UMENCO: What is one positive you have personally found, in the change of how we are working?
Violet Atkinson: I think that usually I am go, go, go travelling between cities, in and out of agency showrooms and meetings etc and it creates a schedule that is so hectic that you just focus on ‘getting everything done’. A positive from the current situation is having more time for tasks and doing things with more purpose. This is not to say that the work I push out normally doesn’t have my heart in it, because it definitely does. It more just means I have the time to reflect and connect with everything I do whilst also delivering and understanding the economic side of my clients’ businesses (who their consumer is, what their marketing style is, how I can add to what they have done with my own flair without alienating their customer).

UMENCO: What is an aspect of how the world is currently or potentially shifting that you hope will be a positive going forward?
Violet Atkinson: I am incredibly passionate about slowing fashion down so that there is more focus on quality, ethical products and the intellectual property in the garments and accessories etc. I have been following this closely for over 6 years from an IP law perspective (it is another area of my work) and a preliminary opinion that I have formed is that less copying will happen if the industry slows down and the consumer becomes more wise to buying with purpose due to having more knowledge of the story behind their pieces (how it is made, from the design to the materials). I think that the current situation will drive a shift back into more old-fashioned consumer habits as well as create a sense of comradery and allegiance to brands. That is precisely what I hope anyway.

All images courtesy of Violet Atkinson.

UMENCO: What kind of innovation and changes to the way the fashion industry operates do you envision?
Violet Atkinson: I have heard talk from people saying international fashion week shows should be reduced and that more digital shows and online viewings should be available which would be less ‘wasteful’. I actually disagree with this, and quite strongly. Fashion is a form of art and craftmanship is such an important aspect of this. Seeing things in person, the movement of the fabric and how the light hits it, the re-see of a collection after a show and touching the fabrics is so important to understand a collection. The face-to-face conversations you have, building relationships and celebrating the designers’ achievements as a group is also such a beautiful thing. I would be very sad to see this drastically reduced as I am most inspired when I am around other creatives and seeing their work. It is electric.

I think the biggest change I would love to see is a drastic turn away from fast-fashion. It is detrimental in more ways than one (which I don’t need to repeat, we are all aware) and supporting our designers (especially younger designers and Aussie/NZ designers) is more important than ever. Focus on the intellectual capital in the designs, the design process and the production as opposed to churning out more product-drops.
Also, from a marketing and branding perspective – looking outside of the same creative teams that are used and operating more laterally in the creative space. Engage creatives that make music, create campaigns that are quite different and make you think and create art. I was really lucky to get a run to do my first campaign from a shopping centre in my hometown (Pacific Fair Shopping Centre) who had followed my work on Instagram for a while and gave me a shot. If that did not happen, I have no idea how I would be in this space now. I count my blessings. But some of my favourite people to engage with on social media and follow closely are people who are churning out something different.
"Focus on the intellectual capital in the designs, the design process and the production as opposed to churning out more product-drops."

Violet Atkinson

"Focus on the intellectual capital in the designs, the design process and the production as opposed to churning out more product-drops."

Violet Atkinson