Latest / Project Emerald Collective / Unravelling Tradition: Tanya Carter on Vintage Kimonos, Circular Fashion, and Living Intentionally
Transcript
- Eve: Hello and welcome to the Project Emerald podcast. We're back for another episode and today I have the absolute pleasure of interviewing Tanya Stewart Carter, founder and designer of Koi Girl, based in the beautiful WA. And Tanya, over to you. Welcome. TANYA: Hello, how are you going? Thank you for having me. Eve: Hm. Let's dive in. So can you tell us a little about the different hats that you wear? TANYA: Well, ⁓ first of all I'm a mum. I'm a sole parent to two teenage kids. I'm a designer of Koi Girl, which I pretty much run everything. From most of the production, well about half the production, ⁓ the designing, the social media, admin, it's yeah. There's a lot of hats there. And I also am a co-founder of a collaborative ⁓ Western Australian designed and made store in it's an independent fashion store in Perth C B D. So we promote WA fashion and most mostly sustainable fashion. Eve: ⁓ huh. Yeah. Yeah, great. And is that where your designs are stocked? TANYA: Yes. So I'm stocked in a few places in WA, but ⁓ a lot of my stock is stocked there at Studio Eight. Eve: Yeah. Yeah, awesome. And whereabouts is that? TANYA: That's in Plaza Arcade in the Perth C B D. Eve: Yeah, great. And I'm looking forward to seeing your designs on the runway this October at the Circular Fashion Festival. And Tanya, can you talk us through the three pivotal moments that have shaped who you are today and your journey to creating Koi Girl? TANYA: Yes, maybe. ⁓ that's tricky. I can talk about how the three pivotal moments that became Koi Girl. Is that is that what yeah? Well I I think it was the first moment was when I was living in Japan. I lived in Japan for around six years in my early twenties and I had just ⁓ studied at Perth North Metro Tafe Fashion and Textiles. And so when I was in Japan I Eve: Yeah. Sounds great. ⁓ TANYA: Had discovered the kimono and how beautiful it was, how you know all the different types of kimono, the the techniques, and I've I just loved everything about it. And ⁓ I had a friend from Germany who had bought a kimono and she said, Tanya, can you make me something special from this kimono? And I thought, Well, I haven't thought about doing something like that before, but I'll give it a go. So I borrowed my friend's sewing. machine and it was one of those machines which was just all hand operated no pedal it was just you pressed the button to sew and it was it was really difficult to use but ⁓ I ended up making her this really cool wrap top with one kimono sleeve yeah and that just seeing her try it on and Eve: Yeah, right. TANYA: see how happy she was that she had something one of a kind. ⁓ that kind of stayed with me and I just thought, wow, wouldn't it wouldn't that be cool to make something make a business doing something like that? And Yeah, it took took a while for me to start something like that, but it always stayed in the back of my mind, yes, I think I want to do something like this. And I think when I created Koi Girl after I returned ⁓ home from Japan after six years, I started Koi Girl. ⁓ I had brought home all these beautiful fabrics, kimonos and obi belts and I thought, what am I gonna do with this? I've just Yeah, I was I just thought about it for such a long time and I decided I'll start making handbags and purses out of the Obi fabrics and the kimono and that just started as a hobby in my kitchen. It's just sewing purses and handbags and my mum was helping as well. and I started doing markets and ⁓ selling a little bit online on Facebook and stuff and that was the second pivotal moment and then I guess the third was ⁓ deciding to do clothing and seeing my garments on the runway. I'd been manifesting seeing a Koi girl dress on the runway for a couple of years prior and And I just thought, can I do it? Should I do it? And I just thought, yes, I I really just sorry, I've mucked up here. Can you edit that? Sorry. Eve: yeah. TANYA: yeah, just seeing my stuff on the runway at Stylaid and Circular Fashion Festival, it was just a highlight and it just made me want to move further into creating garments and one of a kind clothing. I hope that all made sense, by the way. Eve: Yeah, it's beautiful. So you were involved in the Circular Fashion Festival in twenty twenty five? Yeah, great. Tell us about the day and the lead up. TANYA: Yes, that's correct. Well it was very exciting. ⁓ I mean it was right in Yagan Square, we had, you know, so much promotion. It was just an exciting day and seeing all the models dressed up in all my pieces, it was