Designer Phoebe Paradise‘s edgy creations are a force to be reckoned with. Paradise describes herself as a ‘punk designer’, creating garments with a youthful yet nostalgic feel – bright, bold, and drawn all-over like a visual diary. Her work is ever so relevant in a time of social and political change across Australia.

Brisbane has remained a consistent influence throughout Phoebe’s collections. The natural beauty and lustre of the city inspires her to translate the elements and juxtapose them with illustrations of mundane city life and its debris. Crushed beer cans, trash, violence, and emptied ashtrays share the same space with gorgeously detailed drawings of native flora, printed onto tailored, locally-made garments.

Phoebe will be presenting her latest collection at the Fashion360 Showcase later this month at The Calile Hotel. Over the past six months, six up-and-coming designers were selected and participated in the industry-leading Fashion360 Accelerator Program, delivered by QUT Creative Enterprise Australia (CEA), which saw them connect with industry experts and equip themselves with the business skills to develop, launch, and market a retail-ready range. The designers launch their capsule collections in a runway show and pitch their business models to a panel of industry elites for feedback and expert advice, including Vogue Australia sustainability editor-at-large Clare Press, acclaimed designer and Fashion360Program Ambassador Jonathan Ward, and Australian Fashion Council CEO David Giles-Kaye.

The QUT Creative Enterprise describes Paradise’s work as, “youthful, nostalgic aesthetic [that] bleeds into the garments she illustrates. Phoebe Paradise’s bright and bold creations are targeted at socially engaged and politically active women who support local arts, music, and business.”

Indulge readers also enjoyed Musical Rising.