk, Caroline drew inspiration from her childhood dollhouse and her dad’s family home in Borneo, Indonesia, exploring the contrast between the idea of a ‘perfect’ world, and the messiness of real life.
Though she describes the overall process as rewarding, working with a material as rigid as wood was no easy task. “Finding a balance between detail, construction and material limitations required constant problem-solving, especially since wood cannot be draped like fabric,” she explains. This led her to a local boatbuilder from Williamstown CNC Works, with whom she worked closely to create accessories, bows and garments made from wood.
For more fashion news, shoots, articles and features, head to our Fashion section.
Looking back now, Caroline is proud that she remained steadfast when it came to her vision. “This process pushed me to think more critically and refine my concepts, allowing me to push the boundaries in this industry,” she tells me. “I’m also proud of being able to collaborate with people who specialise in woodwork, bringing different skills together to create something unexpected.”
Comprising six looks in total, the resulting collection is characterised by exaggerated proportions and silhouettes, while emphasising the value of slow craftsmanship and wearable art.
‘She Lives in a Dollhouse’ is one of many student collections that will be on display at the National Graduate Showcase as part of PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival on February 24. Held at the Royal Exhibition Building, the runway will feature 12 graduate designers hand-picked from Australia’s leading fashion institutions. It’s always an exciting glimpse into the future of Australian fashion and Fashion Journal is proud to be a long-time media partner of the event.
View this post on Instagram
Fashion Journal: Hey Caroline! Tell me about how you first got started in the fashion industry. Did you always want to be a designer?
Caroline: I didn’t always want to be a fashion designer, although I’ve always loved the fashion industry and dressing up in general. Growing up, I wanted to be a music producer or a creative director for a musical artist, but over time, I felt creatively stuck in that field.
I’ve always been creative and loved art, so in high school, I started making fashion sketches as my personal style evolved, mainly because back in my home country, I often felt constrained. It was difficult to dress differently or express myself through fashion. I eventually took a fashion design class out of curiosity and absolutely loved it. That experience made me realise fashion was the path I wanted to pursue.
Tell me about the collection you’re showing for the NGS runway. What was your inspiration and what is the message behind it?
The collection I’m showing for the NGS runway is inspired by my childhood dollhouse, which contrasts the idea of perfection with the messiness of real life. This connects closely to my dad’s family, who lived in a wooden home in Borneo. Using wood as the main medium became a way to honour that background and make the collection more distinctive. The message centres on appreciating craftsmanship, resourcefulness and the value of making things by hand, especially when creation is driven by necessity.
View this post on Instagram
What has the process been like? Have there been many setbacks or challenges along the way?
The process was both challenging and rewarding. Combining delicate materials like silk with rigid materials such as wood was difficult at first. I created three main looks in pink, and the final results stayed very close to my original sketches. The remaining three were more challenging and I experienced a creative block during that stage.
One of the greatest difficulties was translating the concept of ‘wood in fashion’ to professional woodworkers who were unfamiliar with fashion, while also adapting my mentors’ feedback into practical solutions. Finding a balance between detail, construction and material limitations required constant problem-solving, especially since wood cannot be draped like fabric.
How would you describe your collection to someone who’s never seen it before?
I’d describe my collection as very feminine, but also a bit uncanny and weird. It combines two opposite materials in a way that feels unexpected, which makes the pieces surprising to look at.
View this post on Instagram
What are you most proud of in your work so far?
I’m most proud of how I’ve continued to push my ideas around working with wood, even when it challenged both myself and my mentors. This process pushed me to think more critically and refine my concepts, allowing me to push the boundaries in this industry. I’m also proud of being able to collaborate with people who specialise in woodwork, bringing different skills together to create something unexpected.
What do you wish you’d known when you first started your collection?
I wish I’d known how much trial and error would be part of developing this collection. I often expected things to run smoothly, but working with wood and silk means mistakes are unavoidable, especially in early trials. No one creates something complex perfectly on the first attempt. Luckily, Nick (a professional boatbuilder from Williamstown CNC Works) and his team helped me throughout the making of this collection by understanding my creative perspective and ideas.
View this post on Instagram
Who is exciting you the most in local fashion right now?
Right now, Ben Martin’s hair work is incredibly exciting, and his creativity is unreal. I’d really love to collaborate with him someday. I’ve also followed Alice D Magazine for a long time. Its stylists, photoshoots and overall aesthetic consistently inspire me. And honestly, my friends from LCI Melbourne are exceptionally talented, and I’m genuinely excited to see where their work takes them next.
What about the local fashion industry needs to change?
The local fashion industry needs to show greater appreciation for small artists and independent businesses. There should be more value placed on originality, experimentation and creative risk-taking, rather than replication. I think designers shouldn’t feel pressured to immediately justify their ideas – some of the most incredible and meaningful work starts from concepts that don’t even make sense at first and take time to be understood.
Who are your dream collaborators?
My dream collaborators are probably Marina Eerie and Schiaparelli. Growing up, I’ve also always admired musicians and actresses. I would love to dress artists such as Suzanna Son, Nadin Amizah and Sabrina Carpenter.
View this post on Instagram
Where do you hope to be in the next five years?
I’d love to keep making clothes that push the boundaries of fashion. I hope to have a small team to help me showcase my creativity, while being able to travel and continue learning how to sew, design, and understand the fashion business. I think it’s important to always want to keep learning as I grow older.
How can we see more of your work?
Currently, most of my work is on Instagram, where I share ongoing projects and finished pieces. I’m also in the process of developing my own website and working on upcoming shoots for magazines and fashion shows, which will be released over time.
Get your tickets to the NGS Showcase at PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival here.
Liked this? You’ll love these...
