Design*d Episode One - Strateas Carlucci

Design*d Episode One – Starteas Carlucci 

AUDIO: Intro opening music

VISUAL: Random shots of Melbourne city and culture

TEXT ON SCREEN: Design*d

MARIO-LUCA CARLUCCI SPEAKS: Fashion just came about organically. We didn't really set out to be fashion designers per se. I mean, we've always had a keen interest in that and always been involved in it in some capacity.

TEXT ON SCREEN: Strateas Carlucci 

VISUAL: Peter Strateas and Mario-Luca Carlucci are being interviewed in their fashion workshop.

I think what was great about our time studying, we were able to explore different design disciplines and different mediums and really explore different options. We found a common interest and a common love in fashion. It started as a bit of a hobby in our backyard, as most stories do. It turned into a business, which grew organically, and here we are now.

PETER STRATEAS SPEAKS: When we started Strateas.Carlucci, it was just a way to reignite passion and to do something that we had wanted to do for some time. Showing from Paris was how it all started. It was taking that very first step, and taking the collection, and then showing it to buyers in Paris. It has been very much a step, by step, by step process.

MARIO-LUCA CARLUCCI SPEAKS: We always had our eye set on Paris, and we decided in the very first season that we would take our collection there in a sales capacity. I guess the reason we decided to do that was because it's one place where you're drawing all the best buyers from all over the world. They were a little bit surprised knowing we were from Australia because even though Australia was a growing market, it's still very much an emerging market. What they know of Australian designers is very little, so for us it's always part of our duty as well to reeducate the buyers that we meet and really explain who we are not only as a company but as a design culture here in Australia more particularly in Melbourne. We don't have so much an Australian atheistic in our work, but I think the sensibility of our attitude and work ethic and relaxed vibe shows in our work.

Our design process is not as traditional as one may think. During our studies, it helped us explore different design disciplines and ways of working and methodologies. We find that the way we approach design is perhaps a little bit different from others perhaps who have studied fashion. We ask different questions. We look at things from slightly different angles.

PETER STRATEAS SPEAKS: Experiment with different mediums.

MARIO-LUCA CARLUCCI SPEAKS: Yeah, a lot of experimentation within our work as well. I think it's those elements, and just our approach that's different, which has made us look at things a little bit differently. We always start with an idea, which then leads to fabric development, which then leads to silhouettes, but it always comes back to that idea. Then we build the collection based off those things. We work together. We also work separately. We come together and bring those collections and those ideas together, and then we build upon that. Then it's about refining and editing. Our collection's always based on a concept. One of the underline themes and concepts in our work is this idea of oppositions, and it's kind of a story of us as well where opposites attract. It's about bringing these oppositions together and creating something truly unique, which is part of our story.

For us, it's also the development stages that help us create the story. Whether it's, for example, this season, we created a series of paintings, which is not known to the audience so much. It's a part of our personal development, which helps us get to that end product, which is that tangible collection you see hanging on the racks.

PETER STRATEAS SPEAKS: Being at a small scale but also having enough voice to try and cut through what is also happening. There are so many labels and so much talent, so you have to really find our voice and find a way of making people pay attention.

MARIO-LUCA CARLUCCI SPEAKS: Part of the big plan is definitely still growing the business internationally. Ultimately, it comes down to the product for us. That's what we are, we're product driven so it's about refining the collections and bettering our collections every season. You're only as good as your last collection. Unfortunately, in this industry, it's very shot cycled. It's just about progressing, and getting better, and growing. Obviously, with that comes commercial success as well. Growing into new markets as well, focusing onto other areas of the world, and hopefully larger points of distribution throughout the world.

TEXT ON SCREEN: Thanks to Peter Strateas and Mario-Luca Carlucci

TEXT ON SCREEN: Interviewer – Stephen Crafti

TEXT ON SCREEN: Design*d Title Sequence – Field Carr

TEXT ON SCREEN: Produced By

VISUAL: RMIT University Logo

TEXT ON SCREEN: In partnership with

VISUAL: Creative Victoria Logo

The following instructions will assist you to control the video player using the keyboard.

Starting and stopping the video

1. Use the Tab or Shift + Tab keyboard combination to navigate the video player controls.
2. Navigate to the Play button using the Tab or Shift + Tab keyboard combination.
3. Press the Spacebar or Enter key to toggle between play and pause.

Closed captions

1. Navigate to the closed captions button using the Tab or Shift + Tab keyboard combination.
2. Press the Spacebar or Enter key to open the closed captions menu.
3. Navigate to the preferred close captions option using the Tab or Shift + Tab keyboard combination.
4. Press the Spacebar or Enter key to activate the close caption option.

Volume

1. Navigate to the volume slider using the Tab or Shift + Tab keyboard combination.
2. Press the left or right arrow to decrease and increase the volume.

Full screen

1. Navigate to the full screen button using the Tab or Shift + Tab keyboard combination.
2. Press the Spacebar or Enter key to toggle between full screen video and normal size.

Copyright statement

Copyright © 2014 RMIT University. All rights reserved.

Conditions of use

This item is available to RMIT University staff for official RMIT educational or promotional purposes. All uses outside of official educational or promotional purposes must be used with permission. Please contact copyright@rmit.edu.au for permission.