just it was just so amazing and you know being having the models walk alongside other designers that I really respect and admire was a highlight as well. And you know, from that, you know, have made so many friends. friends and connections from being in the Circular Fashion Festival. ⁓ Yeah, there's truly an amazing amount of circular fashion designers and you know it I just think they're all amazing. Eve: Yeah, that's so cool. And why a circular fashion festival and not the traditional fashion festivals that ⁓ happen around the country? TANYA: I guess because ⁓ I guess my ethos is just not to waste. ⁓ to reuse and ⁓ reimagine, recycle and you know, that's that's all circular and you know, it has being involved in, you know, the circular fashion festival it just sends like a really important message to everyone, you know, this is important. We we need to take notice and we need Eve: Yeah, it looked like a great day and I'm really excited to be involved ⁓ in the twenty twenty six festival that's happening in October. And Perth seems to be the pioneers ⁓ in this space, which is super exciting to have witnessed. ⁓ and I'm looking forward to being there in person. So I just touching on Japan and ⁓ you know, saying that you fell in love with it, I think living somewhere completely different does change you as a person. So what took you t first took you to a Osaka? TANYA: Well, ⁓ I had studied a couple of years ⁓ at TAFE and I had the opportunity over a Christmas break to just go over to Japan for a couple of months ⁓ with friends and while I was there I just really, really liked it. ⁓ the the lifestyle, the culture, ⁓ it was just an amazing mix of new and old technology and history, you know, it was just this huge contrast and it it was just it was so different to being home and you know, I just I just loved Japanese people, I met other foreigners there. It was just a lot of fun. And after the couple of months there I decided to apply for a working holiday visa and I came back for another year and a half. ⁓ it it did lead on to s six years. I did end up having a getting a culture visa and studying it was a textile technique over there. sorry, I'm not very good at this podcasting thing. Sorry. Yeah. Eve: You're doing great. You're doing absolutely great. TANYA: So okay, so when I was what was the question again, sorry. Eve: Well, what took you to Osaka. ⁓ but then yeah, if you wanna touch on now, ⁓ when you went back and studied the the traditional technique. TANYA: Yeah. Yes, so I I missed a a point there. So I came back on a working holiday visa and I was a English teacher. ⁓ so my part time job was teaching English and I also did a bit of bartending as well. I decided to look into ⁓ textile design because I went to this amazing kimono exhibition and it just the amazing kimonos on display had embroidery, shibori, all these different dyeing techniques, embroidery. It was just an amazing exhibition and I just wanted to study more or look into it more and I found this culture school in Osaka who taught a ⁓ traditional dyeing technique or gradation technique for the kimono and so I studied that for a couple of years and Eve: Mm-hmm. TANYA: And ⁓ it was just an amazing experience. my Japanese wasn't particularly good at the time and my teacher only spoke Japanese. So it was it was a a big learning curve and you know it it helped me a lot you know, learning the language and the culture too. yeah, it was an amazing experience. yeah, it was a highlight. Eve: Yeah. Absolutely. So was that the is it was it called Tagaki Yuzin? TANYA: Yeah, Tegaki Yuzen. Eve: Well Yeah, and that's a judici ⁓ can you just explain a little bit about what that term is? TANYA: ⁓ Yuzen means it's a it's a dying Yuzen means ⁓ sorry, I need to probably look this up so I don't make a mistake. Sorry, Eve. Eve: That's okay. TANYA: Segar aqui. Don't want to get the the words mixed up. So it means paint, ⁓ it means paint with dye and it's a gradation technique. So a lot of the the designs are like flowers and leaves and you get like a special angled brush and you dip the dye in from the darkest point and So there's a dark point and a lighter point and you just keep blending and blending until it has this beautiful gradation. ⁓ yeah, sorry. Eve: No, that sounds beautiful. And has so learning about that tr traditional check technique, has it changed how you look at clothing? TANYA: ⁓ Don't know, I haven't thought about that. no, I don't know. Eve: Okay. ⁓ what surprised you most about living in Japan? TANYA: I guess it was the the biggest thing was seeing the contrast. So, Eve: Mm. TANYA: you'd be walking down the street and there would be you