“…being able to see in real-time someone enjoying wearing what I make is why I make clothes. ”

– DIMITRIJE SIMIC

On your graduation you were awarded the Stephanie Quinlan Scholarship. How integral do you think this have been to your development and journey to beginning your own brand since finishing TAFE?
The Stephanie Quinlan Scholarship not only provided me with confidence in my design abilities, it also helped me pursue a design and production role overseas in Los Angeles with Riot Hill, a brand that was started in Perth. I was exposed to an environment where running a successful brand was a reality to the people I was working next to and it really helped me shift my mindset to allow that to become my reality as well or to at least work towards it. The scholarship allowed for this to happen, it provided me with invaluable industry connections and personal growth as a designer and individual.

What experience did you gain from working with Riot Hill and how did your studies at TAFE prepare you for this experience. What skills do you feel you were able to build on working in an established brand?
Jordan, the owner of Riot Hill, has been an amazing mentor. He's been able to give me advice throughout my career with my own brand. I've been able to understand the pace you need to work at, what people in the market respond to, how to develop a concise but effective brand image, how to communicate and work with stockists and manufacturers, how to organise and set-up pop-up stores and events and most importantly, how to be resourceful. Being a TAFE graduate, I have invaluable sewing, patternmaking, textile and production experience.  If you know how to sew well and can work quickly under high-pressure, your skills will be in very high demand. All you need to do is reach out and have a portfolio ready.

What are some of the skills the Grad Skill Set equip you with. Aside from the great show at AGWA with your hats, what was this experience like for those considering signing up?
Doing the Grad Skill Set allowed me to pursue so many opportunities. Having access to the textile and screen-printing room is amazing, not to mention the machines you can sew on. My first semester there, I had already started work for Riot Hill, Jordan and I had the idea to do a project where we collage old Riot Hill t-shirts by way of cutting up the t-shirts vertically, mixing them up and sewing them back together using different t-shirts to make one shirt. I believe these t-shirts sold out pretty quickly and it would not have been possible without the facilities available at the TAFE. 

Another project we did involved making a capsule collection for a pop-up event in Canada for the Webster. Still using the same idea of merging t-shirts together but instead I made long-sleeve t-shirts and shorts using vintage and Riot Hill shirts. The design and construction for these were more considered and involved a large number panels and a custom screen-print for each long-sleeve. I believe two of these long-sleeves made their way to The Kid Laroi and Lil Baby. Again, this would only be possible because of the Grad Skill Set and even if these opportunities weren't available I would have definitely used the time to create collections and garments of my own and to take advantage of the facilities while I can.

Tell us a little about how a design concept or inspiration theme informs your work. You have a very defined aesthetic, and you have continued working with similar inspirations from your graduate collection. How do you feel this was extended in your collection of Kilim bags? How did you find working with items that carry cultural significance and history?
I first discovered my design voice through my graduate collection at TAFE. I've always been obsessed with subcultures, especially punk. I see it as an artform and way of life that allows a person to be who they truly are and express themself truly. Through my initial concept research for my graduate collection I had a moodboard with mainly punk imagery that I was drawn to, as well as a small section with images depicting Serbian landscapes, architecture and traditional motifs. My lecturer pointed out that this was the most interesting part of the moodboard and I decided to delve further into my Serbian heritage. From there I discovered a largely underrepresented but very vibrant and complex period of youth attitude and expression which forms the basis of my brand today. 80s-90s Yugoslav punk holds a vast amount of substance to draw from, too much to explain here, but essentially I look at particular artists, music, imagery, events, people, places, philosophy and emotion that was exhibited within this subculture and Yugoslavia as a whole. I then write and research extensively about this certain aspect I have discovered, pick out certain themes and ideas from this research and then apply this to my designs. Everything from textiles, fabrics, construction, silhouette and trims are informed by this research. I also infuse tradition, which is a big part of my culture, into my designs. I explore the traditional art of Serbian tapestry weaving. Incorporating motifs and artisanal qualities inspired by these tapestries into my designs and brand image as a way to pay homage to my past.

My logo is a simple black motif called "The Dining Table", and in a manner similar to Malevich's Black Cross, devoid of original meaning and ominous yet holds echoes of being emblematic and religious. The Black Cross takes on a new meaning in its own way. My logo is removed from its original Serbian tapestry context in order for it to represent something new and hold with it a new meaning, which is my brand. At the same time however, it still holds echoes of its heritage and original context.

My 'Vakup' collection, in which I repurposed old tapestries sourced from my family's village in Serbia, has a similar idea to it. I'm taking these culturally rich and meaningful items and recontextualising them to have a new meaning and purpose. Still holding with it its heritage yet being made into a useful, every-day accessory. While working with these tapestries I was in awe at the sheer detail they had and how long they must have taken to make. I knew I had a duty to uphold the craftsmanship of the original weavers and every care was taken in the production and design of these accessories, but in many ways it felt like a punk DIY experiment, which is definitely fitting for the brand.

As you already have a stockist in Perth at Cabinet Noir, and having previously stocked at AGWA Design Store, how do you hope to expand your following in Perth? Tell us about your plans for Melbourne and any limitations you have found on opportunities in Perth?
I want to keep doing events that bring people together and to support the fashion scene here in Perth. I think that Perth is so lucky to have a close-knit fashion community that helps each other out. I've had a lot of success hosting and participating at physical events and being able to see in real-time someone enjoying wearing what I make is why I make clothes. The growth will happen naturally as long as I continue doing it.

I've got a list of stores in Melbourne that I want to introduce myself and my brand to in hopes to secure more stockists. I've already seen that my brand sells really well in a physical store setting which gives me confidence to seek out more potential stockists. The goal is to get more people to discover and enjoy the brand.

How do you think the local industry and community could be more supportive assisting graduates and upcoming designers to get off the ground?
I think there are already so many opportunities that graduates and upcoming designers can take advantage of. There are heaps of community-led markets where you can sell at, almost everyone is receptive and open to new people entering the space and are happy to give out advice and since Perth is small it's easy to get your name out there and be known. All you need to do is produce garments, focus on marketing it and reach out to people. Also I think if you're able to host your own events and fashion shows it will be extremely popular since those happen very rarely here. I would say just focus on building a following locally first and to be genuine with people. Also gaining experience working for others is something that you should definitely try to do. Offering your skills to brands and helping others will go a long way.

Tell us about any equipment or tools you have used / accessed since graduating that NM TAFE doesn't have that would help skill up our current students.
I think that in relation to producing garments and accessories, TAFE has all you need to fulfill your design needs and honestly if you are resourceful you will find ways to make it work. If you're wanting to continue making your own clothes and potentially sell them after graduating I would say that knowing how to take good editorial pictures and product pictures is important. This involves understanding how to use cameras, lighting and physical settings to your advantage.

Finally, talk about your recent exhibition and what the gallery experience has taught you. What are the key learnings from this and your advice to others who are about to exhibit their collection?

I've been involved with setting up multiple pop-up stores before so I already knew how the experience would be, but being a gallery exhibition, I learned a lot about product placements and how to use certain tools and methods to display items in the most effective way. In saying that I'm reminded about the importance of planning your time, being resourceful in sourcing props and how to use the least amount of things to make the most impact. You want someone to walk in, look around and say "this is so cool".