I am finding beginning a new year, with the glitchy limitations brought on by a global pandemic a fairly difficult and emotional experience and I’m sure you might be too… I personally am finding the only way to manage is to take absolutely any and all pressure off myself and to try and live in as intuitive a way as possible. Making without plans or concrete goals, or expectations, trying to appreciate any and all relationships for what they mean to me right now without projecting their potential significance into the future, and above all attempting to practice reality acceptance where I can. This project is a good example of a series of meandering and connected moments that ended in something that I feel is really magical and special and beautiful. The collaborations that formed were serendipitous and make me feel hopeful that this approach to practice can work. A gentle slightly aimless approach is more suited to the moment than the strict timelines expected of us all.
A few months ago I contacted Stef of Sydney based label Diaspora about a roll of white floral lace mesh I had abandoned at an art exhibition she curated in 2019. At the time of abandonment I was about to leave for New York indefinitely and happily gave the fabric to Stef who in the meantime put it to good use in her emotionally charged one off pieces. When I came back to Sydney unexpectedly early last year, I found myself thinking a lot about that roll of fabric and so I reached out to Stef to see if there was any left that I could buy off her. One of the beautiful things about the independent fashion scene is we are all constantly talking and helping each other out and just generally hyping each other up, so rather naturally, the conversation went from me buying the remaining fabric to us planning a mini collection. Stef would paint, collage and work into the mesh in her signature style, and then I would turn the resulting textile into a small series of pieces.
On the day I went to visit Stef at her work to pick up the fabric, I was surprised as I walked to the counter to hear my name called from behind a clothing rack. The voice belonged to Ellie Bailey, my friend, ramp tramp confidante and eternal muse. I hadn’t seen her in over a year and I cried as we hugged and kissed. I got the fabric from Stef and the three of us had a chat about Sydney, friendship and collaboration and how beautiful the fabric Stef had made was.
Once I had finally made the pieces it became immediately obvious that I wanted to see Ellie wearing them. In some strange way that accidental moment had brought her into the project. Ellie is a dancer and so it was obvious that she dance in them. Ellie let me watch and film her for hours in her home, dancing in the pieces Stef and I made. It’s hard to express how mesmerised and calmed by her movement I was, we barely spoke as she danced to song after song. After we finished, we got Turkish ice cream and drove to Bronte Beach for a late night swim. If you would like to watch the 4 minute fashion film I made to memorialise this project, click on any of the gifs in this email or visit http://www.ramptramptrampstam
Love
Niamh xxx
ps. If you need it, please find Angie Osman’s advice in approaching Aquarius season at the bottom of this museletter!!
Who are you? What do you do with your days?
I’m Ellie, she/her, I’m 24 and right now I’ve been spending most of my waking hours on Facebook marketplace teee hee!!!! When I’m not scrolling through 2nd hand local furniture I love walking around the city from my different workplaces and listening to trash eighties.
If you could give teen Ellie some advice what would u tell her?
If you could give teen Ellie advice what would you tell her? It’s funny cos I work with teenage girls so I often think about this one! What I say to them which sounds corny, is it gets much much better so just wait it out. I hated high school so much that I never went, and yeah it really gets way better, so little Ellie don’t let anyone put u in a box (except that magician lol!), trust ur gut it’s the safest thing you have don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, and teenage boys suck. Oh and always take a book and a piece of fruit.
Favourite song’s to dance to?
Oh boy! Depends on the day but right now buttons by PCD, I don’t want a lover by Texas, or dumb blonde by dolly (original recording)!
What makes you feel sexy?
I think Sydney at about 8pm after the 3rd swim of the day and just walking home in my swimmers super sandy salty, I mean...
Fashion is...
Niamhy, you really opened my eyes to fashion when we first met, I think embracing rips, holes, stains. My ever changing body, my friends ever changing bodies, care and time, comfort… it goes on.
Ramp Tramp? Or Tramp Stamp?
Look I would love to say ramp tramp, but I know deep down I am tramp stamp. I sure have tried and A girl can dream!
What makes you happy?
Morning swims, walking through the city at night, my workplaces, dancing and my beautiful mum.
RTTS Museletter #4
Special thankyou to Ellie Bailey, Stef Liakos and Angie Osman for their contributions to this museletter. <3
