Slow creation and storytelling are at the heart of Australian label Monirath’s sculptural jewellery
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHERIL SANCHEZ
STYLING BY FABBBULOSA
MODELLED BY KALYSSE ANTHONY
WORDS BY MAGGIE ZHOU
Jewellery that doesn’t care it’s often unwearable.
Australian label Monirath‘s creations are otherworldly. Oversized starfish earrings made from freshwater pearls, angel-style resin earrings and a hat that mirrors the look of waves – these sound like whimsical items from a dream, but they’ve been pulled into reality by the founder and maker of Monirath, Mollika Prak.
Named after Mollika’s middle name, Monirath is an experimental, sculptural jewellery brand that prides itself on making wearable (and unwearable) art pieces. Apart from a month’s stint at a goldsmith school, Mollika is completely self-taught.
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The creative, who splits her time between Melbourne and Brisbane, handmakes everything. Her jewellery has been featured in the film Everything, Everywhere, All At Once and on celebrities like Hailee Steinfeld, Grimes and Rina Sawayama. But don’t get it twisted, Monirath’s brand messaging has barely budged, even with all the recognition from the global fashion stage. Below, hear how the label has evolved in its six-year journey so far.
Tell us about you. What’s your fashion background?
I’ve had help in a few areas but when I started in 2018, I was completely self-taught. I was just making jewellery for myself, so it wasn’t that serious. When my business blew up and simultaneously became a lot more serious, I went to goldsmith school for a month to learn the basics and then decided to learn the rest on YouTube because classes got too expensive.
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I also studied fashion communication to learn more about the behind-the-scenes work in the industry, which has really helped me continue building and modifying my brand.
How did the label get started? Talk us through the process and the challenges.
Initially, my jewellery was something I only made for myself and my friends to enjoy. I didn’t like anything on the market, and if I did, it was too expensive. One of my earliest memories of bold jewellery design was discovering Yoon Ann’s Ambush… her 2017 to 2019 collections stood out to me so much.
She took the concept of DIY fashion and made it luxe: zip-tie bracelets, safety pin and padlock earrings, cigarette and lighter necklaces – I thought it was so innovative. My early concepts were inspired by her work until [I] branched out into my own designs. That’s when I started my brand. I tweeted a photo of my Chandelearrings and shortly after that my Sex Earrings. I just feel like it all blew up overnight.
In terms of my process and inspiration – I get it [from] everywhere. For the past few years, I’ve been inspired by film; I’m such a nerd about it. Going to the cinema is so expensive now but I used to visit the cinema and do triple bills until my eyes bled. When I sketch a piece, I envision a person who I’d like to see wearing it.
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Like, what would a Gregg Araki character wear, or what does a Northern Italy summer vacation look like on the ears? The neck? I take note of a lot of things I watch in film. Mostly it’s mentally, but if it stands out (like Éric Rohmer’s production design for example), I’ll take a screenshot and add it to my album gallery. It’s nice to scroll through it sometimes to see old ideas or phases of my life and how I’ve aged and my taste has matured. It’s almost like a time capsule.
Ideas are yours for a few months to a year, and [when] you finally share [them] with the world, the challenge comes when everyone wants a piece of it. Right now, I’m lucky I can keep up with demand. The problem falls more so [with] press and being credited; it’s such a huge problem for young designers.
I’ve been promised many times that I’d be credited in print for work I assist in – whether that be for pulls or custom work, and nothing comes of it. It’s always a punch in the gut when that happens. Even though I’m very selective [about] the projects I join, I still face this issue. I just want stylists to understand how much a tag can do for small brands. Even then, I’ve had the pleasure of working with so many good ones.
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How has this evolved and what are you trying to communicate through the brand now?
I haven’t created anything new for a while. Ever since the pandemic, I’ve hit a huge creative block. I have a book full of sketches but none of it is fully cohesive enough to release. I enjoy releasing a body of work with a story, I’m a perfectionist and I don’t believe I should create something wasteful for the sake of following a trend and a quick cash grab.
So I’m taking my time and constantly seeking different sources of inspiration and getting involved in a few exciting projects that I will announce soon. A lot of these things have triggered a creative spark and I really hope it leads to something amazing!
How would you describe your brand to someone who’s never seen it before?
Experimental, dramatic performance wear [that’s] oftentimes unwearable.
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What are you most proud of in your work on your brand?
I definitely think it was being featured in the film Everything, Everywhere, All At Once. There’s a scene where my gloves appear on the all-white Goddess Jobu look. It’s so breathtaking and it definitely wasn’t the type of setting I envisioned the gloves in when I created [them].
The costume design was also nominated for an Academy Award, which led to my gloves being on the Oscars stage during the televised ceremony. It was such a surreal moment. My end goal is to get into costume design for film and TV, so I definitely think it’s a step in the right direction.
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What do you wish you had known when you started?
I started with no experience and no industry friends to give me advice on how to conduct business with stylists. I definitely think I was being taken advantage of when I first started. What I wish I knew was not to be intimidated by stylists that have major clients and [to] make sure to set clear terms before loaning off pieces. My work is my soul, and I need to make sure I’m being respected.
Who is most exciting in the Australian fashion scene right now?
I think what Kim Russell is doing with fashion research and curation is so exciting right now. She is the real deal. Her mind is an encyclopaedia of fashion history, [she’s] so well-researched and I love her hot takes. I also admire how she’s a mum and simultaneously has such a global cultural footprint [through] her influence and unique online feed. And she is doing everything from Perth! I’m really excited to see where her career goes and what other major things she does.
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What about the Australian fashion scene needs to change?
We all need to slow down. I sound like I’m a broken record but I’m so sick of the trend turnover cycle because of social media and the level we’re consuming ideas and trends. I’m also very tired of the hustle culture mentality. Let’s take a breather and regroup!
To take a closer look at Monirath’s creations, head here.
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