know, all these neon lights and skyscraper buildings and then next thing you'll see a sumo wrestler in his kimono with his hair all done up, riding his bike to his tournament. You know, things like that. It was just a temple next door to a big pachinko parlor. So it's just It's just a crazy ⁓ contrast of, you know, new and old. Eve: Yeah, it sounds it's I've been to Japan and it does it is fascinating like that. It re you really feel the culture there. TANYA: Yeah. Yeah. And it's just so exciting as well. Eve: Yeah, so Yeah. Yeah, I must feel like you're allowed to be creative and innovative in that kind of environment. TANYA: Definitely. Definitely. Eve: Yeah, one thing I love about your work is that you don't actually start with the fabric. You start with the history. So what do you see when you pick up an old kimono that someone else may overlook? TANYA: Hmm. Well It's tricky one. ⁓ well I just I mean I I see the fabric. So I I look at the the print and the design. I look at ⁓ how I can use that print or the print placement in a garment or even a purse or a handbag. I I look at the story of the garment, how all the Like on the kimono, ⁓ they have like the main print in a particular place and then it flows on the rest of the kimono so you have to work out is this gonna be the bodice or is this gonna be the bottom of the dress or the jumpsuit or whatever? It's all about placing the print. yeah, it's I don't know if I'm explaining myself properly, sorry. Eve: That's okay. And ⁓ I mean, we could explore like craftsmanship and the hours involved and why they deserved another life. Like is that something that you want to touch on? TANYA: Yeah, so yeah. I am sorry, Eve, like I'm not very good at this. I told you the other day. Eve: It's all good. It's fine. I just it's totally fine. Don't worry. The editing will take care of it. So please don't stress. ⁓ yeah. It's just TANYA: Yeah. Okay. Yeah. All right. Well I I can talk a little bit about how I feel about the kimono and the history of it and stuff if you like. Yes, so Eve: Sounds great. TANYA: I guess the reason why I love kimonos so much and you know it is it's such a you know globally an iconic garment. You know, it's known around the world, ⁓ you know, and it's so significant because it's wearable art. You know, there's so many different types of kimonos. ⁓ you know, it depends on your marriage status, whether you're single or married, like the length of your sleeve, ⁓ what kind Eve: Well. TANYA: You can wear there's so many different techniques, dyeing techniques, sheer body, ⁓ weaving, embroidery, ⁓ you know, even the prints. there's so many beautiful different techniques that's involved in making a kimono, and you know, it's it's over a 1200 years old, the garment, so you know it's it's like through the ages pretty much. but yeah there's still places in Kyoto and parts of ⁓ other parts of Japan that still traditionally make kimonos, you know, the old fashioned way where they are weaving and dying and it's all hanging outside and you know it's it's just an amazing, you know Eve: Yeah, absolutely. TANYA: craft to you know, continue on, you know. you know, also ⁓ sorry, you go ahead. Eve: Mm. Absolutely. Does every kimono ⁓ sorry, you go. I was just gonna say, does every kimono tell you something different? TANYA: ⁓ well they have it I mean a lot of the kimonos they have a lot of the s ⁓ prints and designs they have symbolisms. So for example in autumn obviously you wear more autumnal colours like oranges and reds and stuff like that. But the prints they use you know, autumn is a time of harvest. So they use a lot of symbols like the chrysanthemum. Chrysanthemum is ⁓ the only flower that ⁓ blooms in autumn and the symbolism it means strength because it's the only flower that blooms in autumn. You know so there's there's lots of meaning behind all the different patterns and florals and brocades in the kimono and the obi belt. ⁓ You know the the Peony, is that how you say it? Or peony? ⁓ that is considered the the royal flower. It's the queen, the queen of flowers that signifies or symbolises strength and royalty and ⁓ wealth. So there there's lots and lots of meanings behind each you know flower or pattern or you know design. Eve: Mm. Yes. So beautiful. Have you ever been afraid to cut into one? TANYA: Yes. See the one behind me? This beautiful green kimono. I'm terrified. So I think that's just gonna hang on my wall. Eve: Mm, yes. So for anyone listening to the podcast, ⁓ that's not on the on visual, can you just describe it to us? TANYA: ⁓ it's a ivory kimono with emerald green. ⁓ it has twenty-four karat gold embroidery thread and it has an all-over pattern