Based in the Gold Coast, fashion brand 9DESIGNS is the physical manifestation of its designer’s artistic mind. Heaven Arici officially launched the brand with a collection entitled Flora and Fauna in 2020.
“I’ve always been creative,” explains Heaven, “but I started getting really interested in fashion when I was 9 years old, hence I chose the name 9DESIGNS when I finally started designing.
“Going through my mum’s magazines and circling and cutting out pictures to stick on my wall, watching America’s Next Top Model and Project Runway, all influenced me. The brand just started when I was told I could make whatever I wanted.”
Heaven says that she had been sewing “on and off for years” but that she really wanted to stretch her skills with a self-imposed deadline in order to finally get the label launched.
“With most of my projects I started but never finished, as well as being sidetracked into experimenting with different materials and different sizes. So, finally, in 2020 I just said to myself I’m going to do it, and I pushed myself and haven’t stopped.”
A LOVE FOR ANYTHING WEIRD
Heaven says she is inspired by “anything weird” which explains her love for iconic fashion designer Alexander McQueen, but she also loves the “sleek and architectural style of a local bridal designer called House of Ezis in Brisbane”.
The quirky shapes and volumes, and intricate material manipulations of McQueen can be seen in Heaven’s work for 9DESIGNS. The label is a bespoke and demi couture brand with a focus on occasion wear – there are lots of gowns and cocktail dresses in Heaven’s collections.
Heaven is also fond of incorporating narrative stories in her design concepts, with each collection based on an underlying theme. Her most recent work is “based on mental health and disorders called ‘Mind Matters’,” she explains.
“Each piece has been thoroughly thought out and is based on how these states affect people in a perspective that is not just on the surface,” says Heaven.
“[Pieces in the collection] cover various illnesses: Paranoid Schizophrenia, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Anxiety, Depression, Autism Spectrum, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Body Dysmorphia, Nightmare Disorder, and Misdiagnosis.
“I’ve also tied in an accessories collection called Disordered so there’s a piece of each word with each outfit.”
SUSTAINABLY WEIRD
As with many fashion brands in Australia, 9DESIGNS has a sustainable component, in this case it is a range of upcycled materials. But not ordinary deadstock fabric, Heaven prefers things that are ‘weird’.
“I love making things out of objects that aren’t even supposed to be used as material. Like belts, ties, tea towels, bags, etc. That’s my version of sustainability, just [using] weird things,” says Heaven.
Moving forward, Heaven says she wants 9DESIGNS to simply survive and thrive, and for more people to see and experience her work.
“I just want to show it. I want people to hear its stories, wear it and be in awe, and walk all over the world’s fashion shows.”
To see more of 9DESIGNS, go to @9d.esigns. If you are interested in a custom order, contact Heaven via DM on Instagram.
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