Pseushi is the genderless Sydney streetwear label making high-quality wardrobe staples
IMAGE VIA PSEUSHI
WORDS BY IZZY WIGHT
“In a time where clothing is as disposable as a meme, there is something special about people making things with their hands.”
Starting a slow fashion label is no easy feat, particularly when you have no formal design training. Wesley Chiang, the Founder of Sydney label Pseushi, has admittedly felt like an industry “outsider” at times. Wesley’s background is in industrial and graphic design, but his untraditional path has given him a “unique perspective on the relationship between product and storytelling”.
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Characterised by punchy graphics, boxy silhouettes and high-quality fabrications, Pseushi is a streetwear label with intention. The brand’s network of local makers, stockists and suppliers is integral to its DNA, and Wesley is passionate about the future prospects of Australian fashion. Below, he speaks on the Pseushi journey so far.
Tell us about you. What’s your fashion background?
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My background is in graphic design and industrial design. I don’t have any formal training or education in fashion so I’ve always felt like a bit of an outsider… although I am glad that my path has given me a unique perspective on the relationship between product and storytelling.
How did the label get started?
It started like most creative projects do, as an outlet. I was interning at SCCO Studio at the time, where I ended up working for a few years. Jarmaine [the Creative Director at SCCO Studio] has remained a close friend and has always been influential in my design thinking. He encouraged me to blend my interests in design and clothing and a few years down the track, here we are!
Talk us through the process and the challenges.
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I spent a few years really getting to know myself as a designer and as a person, and also figuring out what resonates with people. Being self-taught, everything is trial and error. I owe a lot to the local craftspeople, professionals, friends and mentors that I work with. I’ve learnt to accept that running a business means every step is a challenge and everything is a lesson. I constantly remind myself of the long term, instead of wanting to finish off a to-do list.
What were you trying to achieve from the project at the time? How has this evolved and what are you trying to communicate through the brand now?
At the start I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to achieve, I just had young creative energy that I had to release. The brand has really grown with me and its audience and I think I can speak for everyone when I say expectations are a little higher now. Pseushi has grown into a label with its own set of values and goals.
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I’d like to think it’s a testament to the local fashion industry and how resilient these people can be. In a time where clothing is as disposable as a meme, there is something special about people making things with their hands – things that will be cared for.
What are you most proud of in your work on your label?
I’m proud that when people receive their clothing or discover it in a store, they are pleasantly surprised by the quality of materials or how well they are put together. This little piece of magic that happens when people touch these clothes is what keeps me going.
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It’s easy for brands to assume people don’t care, things don’t matter and costs and corners can be cut. But when you stay true to your values and it’s eventually noticed or appreciated by someone that does care, it makes it all worthwhile.
What do you wish you knew when you started?
That it doesn’t get easier… Not to be all gloom and doom, but things get harder and the stakes get bigger. You just grow your ability to take on more.
Who do you think is most exciting in Australian fashion right now?
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There are so many people doing great things in Australia, each with such a unique perspective. Young designers like Jasper (Mutimer) breaking the internet, 108 Warehouse single-handedly changing how people dress in Sydney and retailers like Above The Clouds and Chinatown Country Club bringing in labels that we used to have to fly overseas for.
I’m definitely excited for the future. It’s so easy to overlook Australia as we are such an afterthought for the rest of the world, but things are changing and people are noticing.
What about the Australian fashion industry needs to change?
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I think with social media and globalisation, geographical boundaries are fading away and younger creatives are carving out their own paths. Obviously, apps and views and likes and swipes have their downsides, but there are a lot of opportunities and possibilities now that didn’t exist five years ago. I hope that this new power is harnessed for positive change, instead of becoming newer and bigger contributors to our existing problems.
I also wish people would stop feeling like they have to go overseas to reach a certain level of whatever they’re looking for. Stop underestimating what you can achieve in Australia and stop overestimating what will happen to you if you move overseas. My pet peeve is people saying “Sydney is too small”. There are literally over five million people in this city.
Dream Australian collaborators?
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I have always wanted to make something with Man-tle (Perth). I have a lot of respect for what they do and what they stand for.
Go-to dinner party playlist?
Here.
Who is in your wardrobe right now?
Pseushi, 108 Warehouse, Our Legacy, Kiko Kostadinov.
How can we buy one of your pieces?
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Pseushi.com or at any of our stockists on our stockist page. We also have some new stores working with us for Spring/Summer ’23 arriving in early November, so keep an eye out for that.
Anything else to add?
Shop consciously. Ask yourself why something costs a certain amount, and what you’re actually paying for. Is it good materials? Craftsmanship? Someone’s digital marketing budget? Influencer fee? But also, do whatever you want.
To browse the Pseushi collection, head here.
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