PHOTO BY PATRICK MCCARTHY
A little while ago, I had the pleasure of working with a beautiful, young woman by the name of Yuge Yu. She recently launched her fashion label, YUGE, and kindly agreed to answer some questions regarding her creative lifestyle and debut collection.
Previously working as a lawyer, you have made quite the change in terms
of your career path. What influenced you to leave your profession, and to then design
your first fashion collection?
There was never one definitive
reason for moving away from practising law - a career that I loved and had
worked so hard to excel in that at one point I was pretty convinced it was what
I would do for the rest of my life. At
the time, I felt there were many things happening in my life that called for a
change; forging inspiring new relationships, moving states, experiencing a
terrible home burglary and of course, a growing desire to explore working within
a more creative environment. It was on
the back of this sense that I decided to move towards a paralleled yet
alternative passion of mine in design and fashion.
It was my partner David who
really encouraged me to explore this other side of me. The pieces of clothing
that he always complimented me on were the ones I had made back when I was
18 or 19 years old, so from there, I started sketching designs - a few of which
were loosely based on those pieces I’d made a decade ago.
You have a unique space in which to showcase your product here in
Melbourne; could you tell us more about that?
The beautiful building on
Chapel Street has always been a place where David and I have based ourselves
for work, but a little bit like the elves and the shoemaker, we’ve always done
so hidden from the public eye and have been able to rattle around in our own
little world – actually we’re probably more like the Addams family in their
spooky old house!
The space has gone through
several transformations since it was built at the turn of the 19th
century, originally the Prahran Arcade and it went on to house Turkish baths, the
old Dan Murphy’s, and a host of artists’ studios.
For me to now be able to
showcase my clothing from one of its enchanting ballrooms is extremely special
and it's also a privilege to be able to put it out to the public in a way that I had
always envisioned. It does though cast a
great responsibility to ensure that my clothing, how it’s displayed, and the
traffic through the space is also sensitive to the existing subtleties of the building.
What have been the benefits of working within a creative community? Do
you think that being surrounded by creative people, such as your partner and artist David Bromley,
has helped you to develop as a designer?
I am surrounded by painters,
designers, illustrators, photographers on a daily basis around the studio and I find that this mix of creative energy, which isn’t primarily based in fashion,
has really helped me carve my own path. This path has a strong focus on building a unique
identity and a product that in a sense is more about artistic expression rather
than it being driven by seasonality and trends.
David, whilst he is the
ultimate aesthete, is also such an inspiration and collaborator in all aspects
of building my label - from design, to merchandising to business planning,
production and liaising with stockists and suppliers. We brainstorm everything together, in each of
our business and creative ventures. I find that without our daily talks, I can otherwise
allow my lawyer trained mind to take over, which can be a bit too devil’s
advocate, a lot less playful and definitely not as adventurous!
You tend to use natural fibres in your designs, and have also mentioned
that you would like to make clothing that is transeasonal…
What are your thoughts on the need for a more sustainable garment
industry - do you think that people should be more mindful of their consumption
habits?
I think that I’m a real
consumer; I love new products, gadgets, clothing, shoes... I love innovation and
functionality and I love beautiful things and I think being spurred by these
ideals in many ways makes me very mindful of what it is I choose to purchase.
I find that making clothing
with a very strong seasonality and trend driven direction has the potential to
make the previous season redundant. Both designers and consumers can be
more mindful of how the garment industry is progressing, by creating and
purchasing pieces that are imbued with a sense of longevity.
Do you believe there is more room for new labels in this competitive
market?
I absolutely do, otherwise I wouldn’t
be here!
I used to tutor a lot at university
and one of my introductions to my students was always that they should look
around in class and see that there are hundreds, if not thousands of other
students in the same year as them, graduating around the same time as them, all
pursuing and seeking out to carve a path. Now was the time to start
thinking about how they could set themselves apart.
I’m not sure if it stuck with
anyone, but certainly I think knowing in the back of your mind that just
studying, just working, just creating without considering what is already out
there can stifle creativity and that the opposite, being aware of your
competition can reap great insights into what is missing out there.
What have been the challenges surrounding the launch of your label, ‘Yuge’.
It’s been a real rollercoaster
ride launching my label, with challenges at almost every stage of the process!
Quite honestly though, overcoming the challenges has been what’s made the
entire transition into a new industry so fulfilling.
Production was quite the
undertaking and I found that in launching my label, it soon took a large
component of time and energy away from designing and managing the brand. Being pregnant throughout the entire process didn’t
make things any easier either!! It was however one of the most rewarding experiences to finally receive my pieces in
multiples, to see them hung beautifully and to have others wear them, enjoy them
and make the pieces their own.
How does commercial viability affect your creativity?
I’m actually very pragmatic
with the financial side of my business and am well aware of the constraints
that commerciality has on the extent that I can create.
Ultimately though, commercial
success was never a determining factor in the underlying ethos of my label and
so I set about working on a small scale, very much at home on the sewing
machine. By doing so, I had greater
freedom to experiment, play with fabrics, cuts and by the time it came to
undertaking production, I had a clear focus in mind as to what I would put out
and portray to the public.
It’s put me in good stead
moving forward, as I’ve learnt how to really manage and balance the line between
creating something that is unique with the mechanics of then producing them for
a wider market.
Finally, what is your vision for the label, ‘Yuge’? How will it be
available to the public going forward?
In developing the label, I’ve
moved towards a more bespoke direction in ongoing designs - particularly with
the artists’ studio environment in which I work, where I’m surrounded by the
hand-hewn, hand-embellished and one of a kind.
It has always been my desire
to create clothing that will become a standout and a staple piece to be
personalised by the wearer.
Beyond my current stockists,
looking ahead, I’m really excited about my new website www.yugeyu.com, which will have beautiful galleries of images and
an online shop outlet. Watch this space.
