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Melbourne label DocGirl is about the promotion of female genius

PRODUCERS – DOCG AND HANSIKA
PHOTOGRAPHER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR – NATHALIE SCARLETTE
STYLIST – HANSIKA AND NATHALIE SCARLETTE
WORDS – CAIT EMMA BURKE

“It started as an attempt to create a world we want to live in.”

When siblings join forces, great things can happen. (Terrible things can also happen, if you’re eight-year-old-me and my younger sister pranking our little brother.) Two siblings that are a testament to the positive outcomes of this unique bond are fashion designer and stylist, Hansika, and multidisciplinary creator, DocG.

The talented brother-sister duo recently launched DocGirl, a female focused line from DocG Studios. The Melbourne-based label’s first collection, Girls Are Lovelier, features pleated plaid mini skirts (each one handmade by Hansika) lace singlets and berets, as well as a range of T-shirts and hoodies decorated with graphics designed by DocG.


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The collection, and the label as a whole, is not just focused on creating covetable garments – the pair chose the phrase ‘girls are lovelier’ as a way of addressing gender inequality in society, and encouraging women to feel beautiful and powerful just as they are.

We caught up with Hansika and DocG to hear about the challenges of getting their label off the ground during a pandemic, how they work as a duo, and who they admire in the Australian fashion industry.

Tell us about each of you. What are your respective fashion backgrounds?

Hansika: I’m a fashion designer, pattern maker, seamstress and stylist. [I’m] passionate about challenging the status quo and pushing boundaries in men and women’s fashion [and] advocating for female empowerment and promotion of the feminine genius.

DocG: I’m a multidisciplinary curator from [the] Western suburbs of Melbourne. I’ve been working as an artist, stylist, model, photographer and conceptual curator for over five years.

 

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How did the label get started? Talk us through the process and the challenges.

H: Through many conversations, my brother and I have always been determined to work together creatively. After working on a few small projects together we decided to create something with longevity. DocGirl has given me a space to create freely and explore a direction of fashion and art.

A lot of time was put into this project. Every little detail mattered, and we wanted it to be perfect. Creating 50 skirts from scratch, pattern making, sourcing the fabric during a pandemic, cutting the material, and sewing the skirts all had their challenges. I’m glad we spent our COVID experience creating this collection – it took us two years to produce, but the experience has definitely been worth it.

 

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What are you trying to achieve from DocGirl? What’s the ‘why’ behind the label?

H: It started as an attempt to create a world we want to live in. Our collections/works hope to invite participants to feel emboldened and embrace their femininity.

D: I have a responsibility as a brother to protect and look out for my sister – this is deeply rooted in our culture and upbringing. I want to ensure my sister is safe in the industry and help facilitate her freedom and creativity in every space she occupies. As a man, the idea [is that] ‘Girls Are Lovelier’ is an anthem for the next generation of men to understand our responsibility to support our sisters around us.

How would you describe DocGirl to someone who’s never seen it before?

H: Private school girl assassin.

 

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What are you most proud of in your work on DocGirl so far?

H: Creating this body of work has been the most fruitful part of the collaboration. We love every piece in the collection but I’m most proud of our ‘Girls Are Lovelier’ plaid skirts. My brother and I have spent a lot of time creating these from scratch, reconstructing the garment from the hem up. Drawing inspiration from the contrasting styles of youth and elegance, this skirt balances tradition with revolution – everything we aim with DocGirl.

D: Spending all of 2020 to 2021 during the pandemic creating this collection kept us focused on our goal of establishing our family atelier.

Who do you think is most exciting in Australian fashion right now?

H and D: Emily Watson and Ava Nope, [the] Creative Director of Heaven.

What about the Australian fashion industry needs to change?

H and D: Realising young artists, designers [and] stylists that are coming up. Sharing resources, knowledge and giving opportunity to all people.

 

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Dream Australian collaborators?

H and D: Phoebe’s Angels, so inspired by the visual language that she has created within her work. We love the world she’s making.

Go-to dinner party playlist?

H and D: Kanye on repeat.

Who is in your wardrobes right now?

H: Vivienne Westwood and some vintage Prada pieces.
D: CDG + APC = DocG.

How can we buy one of your pieces?

H and D: It’s available through our website and in Japan within our stockists’ stores.

Keep up with DocGirl here, and shop its range here.

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