Quiet Ander is the emerging Melbourne label making understated wardrobe staples
IMAGE VIA @QUIETANDER/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY IZZY WIGHT
“My products are uncomplicated and an extension of the wearer’s identity, not the definition of their identity.”
Alexander Bourgazas has been a fashion innovator from early on. Creative by nature, he started screen-printing T-shirts in year 10, selling them to his classmates out of his locker. And after completing a Bachelor of Fashion at RMIT, Alexander won the prestigious Melbourne Fashion Week Student Award in 2020, using the success as a springboard to launch his unisex label, Quiet Ander.
Keep up to date with emerging Australian labels over at our Fashion section.
At only two years since the label’s conception, Quiet Ander is celebrated for its simplistic, function-led design approach. Thoughtfully created using locally-sourced fabrics and slow fashion principles, the Quiet Ander collection is designed to be an extension of the wearer. Below, Alexander speaks on purpose, collaboration and the local fashion scene.
Tell us about you. What’s your fashion background?
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My appreciation for dress started at a very young age but my understanding of fashion as an expression began to form when I was about 16. Like most kids in high school, I had a slight obsession with graphic T-shirts… they were affordable and uncomplicated.
With that in mind, I started to develop my own series of T-shirts at 16. I sold them to classmates out of my locker. As soon as I started seeing my prints worn and appreciated differently by [the] kids I grew up, with my perspective on design shifted entirely. I became more fascinated by expressions of identity through dress.
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Shortly after, I applied and was accepted into RMIT’s fashion program, where I learned how to pattern make and construct a garment from scratch. My time as a student taught me I have a strong admiration for the art of tailoring and menswear.
In my graduating year, I developed a collection titled Kouneli, which focused on subverting the socio-cultural expectations of masculinity through deconstructing classical menswear archetypes. This collection was awarded the Melbourne Fashion Week Student Award for 2020 and became the catalyst for me to launch my own label post-graduation.
How did the label get started? Talk us through the process and the challenges.
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A lack of Australian fashion industry opportunities and an absolute necessity to create! Although I always mapped out having a clothing label, I graduated at the heart of the COVID pandemic and struggled to find work so I decided to bring my timeline forward and create my own opportunity. In 2021 I launched Quiet Ander and haven’t looked back since.
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?
When I started the label, I was designing products for an audience I assumed existed. However, with everyone experiencing the pandemic so differently, the only thing I could rely on was [creating] products based on feeling and purpose.
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As things have begun to normalise again, I have a much clearer idea about who my end consumer is, how they inform my work and most importantly, what they expect from Quiet Ander. The goal for me is always the same – [to] make things that feel right and [to] learn how to make them even better with time.
How would you describe Quiet Ander to someone who’s never seen it before?
Quiet Ander’s purpose is to always offer understated and approachable clothing and accessories. My products are uncomplicated and an extension of the wearer’s identity, not the definition of their identity.
Where did the name come from?
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My family nickname is Ander and I do tend to talk a lot, so I figured Quiet Ander was a nice fit for a clothing brand that wants its products to speak for themselves.
What are you most proud of in your work on your label?
Definitely the Life Bag! It was the first project I started working on after graduating from uni and to see how far it’s come and how many people find a use for it in their own [lives] is truly incredible. In saying that, literally anytime I’m able to speak to my products and show them off to the world, it puts a massive smile on my face!
What do you wish you knew when you started?
Trying to extend yourself beyond your reach is never the answer.
Who do you think is most exciting in the local fashion industry right now?
Melbourne’s emerging designer scene is growing and it’s really exciting to see! I’ve had the pleasure of studying [with] and knowing lots of these people personally, which makes it extra special watching their growth. I’ve currently got my eyes peeled on brands like Clumsy Clumsy, Two Five Footwear, Be Right Back and Wackie Ju.
What about the local fashion industry needs to change?
I’d like to see established Australian brands make more of an effort to create (paid) opportunities for entry-level roles. There are a lot of talented creatives out there that can’t get their foot in the door because they haven’t got five-plus years of experience in an industry that won’t even give them five minutes of experience. Please even out the playing field.
Dream local collaborators?
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I’m manifesting something with Song for the Mute in Sydney! I’ve been a big fan of the brand’s work for some time now and would love the opportunity to collaborate when the timing is right.
Also, anytime I can collaborate with MPK Studios is a bit of a dream for me! I’ve known Matt (who runs the label) since year 10 art class and it’s always special bringing ideas together when we can.
How can we buy one of your pieces?
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All products are available online via my website and at varying market stalls throughout Melbourne. I’m also putting together a pop-up shop later this year to showcase my work on a more intimate level, so watch this space!
Browse the Quiet Ander collection here.
