Kylah Owo is the Melbourne label inspired by nostalgia and internet subcultures
IMAGE VIA KYLAH OWO
WORDS BY MAGGIE ZHOU
“Being true to yourself is the most vibrant form of rebellion.”
Looking at Kylah Owo‘s pieces, you might mistake them for the costuming of a retro-futuristic film or designs from the height of ’90s rave culture. It’s no surprise that the founder of the label chalks up music, art and fashion as her three “holy trinity” loves. Kylah Palis, who hails from Manor Lakes in Melbourne, pulls from varied sources of inspiration, everything from fantasy vampress personas to pop hits.
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At 21 years of age, the label is a direct reflection of Kylah’s evolving identity. Sure enough, her personal and label‘s Instagram account handles are separated by just one underscore. Kylah pours much of herself into the sartorial pieces she creates, so much so you’ll often find her modelling, styling, photographing and heading up the hair and makeup for shoots. Read more about her hands-on journey with Kylah Owo here.
Tell us about you. What’s your fashion background?
Growing up, I loved to experiment [when] dressing up. [This] led me to find my people and eventually be a part of a creative underground community. I say music, art and fashion is my holy trinity. On my 12th birthday, I enrolled [in] sewing lessons. Before this, I’d make bags and plush toys with my limited knowledge of hand-sewing.
Throughout primary school, I helped show music teachers how to use sewing machines and sewed garments for school productions, which I was a part of too. It was my first dream to pursue music.
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At the time, my Asian parents were concerned about music as a career path and during high school, I investigated fashion. I still made music and performed but I think I had a lot of resentment for not being able to pursue it. Fashion became my rebellion. I did all my fashion design certificates in high school and eventually got my bachelor’s and grad[uate] cert[ificate]. That’s when I got more serious.
How did the label get started? Talk us through the process and the challenges.
I always had a separate page for some of my projects on Instagram. During uni, we had to create a brand and I thought it was perfect that I already had that account. During and after uni I had lost myself a little bit trying to conform to what others wanted from me. I didn’t know where to go and everywhere I turned seemed to be a dead end. I lost myself trying to please everyone until I realised sometimes, [people have] already counted you out from the beginning, so it [doesn’t] matter what you [do].
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So much has changed since then. I became truer to myself and trusted myself more. When I did, others outside of the environment I was in took notice and good things began coming my way again. I believe being true to yourself is the most vibrant form of rebellion.
Where did the name come from?
Kylah Owo had always been my internet name. Growing up I would use my mum’s Facebook account to play games. I loved dressing up my character, customising rooms and displaying all my outfits on the [game’s] walls. In grade two, Mum got frustrated I was always using her Facebook account and suggested [I get an] account for myself but warned me not to put my real name for safety reasons. During this time, there were girls in my area that sold kawaii toys on Facebook that I had taken a big interest in. ‘OwO’ depicted a cute face made of letters [back when] emojis didn’t exist.
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I made it my surname and carried this into all [my] social media. Not many people knew my real surname which allowed me to be my own person as I didn’t get immediately linked and compared to my family who were pastors. Being able to express myself on the internet allowed me to make connections with like-minded people which became a community known as Melbourne’s creative underground scene.
How would you describe your brand to someone who’s never seen it before?
Underground high fashion. A wild [form of] self-expression. My two personas [are] ‘vampress’ and ‘princess’ [which] represent the power felt in darkness and rebellion but also the lightness, vulnerability and sweetness that come in letting go of expectations and being true to you. [Kylah Owo] has elements of chaos and maximalism, but also control and elegance.
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What are you most proud of in your work on your brand?
Finding my way back to who I am is the first and most important thing I am proud of. I’m also grateful for the achievements my work has gotten, such as winning multiple competitions consecutively with Fashion Awards Australia and being featured on ABC News, Wyndham TV and Converse. Also, getting into Melbourne Fashion Hub, showcasing in the Emporium, being mentioned in articles and being invited to [partake in] fashion shows [were] thing[s] I never thought I was capable of.
What do you wish you had known when you started?
I could tell myself many things that would have given my younger self an advantage but looking back, I’m happy with what I had known and believed in [at] that point. I wouldn’t change anything. I now embrace the naivety I had and maybe still do have. I believe I had to go through that journey, even if it was hard and there were times I felt like giving up because it has shaped who I am today.
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What about the Australian and New Zealand fashion scene needs to change?
Diversity and representation are very important… Listening to people is important. Melbourne is one of the most multicultural cities in the world and that should be reflected in our fashion scene. Representation is important as it gives hope to those who have experienced the same struggles as those they see in these positions. Sustainability in fashion is also important as fashion is [one of the] largest polluting industr[ies]. If we want it to continue, we have to do it responsibly.
How can we buy one of your pieces?
Send us a DM on Instagram to place an order! Just let us know what it is you’re interested in, whether it’s a design of mine you’ve seen or a customised order by me, and we can go from there! You can also send us an email at kylah@kylahowo.com. Our website is up and running, and after browsing, it will direct you to our email to place your order.
Take a closer look at Kylah Owo’s pieces here.
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