While quick to give its heart away to almost anyone, i-D fell for a winner in Ant!podium. The label is the love child of Geoffrey J Finch and sisters Ashe and Fenella Peacock. The label offers cleverly crafted women’s wear that is unexpectedly affordable. The creative trio, whose clothes are described by i-D as ‘a great bridge from high street to designer’, also, has a free online magazine available for download on their website.
LL: Why fashion?GJ: Well, we are a bit of motley crew, but fashion is all in our blood. Ashe and Fenella’s Mum was the woman behind the incredible 80s knitwear label Libby Peacock (think INXS in Vegemite jumpers … genius). Fenella also had her own label Empire Line in the late 80s (they dressed the cast of Neighbours … Kylie as Charlene was a big fan … also genius) and then my mother was a dressmaker. The sound of a sewing machine is always the backdrop to my childhood memories.
AP: We grew up in a house where mum ran her own fashion business. Then my big sister Fenella began her first label at 17 when she came back from London as a Buffalo Girl ... She used to bring home i-D and The Face and I wanted to be like her!
LL: What makes Ant!podium unique? AP: The crude style names? The Aussie approach: laid back and quirky.
GJ: Ashe, Fenella and I have quite a breadth of experience and experiences, which we gently blend to create our signature. Our shared sense of humour is what glues it all together.
LL: Tell us a little about your current range.GJ: Buttons Up! was our first collection and is very much our foundation collection. It’s all about distinctive but wearable shapes that combine a London sensibility with Australian irreverence and charm.
AP: I’m sure Geoffrey has done a good job on this question ... ‘The Sullivans’ go 80s?
LL: What was, is or will be ‘the sign’ that you made it?AP: Seeing cute people in the street wearing our clothes
GJ: When Rose Hancock commissions a wardrobe.
LL: Where is Ant!podium in five years?GJ: We’ve been doing really well in the States and are looking forward to building the business there. Japan is another region we’re looking forward to focusing on. Hopefully we’ll have a lot more time for oyster and champagne consumption.
LL: So what’s summer 08 looking like?AP: More cute dresses!
GJ: Cross Natural Born Killers with Picnic at Hanging Rock and you get our spring 07 collection ‘Frilled to Meet You!’
See more at
www.antipodium.com