To be magazine

Recent University of Technology Sydney graduate Suzaan Stander joins Seth Khouri in the corner of a quiet cafe to discuss VENAL ARMOUR: Falling Through the Looking Glass, Stander’s graduate collection now showcasing in the Future Fashion exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum. Stander produced a six-look collection of distorted dresses incorporated with 17th century corsetry, leather panelling, lace, metallic hardware, and buckles to create a collection that disrupts the everyday armour of the wearer.

SUZAAN STANDER My mother actually inspired my interest in getting into fashion. She's a bridal dressmaker.  There were always some big gowns being sewn in the corner of my living room. Around the time I was 14, I embarked on making a medieval ensemble and I guess I realised sewing  was really instinctual for me. I started to help my mum design for the musical productions held at my high school. I remember so clearly seeing one of the dresses I helped with on stage and from then I knew I loved seeing my work come to life. 

SK: The collection is called VENAL ARMOUR: Falling Through the Looking Glass. What does that mean?

SS: 'Venal' means to corrupt, and 'armour,' of course, acts as a barrier or second skin. I loved this idea of putting on everyday armour with how we dress to go out into the world and protect ourselves. It came from this idea of the venal coming in and corrupting that. During my research for this collection, the more I read about corsetry, the more I discovered the negative connotations, almost all about controlling the female body. I named it VENAL ARMOUR to disrupt the persona that corsetry has. 

SK: You shared earlier that one of your first points of design was this medieval costume. Are you still drawn to that part of history in your design? 

SS: Yes! In my graduate collection I pulled a lot from early 17th century corsetry, which I merged with surrealism to create these looks. Funnily enough, I found these old images of drawings Salvador Dalí did for Alice in Wonderland. They were these really expressive watercolours that turned these quite mundane things into vibrant living things. I wanted to mirror that by taking something like corsetry from the seventeenth century and making it into the augmented abstract version of itself. 

SK: This collection was quite grunge in nature; have you always been drawn to that aesthetic within design or have you felt this pull to a more commercial language? 

SS: I have such an appreciation for the more perfect, clean, and beautiful things, and a part of me is curious about the intersection of design and commercial appeal, but overall I guess I’m just not interested in creating what doesn’t excite me. I find a lot more excitement in the otherworldly. While I’m strongly drawn to that grungier approach to design, one thing I’m excited about as a designer is discovering how to fuse it with clothing people want to wear. 

SK: How was the trial and error component of this collection? Talk us through how you overcame certain obstacles.

SS: Oh, there was a lot of trial and error. Oddly, most of this collection came from failure. I would develop this idea and cut out these shapes or place boning across the mannequin to ask how I could sculpt artwork across the body and make it come to life. I really wanted to see the corset become a living thing that would take over the girl who was wearing it. However, half the time I would stop and throw it in the corner of my room because I thought it was ugly until something clicked. A few weeks later, I found myself looking at that corner in my room and thinking it was time to revisit it and try something new. I guess it was a constant cycle of going back, trying something new, and hating it until I found what works.  

SK: Your work is already hanging in a museum. Does that change how you see yourself as a designer, or does it make you feel like you’re just getting started?

SS: I definitely still feel like I’m on that first building block because I know there's so much more to do! However, I think about me five years ago when I would visit these museums and go to the Powerhouse exhibitions and I know that younger me would be happy with where I am right now. I’m proud of where I am but very excited with how much there is to do. 

SK: You dressed the Veronica’s in July of this year. What an achievement! What was that like? 

SS: Thank you! I met their long-term stylist briefly before my graduation show; she had come backstage to meet us all. I randomly got a DM from her while I was on my way to work, saying that she was looking for someone to create these custom looks for the Veronicas and asking if I’d be interested. After that she sent me the mood board and I was all over it! So much leather and lace-up motifs. In classic Suzaan fashion, I left it way too last minute. I’m a victim of perfection anxiety and I was thinking about things for ages before making it until I was at the stylist's house the night before punching through the grommets but it all worked out! 

SK: If you could collaborate with anyone—dead or alive—who would be your dream creative partner? 

SS: I’d be just silly to pass up on Vivienne Westwood. Also the original Elsa Schiaparelli is just so cool! It would be incredible to work with someone who had that kind of vision so long ago. For alive, keeping with Schiapereli, Daniel Rosebery would be so insane to work with. That’s the show I look forward to the most each season. 

SK: Oh absolutely, I’m tuning in! The last collection was incredible, the beating heart!

SS: The beating heart, exactly! I need to know how he did that! 

SK: To pivot slightly, there’s an overarching conversation in fashion about sustainability, craft, and slowing down. Where do you see your work fitting into that dialogue?

SS: I definitely identify with that. I love putting in a lot of detailing and panelling and producing something that takes hours to make. I think it’s beautiful to step back and not just consume less but consume intentionally, taking the time to purchase clothes that were made slower. 

SK: So far we’ve only seen womenswear. How open are you to menswear? 

SS: I’m open to menswear eventually. I’m really interested in suiting and I’d love to combine tailoring with my signature distortion and panelling. It’s not a venture I’m eager to embark on, but it’s one that I’ll get to eventually.  

SK: Are you currently working on anything?

SS: I’m very excited to be doing some costume design for an upcoming short film. It isn’t something I’ve really done before so I’m keen to dip my toe into that. I’m ready to hit the ground running like I did with my graduate collection. I don’t have a direction for what that looks like but something is brewing.