Who Am U is the emerging Sydney label creating ‘romantic baroque’ pieces
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIMILEHIN AKINDOYENI
WORDS BY CAIT EMMA BURKE
“Each look that came to fruition was a direct reflection of my relationship with sound and fabric.”
For Sydney-based designer and musician Samara Darling, the symbiotic relationship between fashion and music has always been pivotal to her creative output. A lifelong interest in both areas led her to study a Bachelor of Fashion Design at TAFE, where the music she was creating alongside other musicians ended up informing her graduate collection.
Working alongside five others, she collaborated on an ambient soundscape which she used to inspire the shapes, textures and silhouettes of her designs. The resulting pieces are floaty and dramatic, a style she calls ‘romantic baroque’ with a dash of ‘chaos’.
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Last month, her label Who Am U made its runway debut, showing her graduate collection at Australian Fashion Week’s The Innovators: Fashion Design Studio TAFE NSW show. Below, Samara shares how the label got its start and what the process of pulling her collection together was like.
Tell us about you. What’s your fashion background?
I grew up on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, in a cute little town called Maleny. I spent many years of my childhood dressing up in my grandmother’s clothes with my cousins. Grandma was a total icon. I don’t think I realised the impact that had on me until I started studying fashion in 2021.
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I studied a Bachelor of Fashion Design at TAFE in Sydney, finishing just last year with a whole eight-piece collection under my belt. This year, I was invited to show my graduate collection at Australian Fashion Week as part of The Innovators: Fashion Design Studio TAFE NSW show.
How did the label get started? Talk us through the process and the challenges.
I started conceptualising what I wanted to contribute to the fashion industry before I started studying. A friend of mine Lucinda and I were living in Newcastle and started working on a little T-shirt brand called Dirty Diingo. This was sort of the beginning of thinking about how exciting it is to work with others on creative projects, collaborating and being a boss woman.
Who Am U, however, was born out of my degree. The more I learned through my course, the stronger I felt backing my design aesthetic and the identity of the brand evolved garment by garment. I’ve only just begun though really. Baby steps, yeah?
How would you describe your label to someone who’s never seen it before?
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Chaotic, romantic [and] baroque chic. I have an obsession with texture. Sometimes [it’s] obvious but more often than not it’s quite subtle. I find it really hard to leave garments without texture. My design process involves using music to guide my initial designs. The concept for my last collection was ‘non-verbal communication’. As part of this, I collaborated with five other musicians to create an ambient soundscape.
As the layers of instruments were recorded and sent through I would then use these sounds to inform the textures, shapes and silhouettes through the collection. I would say that as I continue to grow as a designer my aesthetic changes a lot based on the kind of music I’m listening to/making at the time.
What are you most proud of in your work on your label?
Honestly, I’m so proud of the fact I was able to combine the two things I’m most passionate about: music and fashion. Working on this project for over a year was a real testament to that passion. It was a mighty challenge to keep up the stamina over such a long period of time. Designing, pattern making, sewing, re-designing, sewing, sewing and sewing.
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Each look that came to fruition was a direct reflection of my relationship with sound and fabric. Alongside that, getting to collaborate with others on a whole different form of creative communication [was a] super special experience. It’s something I hope I can continue to do.
What do you wish you knew when you started?
Chill. You’re allowed to not flog yourself with hard work all the time. It’s also totally okay to nerd out about the things you’re passionate about. I hope to be more fearless when it comes to talking about the things I care about, particularly the future of sustainable fashion. I can get on such an unstoppable roll and that shouldn’t be something I’m scared of.
Who do you think is most exciting in Australian fashion right now?
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[There are] so many amazing designers in Australia right now, particularly after seeing some stunning stuff come off the runway at Australian Fashion Week in May. Standouts for me were Nicol & Ford and Madre Natura.
Nicol & Ford are incredible storytellers; I’m totally transported whenever I engage with their garments. They allow us to have a glimpse into the fantasy of fashion and that excites me. Madre Natura turned Fashion Week on its head, showing last year’s collection – love this! Shining a light on over-production and consumption and showing us that it’s totally cool and okay not to keep up with the whirlwind of fashion trends.
What about the Australian fashion industry needs to change?
I’m super excited to see what becomes of the push for Australian manufacturing to come back onshore. We need to support our local designers and support a system that will allow businesses to maintain transparent supply chains and encourage a more closed-loop system.
How can we buy one of your pieces?
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Message me! You can find me on Instagram. I’m still in the process of getting everything set up but I can always do made-to-order or custom/collabs.
Anything else to add?
Be brave! Australia needs a little more fun and freakiness in their wardrobe.
You can keep up with Who Am U here.
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