The creative talent behind demi-couture fashion coat brand Art In Situ, Jude, describes herself as both a fashion designer, and a ‘maker’, but she is at core, an artist.
“I design the coat whilst cutting the cloth, making every article unique. I then make the art that enhances the coat after the garment is finished. This work is all done by hand and continues the story around the texture, colour and style of the coat to finish off the design process,” Jude explains.
“Art In Situ is the marriage of my existing clothing business of 30 years with my newfound love of art, all made here in Melbourne.”
According to Jude, Art In Situ is “in its infancy” and was launched after she graduated with a Diploma of Visual Art at RMIT in 2023.
“This is the direction I have chosen to take with all my new found skills, [however] all through secondary school I studied and practiced art in a multitude of disciplines – with painting being a standout – before it was suggested to me that I was more likely to have a secure career in the clothing industry,” says Jude.
After completing a Diploma in Design (Fashion) in 1981, Jude worked for various fashion houses around Melbourne, including as a patternmaker at Raphael, as assistant designer at Fibertrends, before moving onto product development alongside the buyers for the likes of Myer, Just Jeans and Target’s in-house brands.
“I grew up in rural Victoria which saw many hours consumed by drawing, painting and sewing before moving onto Bendigo to do a Diploma in Design (Fashion) which broadened my love of textiles. Throughout the 90’s, I built up a party plan business with the help of my two sisters and spent the next decade assembling a community beyond us, employing a tribe of people to sell and deliver my designs.
“With a growing family, critical decisions had to be made instigating a transition into selling my clothes through pop-up shops several times a year. But then, my normal was upended with the passing of my sister Rhonda; this necessitated a much needed change.
“So, based on advice given by her, I returned to university and completed a Diploma of Visual Art; a balm for my then declining mental health. Seven years later with so many new skills, I am back starting again with this new project.
By combining my knowledge of the clothing industry with my passion for portraiture painting and digital art, I am creating something that is a distinctive piece of wearable art.”
AN OBSESSION WITH #SLOWFASHION
Jude says that it has always been her love for textiles that has dictated her fascination with fashion.
“The broad variety of textures to touch, to the colour combinations that can be formulated, the amazing designs that can be woven into a fabric, to the history surrounding the stories behind the weavers themselves; these components are where fashion begins,” explains Jude. It was her desire to “stop making regular fashion for the many” that inspired her to launch Art In Situ.
“… along with my wish to be involved with the slow fashion movement by blending art into my favourite wearable article: The Coat. I now had the upgraded skillset to make it happen after returning to university and the confidence that I was offering something different in the marketplace.”
Art In Situ, the brand name, is a “play on words around the embedding of art into place; in this case, a piece of clothing, making it wearable art”, says Jude.
Matching her focus on slowing down the pace of production, Jude also took a considered route to launching Art In Situ, explaining that she spent 15 months building up a core range of coats, making only 38 pieces, and having only sold 12 coats so far as part of a test in her limited and targeted market.
“In May 2025, I intend to take [my work] to a larger audience, with a whole lot of help from friends and work colleagues gathered together over the years of my fashion journey, and finally launch the brand, officially.”
AN INSPIRATIONAL MELTING POT
According to Jude, “textiles, photographs and books” are her main sources of inspiration.
“Texture, pattern and the colour of the fabric play a big part when styling a garment. It usually takes a full day to cut just one coat as I am constantly moving around and playing with various fabrics to not only get the colour combination right but also the style composition correct; this is not unlike putting a very intricate fabric jigsaw puzzle together.
“Photographs are also of great importance to me when creating as they can inspire colour combinations, moods, and styling ideas. Lastly, the written word or a phrase from any kind of literature can suddenly conjure up a time, a place, a look, all of which can take me down the rabbit hole that is art.”
Jude also says that she is drawn to a range of “eclectic concepts” or individual pieces that to reference a designer or brand as inspiration is misleading.
“I trawl interior design books just a much as I follow the seasonal runway shows both locally and overseas. I also subscribe to multiple Art journals as well as watching YouTube tutorials on art and photography.
“Searching for material on the numerous social platforms that dominate our lives now that show everything from the at-home independent clothing makers through to the huge international fashion houses … it all goes into the proverbial inspirational melting pot I use when sourcing ideas.”
TURNING THE ORDINARY INTO THE EXTRAORDINARY
Art In Situ is a very targeted brand, currently only creating coats in a limited range of cuts, but with the ability to create a coat specifically for a client. Jude meets with her customers to discuss colours, textures, lengths, styles and fabrics before coming up with a totally unique piece of clothing.
“The concept behind Art In Situ was to make amazing clothing that would not sit in the wardrobe as something you would wear for an ‘occasion’ but rather a statement piece that you could wear any day of the week.
“A coat that is not just decorative, but turns the ordinary into the extraordinary just by how you feel when you wear an item made exclusively for you.”
Jude says the her brand’s aesthetic “leans into the maximalist ideal of mixing colours and textures that can sometimes clash, but by embracing excess, my desire is to create a visually stunning aesthetic”.
“My hand crafted one-of-a-kind pieces, using exceptional fabrics, are influenced by the narratives from the creators of the cloth and trims found through travelling. These are sourced from a variety of merchants using both new and old techniques including upcycled elements that are all unique to a singular garment.”
AUTHENTIC SUSTAINABILITY
The core of Art In Situ is to make the most of unwanted textiles; end-of-runs, remnants, samples, deadstock, all of these are turned into features in Jude’s work.
“I have run a small business for over 30 years and as a consequence, I have so many bits and pieces of laces, ribbons, buttons, fabrics and other assorted items that I have not been able to throw away as they are all still beautiful, usable elements,” she explains.
“It is my intention that I use up these components alongside buying or upcycling other items of interest I find to supplement them, to rearrange them, into one-of-kind articles of wearable art.
“The finished piece comes with a certificate of authenticity for the art inside and comes in a beautiful keep-box, so rather than the item being tossed aside when no longer required, it is handed down to another generation of fashion connoisseurs.”
Moving forward, Jude says that she wants to continue her art practice and add to the range of garments she offers as part of Art In Situ.
“In doing this, I hope to spread the joy that is wearing something that speaks to you by taking us out of the mundane, making fashion that is sustainable and beautiful, for as long as I can.
“My hope is that the happiness I experience during the creative process, causes the wearer to feel radiant, rendering the piece worthy of being sustained and passed along to another who celebrates individuality.”
For more information about Art In Situ, go to www.artinsitu.com.au and follow the brand at @artinsitu_melbourne. To make an appointment with Jude, email [email protected].
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