Street Wear Australia | COCKTAIL REVOLUTION

Road Put on Australia

Q and A with Antoinette Raphael
Designer of RAW WAR

We caught up with Perth designer Antoinette Raphael to seek out out extra about her unisex road put on Australia label RAW WAR, launched in 2016. The model is predicated on Raphael’s personal particular person model that has been described as quirky, edgy, and androgynous,

How did you give you the identify RAW WAR?

RAW WAR got here to me in an epiphany. I used to be scribbling my initials, AWR, and realised that they created two fascinating phrases: ‘RAW’ and ‘WAR.’ I used to be shocked that collectively they summarised the model I each gown and design. I knew it was going to be my model identify.

Why road put on?

It’s relatable, snug, androgynous and attribute. Nothing makes a person extra assured than when they’re snug of their clothes. That is why I put on streetwear so much and why I prefer to design underneath this style. Streetwear additionally permits for gender tagged clothes to be blurred,  offering the wearer with extra freedom to decorate how they like.

What makes RAW WAR so distinctive?

The primary motive for RAW WAR’s distinctiveness is that it’s a reflection of my very own private model. To particularly break it down, there are a number of opposing hybrids that the model’s aesthetic is manufactured from. These are road put on, daring colors, daring prints, excessive stage ending, Oriental affect (shapes and colors) and Center Jap affect (textures and materials).

Since launching your label in 2017, RAW WAR has appeared in Face Trend, Vogue, and London Trend Week. How did these contribute to your progress as a designer and the expansion of your label?

I’m completely blessed to have the milestones I’ve completed.

The primary was to characteristic in a Melbourne trend occasion, Face Trend. This showcase noticed a big improve in social media following and grew the model’s group. It additionally supplied content material and pictures, one thing each model wants, however this helped strengthen the id of the model on social media. This occasion was additionally the place I met Denzel who was a mannequin for the present. Constructing a reference to Denzel from this showcase paid off one yr later, when he wore a RAW WAR garment throughout his efficiency on The Voice Australia.

The second was an invite to be featured in British Vogue as one of many Designer Profiles. Being featured in an internationally famend publication was a dream come true. It allowed for RAW WAR to be positioned in entrance of a worldwide market, as effectively the British market.

Then I obtained an invite to showcase my assortment at London Trend week. This was a completely unimaginable expertise that I take into account to be the largest second for the model. Worldwide recognition and credibility started and I used to be in a position to join with a number of folks in trend who had additionally travelled to the  the UK to be in London for Trend Week.

Every of those milestones had a constructive impact on my progress as a designer and on my retail enterprise. I grew extra assured to by no means cease chasing this loopy, however attainable dream.

Inform us in regards to the typical RAW WAR buyer?

The standard RAW WAR buyer is just not of a particular age, however ranges from 12 to 50. They like distinctive styling and clothes. They chase their goals and are decided to succeed, like me.

Are there particular challenges for a gender-neutral/unisex-label?

The vast majority of RAW WAR’s items are unisex, nonetheless I nonetheless do design items and mold sizes round genders.  The primary problem is in deciding and dealing on sizing to suit all genders.

What are your largest challenges on the earth of road put on trend design?

My largest challenges are first, discovering the steadiness between sharing my work on social media, whereas defending the model from being copied.  The second problem is to find the people who worth distinctive trend and experimental model – my market. It’s an thrilling course of, however will probably be an ongoing journey. And third, there’s a problem in being a feminine in a male dominated trend style (menswear/streetwear). However I additionally discover it thrilling to know I’m in a minority.

You’re primarily based in Perth. Does location make any distinction to how you are feeling RAW WAR is perceived by the road put on loving public?

I used to at all times have the notion that, on account of my location in Perth, I used to be someway ‘ignored’ of the worldwide world of trend. Social media has fully eliminated this barrier.  Ever because the progress of my model internationally, I’ve found that my location has truly added one other dimension of uniqueness. When folks hear that RAW WAR is a “Road put on model from Australia”, they develop into much more as a result of so few designers on this style are coming from this nation and metropolis.

What recommendation would you might have for different rising streetwear designers?

Guarantee you might have your eye on what is going on within the worldwide streetwear scene, however don’t get consumed by it. Search for inspiration as an alternative of at what others are doing.

Push boundaries with clothes. For instance with the hoodie: push your self to create a mastered model so as to add to your model suite, however make sure you add your contact and make it your individual.

What are the most recent new developments for Uncooked Conflict?

Popping out of lockdown, we perfected our staple digital prints whereas additionally creating our fashionable Monogram print. We additionally started to refine and simplify our work, while selecting a specialised garment to be recognised for: the bomber jacket. By means of further growth, we at the moment are at present recognized for our top quality reversible bomber jackets in each a generic size and a brilliant flattering cropped-fitted silhouette.

With these refined and simplified merchandise, we had been lucky sufficient to start collaborating with manufacturers resembling 10FF Retailer in Perth and likewise being concerned in native and nationwide pop-ups with SNEAKERLAND. We have now additionally had the chance to extend our stockists. In addition to 10FF Retailer we’re additionally stocked on line by Jargon* and the internationally famend Wolf and Badger. And our subsequent pop-up will probably be in Perth’s prestigious Claremont Quarter.

Try extra of Antoinette’s designs on Instagram.

See extra tales about gender impartial designers in Breaking The Binary
and The Rise of Genderless Fashion.