I have only visited Fremantle once in my life, but it impressed me with its good coffee, coastal vibe and creativity. These three qualities (and more!) come together to fuel Australia’s longest running festival, aptly named The Fremantle Festival, which is on now and runs to 10 November.
To be honest, I had never heard of it before (typical East Coaster!) but I was excited to find out that fashion is a strong focus and in fact, the Fremantle Fashion Collective are hosting a runway show this coming Saturday, showcasing local designers.
As a big supporter of the Australian Fashion Industry, I was curious about the style stars of the West, so I decided to track some of them down.
First up, I found designer Sarah Watanabe of Monster Alphabets and asked her about her brand and her passion for the Port City.
Can you tell us a bit about Monster Alphabets and how it all started?
Monster Alphabets is a label for professional women who seek to wear garments that are unique and rare. Most garments are designed in black – in the absence of colour, to emphasise the silhouette and details. It started in 2011 after I finished working for a Perth designer and decided to take a leap of faith and start my own label.
What is the significance of the Fremantle Fashion Collective and what is it all about?
Taking part in this event is significant for me as it is a celebration of the talent that is based in Fremantle. It’s exciting that we are able to showcase our work in the environment where we live and work.
What do you think makes Fremantle unique and such a creative hub?
Fremantle is the epitome of a creative hub in that there is a very strong sense of community where we help each other out.
From your perspective, why is it so important to support homegrown and local fashion?
I believe that people choose to live where they do for a reason. If you didn’t love Perth or Fremantle, or wherever you are, you should be living elsewhere. If you love your city, you should support local products, as they provide the infrastructure of what makes a city unique.
What can we expect from you in the runway show?
I will be showing the winter pieces from my STILLNESS range.
I look forward to bringing you more snack sized posts about the faces of Freo Fashion!
Images: Monster Alphabets
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