Debuting at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week as part of The New Generation Group Collection cohort,
Garth Cook’s entrance onto the Australian fashion scene was simply stunning. Sleek, elegant and mature, the Perth born designer’s summer range was mature beyond the gambit one would expect from one so new to the runway, perhaps a reflection of his in invaluable experience at Marios Schwab and Husam el Odeh. Combining retro femininity with directional futurism, Cook is a force for change in an Australia, one of a few new faces that is set to rock the proverbial boat and pique interest in this industry on an international level. I caught up with Garth to talk fashion, sculpture and Winona Ryder…
When did you start designing?
I was a fine jewellery designer for many years before I moved into fashion. I had always wanted to do fashion for as long as I can remember but I probably started sketching fashion images when I was about 16 or 17.
What is your debut RAFW collection about?
The collection Amorphous Geometrics is about collapsing strong geometric shapes into soft draped garments. So starting with squares and rectangles and thinking about the placement of these on the body to form a garment that still has it’s original shape but which is transformed by small tucks or pleats into a soft silhouette. A lot of the garments are cut from a single piece of fabric and have minimal seaming. The research also contains robotic structures and sculpture that can be seen in some of the silk organza pleated work.
What did RAFW mean to you?
RAFW is a pretty big deal to me. I had only done one other parade before this so this was a huge learning curve. I was glad to be a part of such a large industry event.
There seems to be a lot of mixed textures in your work- where does this come from and what does it mean to you?
I was looking at sculpture and metal work along side traditional Mayan and American Indian dress. I didn’t take their textures so literally but I loved the depth of the textiles and the softness they projected. Two of the main fabrics I sourced were from Belgium. They have a remarkable texture and feel beautiful on the body. One in particular has a soft metallic sheen to it whilst the other, a knit fabric looks heavy and warm but is actually almost sheer. The pile of the fabric gives it a deceiving look, which I thought was interesting.
What inspires you?
The collection was inspired by Sculpture, Lucy and Bart, Jeff Koon; Robotic structures Mayans, Indian and a lot of other things. It probably sounds like a mess but there are references to these things through the colour palette, texture and shape of the garments. At the moment I a little obsessed with Winona Ryder and all things black and silk organza.
If you weren't designing, what would you be doing?
Still working in fashion in some capacity. I lecture part time at the The West Australian School of Art and Design and I love it.
What's next on the cards?
Working on the winter collection and hopefully a busy production for summer.