In a new series of exclusive interviews with some of Melbourne’s most acclaimed designers featured in DesignInspire virtual fair, we delve into the city’s diverse and vibrant creative scene.
As the first stop of our journey, we talked to Lea Oldjohn of Cordê Macrame, which fuses traditional macrame techniques with futuristic shapes, and Delphine Genin, creative director of the haute couture label of the same name.
Cordê Macrame
Tell us about your work and how you started your career in design.
I have been in the fashion industry since my early 20s and have worked for many different companies designing and making patterns. When my last contract finished I decided to challenge myself to make something beautiful from something simple. I chose rope, and the art of knots, which is called macrame. Traditional macrame was used in home wears, but I wanted to see what I could do as far as making fashion art pieces.
What are your daily inspirations?
Most of my work is sculptural so I can find inspiration in the smallest of things, nature is definitely a favourite of mine.
Do you think that design – and more in general art and culture – can be useful tools to better societies?
I love the fact that art is accessible to everyone, no matter the circumstances. Accepting different pieces of art brings us together on a common level .
How do you think the design and art scene differs in Melbourne compared to Hong Kong?
This is an interesting one. Melbourne is a very arts and design driven city. I walk around the city and find inspiration in so many different places from what someone is wearing, to the city’s buildings, and, of course, the amazing museums. I have spent time in Hong Kong and I just love the diversity of the city.
2020 has been a tough year for pretty much every sector. According to many, the creative industries were not given enough support and importance. Would you agree?
As a self-supporting artist, it was really hard to lose the work that gives me the freedom to create , but I did start what I like to call a bread and butter business: Pieces with more competitive prices and that are more commercial, which it has pushed me to do something out of my comfort zone.
How did you cope with the pandemic’s challenges?
It’s been an interesting year, I’ve been spending a lot of time working in my studio on my own, so there wasn’t a great deal of difference there. My art has helped me to cope with the pandemic, it’s very therapeutic and I find knotting a garment very calming. It can take up to 60 hours, so I am constantly thinking of the next knot that I need to do to complete the garment I am working on, hours pass and I am in my own world.
What’s next for you as a designer in 2021?
I want to push the boundaries of what I can do next with the medium of rope and knotting and have more time to dedicate to my pieces .
Is there any particular trend that you see becoming relevant next year or are we saying goodbye to any trend you can’t wait to get rid of?
I don’t follow trends as such but I am always aware of the fashion trends for the coming year. I think my work stands alone as a crossover of art and fashion.
Delphine Genin
Tell us about your work and how you started your career in design.
I first began my career in finance and would design evening gowns and cocktail dresses for myself for various events and business functions. I received so many compliments on the pieces I would create. Being a perfectionist, I searched for the best place in the world to learn the savoir-faire of haute couture embroidery and studied this storied technique at Ecole Lesage in Paris. I was drawn to the symbolism of haute couture embroidery immediately and loved the notion of expressing ideas through small, intricate designs within a garment.
What are your daily inspirations?
I love psychology and understanding the way we, as humans, behave the way we do. I am eternally curious to discover why people think a certain way and how this influences their behaviour. Much of my work considers generally understood social conventions, questioning what is normal and how society and context have framed this understanding.
However, more generally, our clients are our greatest inspiration. After all, when creating couture, each and every piece is so deeply personal and tailored to the client whom it is designed for. I am passionate about uncovering a person’s deepest, truest self and developing ways to express this through the garments we create.
What does the concept “Design for Good” mean to you?
I think in many ways designers are problem solvers. As creatives, we are called upon to use our creativity and ingenuity to, if not solve, certainly contribute to, the solution for the issues we face as a society. One of key aspects of good design is that it is human-centric and should seek to improve upon the situation of the user or wearer. But designing for good should go one step further – considering how the process of creation can benefit the society and the ecosystem in which it is created. This could be through processes such as working with small, local artisans to provide opportunities for economic growth or through representation and celebration of diversity and sharing a platform for the marginalised and disenfranchised members of the community to have a voice.
Do you think that design – and more in general art and culture – can be a useful tools to better societies?
Definitely. Art provides an opportunity to discuss daily issues from a different angle, as well as educate and find alternative solutions to some of the world’s concerns. But for art and culture to have this power, it needs to resonate.
Art has a particular power to form a bridge between cultures, eras, societies and beliefs – which greatly supports social cohesion, by encouraging the viewer to consider a perspective or belief system that might be different to one’s own. The capacity for transformative experiences through art is one of its most powerful attributes and ultimately it helps us to connect better with others.
To do this, art needs to be open and accessible. While our couture garments remain perhaps more exclusive for a certain clientele, we are passionate about sharing and celebrating the world of couture and often hold events, workshops or speeches to share the artistry of haute couture embroidery and the symbolism behind our designs and invite everyone in our community to take part in this journey with us.
How do you think the design and art scene differs in Melbourne compared to Hong Kong?
That’s a good question! I am actually a relatively new Melbournian, having only moved here around seven years ago from France. Whilst I can’t compare directly to Hong Kong, what I can say about the design and art scene in Melbourne is that they embrace a more open, boundless approach to art and culture than what I am used to, compared to France, for example. Melbourne is one of the most dynamic cities in the world and the progressive, eclectic art scene reflects this.
2020 has been a tough year for pretty much every sector. According to many, the creative industries were not given enough support and importance. Would you agree?
This is a complex and complicated issue. Certainly, the arts and creative industries have been some of the most drastically impacted by the events of 2020. My belief for my business, is that we create our own opportunities.
How did you cope with the pandemic’s challenges?
Certainly my background working in business and finance helped a lot. I’ve spent a considerable amount of time working on risk-mitigation and developing strategies and plans to keep a business stable during periods of unexpected change – at least, as well as one can plan for these things.
What’s next for you as a designer in 2021?
We saw an amazing amount of interest in our Delphine Genin School this year – where students can learn the savoir-faire and techniques behind haute couture embroidery for themselves from home – so we are working to develop the next series of lessons for 2021.
Elsewhere, we are working to update our website to better enable us to manage our own services and hold more content, including our expanded bridal offering which features a unique, psychological aspect – connecting to the way we approach all of our couture creations. Finally, we are excited to launch some new couture designs next year, including some daywear options and more couture creations.
Is there any particular trend that you see becoming relevant next year or are we saying goodbye to any trend you can’t wait to get rid of?
Whilst it may not be a trend per se, I think that consumers are moving away from fast-consumption fashion and the notion of throwaway clothing. These “personalised mass productions” as I call them no longer serve the desires and needs of consumers. Today’s consumers expect more from their clothing – whether that is from a functional standpoint, an ethical or moral understanding or whether it is about the emotional and symbolic connection to a particular garment – it is no longer enough to simply exist – clothes must do more, must be more. It is important for the businesses of tomorrow to have an ethical and moral code and a sense of social responsibility to consider their impact on the world on many levels and not just consider how they can be more profitable, but how they can enrich the world.
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