Indigo Clarke is definitely girl crush-worthy; any photo that turns up on the internet of her in a white Lover dress invariably goes straight into my inspiration folder, and her (sadly now defunct) column for Full Frontal Fashion was always one of my favorite online reads.  When I saw her extra good and inspirational episodes for Monki Television I knew I had to try to get her to do a little interview for the blog . . . .

1. How would you describe yourself and what you do?

I’m a writer and columnist, I mostly write about fashion for fashion magazines and web publications, I also review NYFW each season for Vogue.com (UK) and SHOWstudio along with some others, this season I will be doing some off-catwalk reportage for ASOS too, which I’m excited about. I’m a fun loving girl and maybe because I grew up in Sydney, I’m happiest when I’m on a beautiful beach… That’s why you’ll find me holidaying many, many times through the year in exciting and exotic locations – I just got back from a dream trip to Hawaii!

2. Which came first, your love for fashion or for writing? How did you get into fashion journalism?

My love of writing definitely came first. My father is a writer and when I was little he was the Arts Editor for The Melbourne Age Newspaper in Australia, so I’m sure inspired me – oh and of course Hunter S. Thompson, Jack Kerouac, Stella Gibbons, Evelyn Waugh, F. Scott Fitzgerald ☺

I always loved to write, especially short stories – when I was really little I was always writing and illustrating little novels all the time and loved to make my friends, family, my teddy bears and my pet cats and rabbits into characters!

3. Any words of advice for those trying to break into the industry?

Work hard because if you can make a career out of doing what you love you are very lucky! If you have the chance to work in your chosen creative field, don’t squander the opportunity – give it your all, enjoy and appreciate every moment and know that you are living your dream, be honest and be brave and put yourself out there – you have to contact the magazines and the editors and send out your work, hopefully some of them will see your talent and ability and believe in you.

4. How has your style changed (if at all) since moving from Sydney to London to New York?

My writing style has developed and changed as I’ve become more confident as a writer – I’ve definitely had to write a lot more and much more quickly as the years have gone by! My clothing style has changed hugely as I was pretty crazy punky as a teen and then through my early 20s became more interested in conventional fashion I guess – or I mean I actually noticed clothing in shops and magazines rather than only wearing what I bought at a flea market or made myself on the sewing machine! In London and now New York I wear pretty much only dresses, a lot of vintage and also labels like LOVER, Richard Nicoll, Antipodium, Ksubi and Something Else – Aussies of course ☺ I also love Christopher Kane, Preen, Proenza Schouler, Phillip Lim, Steven Alan, Topshop, Madewell oh and Monki who I just made a little video series for!  …  I am lucky that some labels I love gift me lovely things so I feel like I always have loads to wear. I wish I had rails of Chloe, Celine, Sonia Rykiel, Comme, Balenciaga – but for now I spend the big bucks on holidays and amazing experiences, not clothes.

5. You mentioned in an article that your favorite label is Lover. It’s my favorite too, and I’m constantly amazed at how many good clothes there are coming out of Australia and New Zealand at the moment. What do you think is the reason behind this?

Yes there are so many incredible designers and labels from Australia and New Zealand, I always feel really proud to see them doing so well and breaking new ground. I wear a lot of Australian labels, and am so proud to tell people during New York Fashion Week that I am in head to toe Aussie fashion! Perhaps because Australia and New Zealand are so removed from the rest of the world, and are seasonally opposite to the fashion centres of London, Paris, NY, our style is somewhat unique (though, it can feel like we are behind because the clothing from overseas essentially gets to Aus a season late!). I also put it down to antipodeans having a real understanding, and need of, a quality lifestyle – we love nature, beaches, the outdoors and the way we dress reflects this – we tend to wear comfortable, practical but also interesting and optimistic clothing and colours. So our clothing is very much reflective of the way we live, not just aesthetic taste.

6. What is your favorite decade, clothes-wise?

LATE 60s! No contest. I would have loved to be there – to be part of the music, art, politics and fashion that all informed and inspired one another, such an incredible time.

7. Any favorite fashion-related films or books?

I love Antonioni’s BLOW UP. One of my all time favourites, and based in London in the late 60s – where my parents were having the time of their lives and rocking out to The Who and The Rolling Stones live every other week!

8. What are your biggest inspirations at the moment (fashion and un-fashion related)?

I’m very inspired by Jack Kerouac. I re-read On The Road a little while ago for an article I wrote for RIKA Magazine, it was the first time I’d read it since I was a teenager and it took my breath away all over again. I also just re-read Dharma Bums and it massively inspired me – being someone that loves travel, and travels constantly, reading about it is almost as wonderful as doing it yourself! I also find endless inspiration in the worlds created by Salinger – Franny & Zooey is a book that I have read so many times, and I always come away feeling the magic of words is endless. Anything by Hunter S Thompson or Woody Allen make me laugh and hope to one day write something so fantastic and honest, Ernest Hemmingway is amazing (A Farewell to Arms kills me) and Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons for me is a perfect, ridiculously lovely and sweetly funny work of fiction.

9. Finally, what is on your fashion wishlist for fall?

I am so excited at the moment about the “Indigo Clarke for Something Else” capsule collection I’m creating with the amazing Australian label for SS12 – it’s all I’m thinking about right now! As for a wishlist for fall, well… I don’t like thinking about seasons other than summer! I am already thinking of ways to keep my endless summer, and summer wardrobe, going!

Photo credits: 1. Photo by Candice Lake; photo by Elle Muliarchyk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2.  Indigo at 19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3. A still from Blowup . . . . . . . 4. Endless summer.

Filed in Uncategorized on Friday, August 26, 2011 · 8 Comments »