Audrey is a breath of fresh air in the sometimes congestive fashion industry. She works across design, styling, and curation, collaborating with, what seems to be, every Australian up-and-comer.
You studied a Bachelor of Design in Fashion at RMIT, why did you choose shoes over clothes?
I was always drawn to design but I think that with anything creative, like studying fashion, once you start the process it kind of takes away the sheen of it. At least it did for me. I fell into shoemaking through 3D modelling classes at uni. There’s a pretty vibrant underground shoemaking scene in Melbourne too so I had a lot of help starting out. I guess I ultimately got bored of making clothes.
What’s your process?
I hand make all my designs myself and use casting from silicon moulds in a lot of them. To cast from the moulds you basically just need any pre-existing object. For example, the diamond heel of the shoes I made for the Pageant lookbook were cast from this really kitsch looking paperweight I found and set with sparkly resin. I also use 3D printing.
How practical is 3D printing in shoemaking?
Not very. But for the moment my design practice is more of a creative venture than something with a legitimate revenue practicality. Don’t get me wrong, they’re strong enough to hold a person and work well for shoots and things, but I think I’d feel a little uneasy sending someone on their way in some of my designs. In a lot of ways 3D printing in terms of shoes is a bit of a pipe dream, but it’s a technique that’s really speeding up within the industry so you never know!
Considering how involved your pieces are, do you feel at odds with the “fast fashion” revolution?
I think fast fashion has its place in our society and in many ways our world is pretty dominated by it, however I find the grey area in the fashion industry, in terms of ethics, really overwhelming.
Would selling your shoes commercially change your practice?
I would love to be able to make a living off of my designs, however mass-producing my kind of aesthetic – things like resin heels – is a whole different ball game. Another thing I really struggle with in large-scale production is not knowing where something’s made, or who’s made it. I have a lot of difficulty being unable to vouch for the fact that no one was ripped off in the process. If I was going to get my stuff made on a more commercial level I would try to produce in Australia where I know there are quite stringent regulations on those kind of things.
Your website states you’re a Shoemaker, Freelance Stylist and aspiring Design Curator. As the creative industry grows and creatives become increasingly multi-faceted, is it getting more or less difficult to break into?
I think a lot of us are super lucky that we have the freedom to try lots of different things without the pressure of going straight into a career. The internet has definitely opened up the creative industries, and because of this I get a lot more opportunities to do collaborations and grow creatively. But at the same time it does mean everyone is a bit “internet famous”. I feel a lot more people have brands, or a semblance of a brand, than compared to twenty or thirty years ago when building something like that was more of a commitment.
Would you ever branch into sneakers?
Totally, I love sneakers. I’m a bit of a designer-sneakers nerd actually. I know sneakers aren’t new, but I feel there’s this whole new world of “designer sneaker”. If I were to branch into them, for me again, it’s just the idea of being accountable. I try to be educated as best I can and make informed decisions, especially in relation to fashion, so I think that would transfer into anything I do in the future.
So, what’s next?
I might be going to London to study Design Curation, but that’s a bit up in the air at the moment.
Oh, the other day I decided to make jewellery—so Melbourne. It was a really last minute thing and didn’t really work out too well for me. I am the king of starting things and not finishing them. I’m not really into star signs but I think it’s a bit of a Gemini thing, I’m very restless. Or an only child boredom thing. Could be both.
Credits
Photography Michelle Huynh