Tasmanian-born Luca Duyst is a star is on the rise. She may only be a young student at the Whitehouse Institute of Design, but she’s already caught the eye of Melbourne Spring Fashion Week organisers and last year was invited to perform her illustrative talents for MSFW 2016. Take one glimpse at her work and you’ll see why; dreamy and abstract with a mesmerizing symmetry, Duyst delivers a fresh, modern take on fashion illustration just when you thought technology had made the centuries-old practice obsolete.
Luca Duyst put pen to paper to answer a few questions for The Fashion Advocate about her take on the fashion industry and where she finds her inspiration…
Where do you study and what’s your degree?
I am studying a Bachelor of Design, Specialising in Fashion at Whitehouse Institute of Design, Melbourne.
How did your interest in fashion start?
My interest in fashion and design sparked from a young age. I grew up surrounded by very creative people so it was inevitable that I too would fall in love with design. For as long as I can remember I have always been drawing, creating and building wild and wonderful things. I remember learning to sew with the little foam sewing kits mum would buy for me from the craft store. They were amazing and ever so stylish, however not challenging enough. I got my first sewing machine for my eighth birthday and I’ve been sewing ever since.
What has been the most challenging aspect of studying fashion?
The most challenging aspect of studying fashion is having so many ideas and not being able to create them all. As students, we are given a brief which in turn gives us limits with time and how many garments and looks we are to create. In the design development stages, you can become so overwhelmed with ideas and creativity that it can be challenging to say no to an idea. It’s an important skill that we have to learn in the industry though, we have to say no and we have to be able to critique our own work.
What do you love about fashion?
I love how you can take an idea and turn it into something physical that you can share with the world, literally making your dreams a reality. It is an incredible gift.
What do you want to change about fashion?
I want to change the stigma about ethical fashion. I want to show that it can be beautiful, it can be attainable and it can be something that you want and are excited about wearing.
Which industry icon do you most admire and why?
I admire so many designers for different reasons and for all that they have given to the industry. Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren of Viktor and Rolf in my eyes are absolutely killing it. They are innovators in the industry and been since their inception. Their Fall 2016 Couture collection was beyond words; for Viktor and Rolf to create such a beautiful Couture collection up-cycled from previous collections is just another reason I have total admiration for them. They are the perfect example that sustainable and up-cycled fashion can be a beautiful work of art. As a creative you aspire to spark a response or trigger an emotion, whichever it may be. I recently had the honour of visiting their exhibition and was moved to tears by their incredible craftsmanship, design detailing and innovative use of fabrications. I’m always looking at the latest collections online but to see snippets of the actual collections from designers that I have so much respect for, was something that I’ll never forget.
Do you have an interest in ethics and sustainability in fashion or is it more important to focus on trends and commercial viability?
It’s very important to have a strong business mind and remain relevant in this industry to keep your business afloat, however, we must respect the process and all those involved. With the consistent developments in technology and progressive transparency in the industry educating and awakening our ethical compass, we can no longer be naive when it comes to our social and environmental footprint.
Describe your design aesthetic and explain why you design the way you do?
My design aesthetic marries masculine and feminine idiosyncrasies through conceptual and innovative design. It’s important that my designs are produced through ethical practice and the use of local and natural processes, dyes and fabrications. I create garments to communicate with the body’s senses on a cellular level because I want consumers to have an emotional and multi-sensory experience with their garments like they would with a beautiful piece of art.
Follow Luca Duyst’s journey and work on Instagram.
The Fashion Advocate x
