8 creative Australians on what originality really means to them
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ADIDAS ORIGINALS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SULLY ENAYATZADA
STYLING BY CARLOS MANGUBAT
WORDS BY MAGGIE ZHOU
“I’m also against gatekeeping originality. Every person is an original.”
The saying, “Be yourself, everyone else is taken” has been posited by well-meaning folk for decades. You can find it splashed on mugs and high school career counsellors’ office walls. But when Oscar Wilde penned the phrase way back when, I don’t think he could have predicted the noisiness of our current lives.
For something that should come naturally to us, originality is now something we have to work towards. It’s easy to get lost in the busy dog-eat-dog world – sticking to your individual self requires guts. While art is referential, originality in creativity can be difficult to hold onto at times.
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It’s why we reached out to seven Australians in various creative fields, ranging from modelling and food to comedy and art, to see what originality really means to them. In celebration of adidas Originals’ deep roots in culture across the globe and the brand’s ongoing legacy (we’re looking at you, original Icons, Superstars, Gazelles and Sambas), these creatives have embraced originality in their craft from the very beginning. Read on to hear their best advice for staying authentic and true to yourself.
Jess Brohier, she/her, Creative Director of Alt House
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Originality is drawing from your inner self and lived experience. We are all influenced by art, media and creators around us, but being able to fuse what you consume with who you really are is what I strive to do in my work and what keeps it original. In my personal life, this means being my honest unapologetic self and surrounding myself with those who appreciate that and [who] also vibrate on the same frequency.
In my line of work, this means remaining true to my aesthetic and personal visual style, and not succumbing to trends or creating work simply because it’s what people want to see. I find that when I make images for myself, it’s that work that gets the best response and appreciation anyway. It’s a constant reminder to always come back to this.
Jonti Ridley, they/he, model and writer
Originality to me defines the difference between living your life or permitting life to happen around you. Your originality is impossible to replicate when it comes from a place of authenticity, nobody can embrace you like you can. Your style and energy signature are both up to you and yours to redesign at any given moment, which is both very scary and very empowering depending on the day.
Personally, I used to fear originality because I always felt I’d never pass as a beautiful butterfly. Sometimes it can take a little extra time in your chrysalis to realise you are in fact not a butterfly, but a mesmerisingly luminescent moth. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
If you spend all of your time looking at everyone else’s wings, you’ll never notice the intricate combination of patterns and colours that could only ever come from your cocoon. Be your own target audience, create for yourself, design [for] the world you want to live in and open yourself to experimenting. Get weird, be your own bug.
Rong Jake Chen, he/him, model and Founder of Graedance
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Originality, to me, is embracing and celebrating all the ‘otherness’ of your identity that you struggle with and eventually (hopefully) build from. Understanding that we don’t belong in binaries, but rather the grey area in between. Finding the space to meld our own intersectionality with the other amazing parts of our identity is really where the magic happens.
This idea blends very much into how I approach my line of work. Through exploring the grey areas in concepts and techniques, we challenge a status quo held through tradition by melding new world perspectives. Through this contrast, more often than not, we find harmony in its co-existence and a platform for our clients to imbue their own stories upon.
Aurelia St Clair, she/they, comedian, writer and model
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In my line of work, originality means uncovering what’s funny or interesting in the way only I can through my unique lens. My lived experiences, the media I consume, the people I surround myself with and my heritage shape how I see the world and react to it.
Comedy, podcasting and content creation are all about finding a niche with [a] common thread or subject people relate to. You’re trying to have mass appeal but also want to narrow your target audience to be specific to your interests and that can be tricky. The uniqueness in my content comes from my vulnerability, openness and also just thinking and being queer (and I mean queer in both meanings). I’m also against gatekeeping originality. Every person is an original.
Sophie McIntyre, she/her, Founder of Club Sup
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Originality, to me, is acting in truth with what lights your fire. It’s what gets you excited despite trends and despite what others do. It’s going against what everyone else is doing if it doesn’t align with you! A lot of the time I delete social media because I feel like I just live in this echo chamber. I pick up a book, go to a gallery or read anything to ignite the first and the creative spirit.
Dom Skii, he/him, beauty content creator
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This might be a hot take but personally, I think that nothing is ever original anymore. Things done in the past are recycled through time as trends that are renamed. For me, when I think of originality, I think of something that is produced by you, with your own personal touch, inspired by something that is already existing. That to me is originality in its purest form as no one will be able to replicate that. Whether that be the makeup and outfit I wear, it applies to both my career and personal life!
Libby Haines, she/her, artist
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I think originality is being yourself, being the most genuine and true version of yourself. In my personal life, it’s about deliberately making decisions each day that are a reflection of my values and where I want to be. And in regards to my art, it’s about ignoring the noise of the outside world and going within to create something that feels good to make and is a creative reflection of myself.
When someone has put themselves into their work and their essence or their originality is included, you can feel it immediately upon viewing it. It’s like you are getting to know that person in an intimate way through the work they produce.
Sully Enayatzada, he/him, photographer
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Originality means to allow ideas to flow through you naturally, uninhibited by [your] internal roadblocks [of] self-doubt, ego [and] coping mechanisms. Our role as creatives is to be a medium for ideas; sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. As long as we’re open to learning, there are fruits to bear in both instances.
Find out more about adidas’ ongoing Originals legacy here.
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