Photo Diary: How a Melbourne designer prepares for fashion week

WORDS BY IZZY WIGHT

The method behind the madness.

Fashion week, however glamorous, is no easy feat for those working behind the scenes. The lead-up to the event – for programmers, editors, stylists and designers alike – is a time of mental (and sometimes physical) endurance, often requiring longer days, little sleep and a resilient attitude.

But as an official media partner of this year’s Melbourne Fashion Week (and long-time attendees), the Fashion Journal team can confidently say the madness is all worth it. For local fashion designers, in particular, the month before Melbourne Fashion Week (M/FW) is crunch time.

***Discover up-and-coming local designers in our* Fashion *section.***

For Ajay Jennings, the designer behind the label Moss Tunstall, things have been particularly busy. A month after launching his new collection, Antipodeans, Ajay has been busy creating a one-of-one custom denim look for this year’s Fashion x Art Runway.

“It was a busy week due to my grand-and-somewhat-delusional ambitions, however, it came together,” Ajay explains. “What this visual diary won’t show you are the daily consultations and consolations received from a devoted group of friends and support networks around me à la Chad, Briar, Snake, Jack and so on…”

As they say, it takes a village (or in Ajay’s case, a talented group of good friends). Here, the designer and founder gives us a glimpse into his preparations for this year’s Melbourne Fashion Week.

The studio

A sustained eye-to-eye moment in the mirror on Monday morning, soundtracked by affirmations and sweet, sweet hymns in preparation for the long week ahead. It’s quaint in the studio. Variations, mood boards, inspirations and reference material all revolving around the one-of-one look I am contributing to M/FW 2022 adorn the walls of the studio as I attempt to boil it down to one striking pose.

Collaborative design

Fabric selection for a collaboration with a dear friend and amazing local designer Briar Will for the Moss Tunstall M/FW look.

Searching for end-of-roll spandex at Rathdowne Remnants in Brunswick East, just around the corner from my studio.

Briar Will x Moss garment contraction (hands: first-day intern Ella Cruz).

Behind the scenes

Stop by and try-ons with Marli Maddison.

Interrogating the design of these modestly sized, two-metre long long denim pants. Swift and fine tailoring by Jack Hancock of The System in Abbotsford.

A vision. A beauty. It’s Briar Will.

Production begins

The New Model Beauty Queen production house in Thomastown rented me space and a giant oven to fulfil my manipulated denim dreams.

Baking my marks to heat cure them.

Finishing touches

[This is the] new release Richter R001 denim vest. Manufactured by New Model Beauty Queen using heavyweight, end-of-roll denim. [It’s] short in length, double-pocketed and has slightly larger arm and neck holes to account for long-sleeve numbers worn underneath. It acts as reinforced armour when combating the cold and slays on its own in the heat. Each vest is individually hand-painted by yours truly.