BY INES LONGO
The fashion industry is at a turning point, moving away from fast fashion trends and towards something more intentional. It’s a shift felt mostly in studios and backrooms of Melbourne’s local designers. To understand the current pulse of these independent fashion brands, we have to look directly at the hands of Pep Doolan.
Pep is the child of Rowena Doolan, and much like their mother, they navigate the world through the lens of design as a co-partner at the iconic Melbournel label, FOOL. Evolving in the engine room of an entrepreneurial fashion house provided Pep with a more in depth, unique and unvarnished perspective on the grit and glamour required to sustain a Melbourne local label over decades.
A GROUNDED CREATIVE EDUCATION
“Growing up surrounded by fashion and design has really allowed me to not take it too seriously and gave me the freedom to explore whatever aesthetic or style I want, […] even if it’s not ‘what’s in style.’” Pep explains the “[…glitz and glamour that is showcased in “the” media and the idea people have about being a fashion designer is not always accurate […] so I always had a very grounded idea of what it took to be working in this industry. It is hard work, and it’s the type of job that you really need to be passionate about and love.”
Despite the generational gap between them, the creative DNA between mother and child is a strong asset. Their styles often merge into shared visual language.
“Ro wears a lot of masculine clothing outside of work, so it is funny to me how often there is an overlap. We often turn up to work wearing similar or the same thing in slightly different ways,” Pep says.
STYLE AS A TOOL FOR NAVIGATION
While the duo merges fashion seamlessly, for Pep individually, style remains a deeply personal tool for navigating the intersection of self-expression, art, gender and community. As a designer, Pep draws inspiration from their surroundings through “art, colours, emotions, nature, what’s happening in [my] life, as well as what other designers are doing”.
Pep Doolan and Rowena Doolan from Melbourne independent fashion brand FOOL
Beyond these abstract creative concepts, Pep credits a specific mentor for shaping their creative outlook: “A teacher I had for design class in high school made a lasting impact on the way I look at inspiration when she said that it is important to ‘use the things around you to get inspired’, anything can be research for the creative or design process.” The specific vibrancy and colours used in the FOOL garments add a distinct uniqueness to the Melbourne scene, standing out against more traditional palettes.
THE ‘MADE IN MELBOURNE’ ETHOS
Beyond aesthetics and design, there is a fierce commitment to the ‘Made in Melbourne’ ethos at FOOL. In an industry where many Australian brands rely on the ease of overseas production, FOOL remains dedicated to local, ethical craftsmanship. Pep had their own thoughts to share: “We have so many local fashion creatives as well as other creative industry folks that are doing their own thing and making products in smaller batches and creating production that is more sustainable.”
The brand’s garments consist of bright, viral, and unique pieces that are hard to find in standard retail shops. From elevated staples to asymmetrical silhouettes, FOOL strives to bring ‘wearable art’ into everyday life through original designs and signature knitwear. The queer design community in Melbourne is vibrant and shops like FOOL are the centre of it.
For Pep, local production is an important part of FOOL, as “[…] you get a sense of community that way. We also have a greater impact on the final product as well, [which] allows us to have a more hands on approach and create more one off pieces. This allows FOOL to create less material waste as well.”
However, staying local comes with its own battles. Pep acknowledges the struggle of losing “[…] the majority of “[their] local factories and production companies over the years, […] making it harder on the local designers to create and produce here, compared to overseas.”
Yet they are optimistic about the city’s “underground” creative scene, a scene they believe “deserves more attention and funding. In Melbourne we definitely have a very forward thinking approach to ethical and sustainable fashion as well, which is very positive for the future of our industry.”
Experience FOOL for yourself at the Queer by Design runway show on Thursday 19th of February. Tickets available from www.trybooking.com/DGPPG
For more information about FOOL, go to foolclothing.com.au, follow the brand at @fool118 and follow Pep at @pepdoolan.
