Suzaan Stander grew up watching her mum sew wedding dresses. By the time she picked up the needle herself, sewing felt instinctual. Although she didn’t initially dream of becoming a designer (instead, she fantasised about being a pop star), it was the idea of creating a character that hooked her.
Now, an honours student at the University of Technology in Sydney, Suzaan has recently completed a six-look collection titled Venal Armour. “[It’s] inspired by characters that occupy the space between fantasy and reality such as dolls, marionette puppets and artworks come to life,” she explains. “I wanted to delve into what would happen if the corset became a living thing of its own accord, taking over the body.”
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Having set out with the goal of creating something distinct, Suzaan took her skills in corsetry and used them to create a collection that strays from traditional craftsmanship. The cost of this was time spent meticulously sewing bone structures and fighting against her inner critic, but the end result is a collection that feels unexpected, abstract and wholly her own.
Suzaan’s collection is one of many student works that will be on display at the National Graduate Showcase x Emporium Melbourne as part of PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival on March 4. Held at the Royal Exhibition Building, the runway will feature 13 graduate designers hand-picked from Australia’s leading fashion institutions. It’s always an exciting glimpse into the future of Australian fashion and Fashion Journal is proud to be a long-time media partner of the event.
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Fashion Journal: Hi Suzaan! Tell me a bit about how you got started in fashion. Did you always want to be a designer?
Suzaan: I didn’t always want to be a designer – as a little girl I wanted to be a pop star! But I realised the part about pop stardom that actually fascinated me was the costumes and the thrill of creating a character. My mum is a bridal dressmaker so ever since I was young, I would watch her sew, whether it was wedding dresses or costumes for me to play in.
She’s the most talented seamstress I know and I think I learnt how to sew just from observing her so much because when I started sewing on my own, it felt instinctual. I’m a total history nerd (the first dress I designed and made was a medieval gown) so my true appreciation of fashion came when I delved into fashion history, obsessing over fashion’s place at the intersection of history and art.
What was your inspiration behind the collection you’re showing for the National Graduate Showcase?
My honours collection, Venal Armour, explores the boundary between person and thing, inspired by characters that occupy the space between fantasy and reality such as dolls, marionette puppets and artworks come to life.
As I mentioned, I love history. For this collection, my fascination with the historical narrative of corsetry, specifically about how much of its accepted history and assumed truths are based on misplaced perceptions of feminine vanity, inspired me. The corset blurring lines between fiction and reality gave me the idea to explore this trait through characters while abstracting the craft of corsetry itself.
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What has the process of creating Venal Armour been like?
The process was definitely a challenging but fulfilling task, and I was able to grow in the sense of trusting myself and my creative vision. I created six looks. Something I think most artists struggle with is to see their work as complete, so it was often a struggle to fight my inner perfectionism and let a garment just be done.
I also had to learn to take time to step back and not be too self-critical, as all designers know the feeling of spending so long working on a project that you start to dislike it.
How would you describe your collection to someone who’s never seen it before?
The collection is supposed to feel like a surrealist art piece and I wanted to delve into what would happen if the corset became a living thing of its own accord, taking over the body. My unique garment construction technique utilises my knowledge of corsetry construction and subverts it to create abstract sculptural silhouettes around the body that speak to a haunting femininity, achieved through meticulously sewn boning structures.
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What are you most proud of in your work so far?
The thing I’m most proud of in my work is that I have honed a distinct creative voice. All throughout my university years, my peers told me they could instantly tell my design style apart. I like the idea of having a creative handprint or signature that people can recognise and it’s something that all the designers I admire have perfected in their own way.
What do you wish you knew when you started on your collection?
That I didn’t have to have it all figured out from the get-go. That’s something the tutors tell you but I didn’t believe it at first. I would constantly stress myself out about not having finalised an idea or changing my perspective, but what I learnt is that you instantly feel more creatively free when you distance yourself from the pressure of sticking to one idea or the way you think a project is supposed to look like.
Who is exciting you the most in local fashion right now?
My friends! My fellow UTS honours graduates are such talented designers. I also love Nicol and Ford, their creative vision, design direction and craftsmanship are amazing. Macami is absolutely killing the fashion photography game. She shot my graduate collection and I’m in awe of her talent. Joely Malcolm kills it on social media, her excellent taste in maximalist fashion has definitely made her my favourite Sydney fashion girl.
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What about the local fashion industry needs to change?
I hope that we start taking more risks. I think there’s space to be more experimental and challenge perceptions of what Australian fashion is. There are so many unique and crazy talented minds that will be able to carve out a place that celebrates expressive and maximalist aesthetics. We have the talent here, we just need to foster a supportive environment to be able to nurture it.
Who are your dream collaborators?
My dream is to dress Chappell Roan. I’m absolutely obsessed with her stage persona and her music. I would also love for my clothes to be photographed by Elizaveta Porodina. Her work is awe-inspiring and that would be the biggest honour for me. If the two of those happened simultaneously somehow I would be able to die happy.
Where do you hope to be in the next five years?
In the next five years, I really hope I’ve started my own brand after gaining industry experience from people and brands who inspire me. I would love to design both ready-to-wear and couture pieces and be known for having a distinct handwriting that sets my pieces apart.
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How can we see more of your work?
I will be posting a lot more from this collection on my Instagram and I’m also looking forward to creating new work as well. I’m planning to have a website up soon to showcase my current work and all my future projects.
Find more from Suzaan here.
This article “The corset became a living thing”: Inside the graduate collection inspired by marionette puppets appeared first on Fashion Journal.
2025-02-25 09:43:00
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