of floral and geometric So yeah it's just absolutely stunning in all different mainly emerald green but ⁓ there's there's other shades of green as well and it's just it's the most stunning kimono well I have a few others but this one is my one of my favorites Eve: Mm, yeah, it's beautiful. Will that be on the runway this October? TANYA: I can't I can't cut it off, I'm sorry. Eve: No. Fair enough. ⁓ so circular fashion beyond recycling. So p I mean lots of people hear circular fashion, they often think it's recycling, but your work's obviously so much deeper than that. So can you talk us through what circular fashion actually means to you? TANYA: circular fashion, well, we when it comes to my label it's it's I don't know, I the word reimagine comes into mind. reimagining these textiles into something that people can enjoy every day. You know, you know, people can look at those fabrics and think, ⁓ my god, it's so beautiful. but you know you transfor transform it into a beautiful one of a kind garment. You know, that's something you can treasure forever. ⁓ it's about reimagining, retelling the story and you know, reusing what we have, you know, and Turning these beautiful textiles into something that we can use and wear. If I'm repeating myself, I'm sorry. Eve: Mm. Yeah, beautiful. It's okay, we can edit that. ⁓ and the ⁓ like ⁓ are all your ⁓ fabrics sourced from Japan? TANYA: Yes. So ⁓ I go to Japan, I try to go every year. ⁓ I'm going in November, I believe, this year. ⁓ and I source all my fabrics from there. ⁓ I have I usually go to the old temple markets. ⁓ there's a lot of people that sell them there. You know, I also have vintage ⁓ kimono ⁓ wholesalers as well. yeah, there's lots of places where you can can buy and source them. Although I don't like to advertise that, so maybe edit that out. Yeah. ⁓ but yeah it it is hard Eve: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Okay, no worries. TANYA: Yeah. I don't know how to maybe we shouldn't use that question. I don't know. Eve: ⁓ it's all right. I'll just clean it up 'cause, I mean, it was i it's important for people to know that like they are coming from Japan, ⁓ and TANYA: ⁓ yeah. So yeah, I source all the ⁓ kimonos in Japan. ⁓ yeah, there's there's so many but but besides temple markets, antique markets and all where you can get them from, there's quite a few places where you can get the kimonos. also I just wanted to add, you know, in Japan five hundred to eight hundred tons of kimonos get discarded every year. And yeah, it's amazing. It gets they get discarded because Eve: Wow. TANYA: You know, people just they either want to just wear a kimono once for a special event or occasion and they either put them away, store them forever, or they discard them. you know, with changing trends in the kimono and special events, people tend to only wear them once. And you know, it's it's It's a lot of kimonos getting thrown away, all those beautiful vintage silk pieces are getting discarded. And you know, there are quite a few businesses now that, you know, use the vintage kimonos and make shoes out of them and all sorts of things. So, you know, there are people that are caring as much about the kimono as myself. Eve: Start. Right. Yeah, that seems like a lot of waste. So ⁓ and you know, such history as well getting destroyed, which is yeah, really alarming. so every guest I've interviewed has end up we've ended up touching on identity in some way. ⁓ so when someone wears one of your pieces, how are you how do you hope they feel? TANYA: Yeah. Well, I hope they feel confident and elegant and beautiful. Yeah, I hope they feel really good about themselves and I hope they also know that when they are wearing something of Koi Girls that it is one of a kind and you know, it's come from a beautiful kimono that, you know, was once worn by somebody else. You know, it has a story behind it and a history and, you know, it's it's a beautiful statement piece that you know, y you'll be able to cherish and have in your wardrobe forever. Eve: Yeah, they are timeless and really versatile in how you wear them. So have you got any you know, tips on how t to best wear them or how you generally wear them? TANYA: Well Hm They just kind of I don't know how to answer that, sorry. They just go on. Eve: Yeah. Well, it's something that you can add on top of any like a layer on top of anything to make a statement. TANYA: Well, yes, sorry. Sorry, I didn't I'm not very sorry. I'm laughing at myself, not you. no you can you can definitely dress up a koi girl dress or jumpsuit, you know, you can we most of them come with a sash, you can change it over with a belt or you could wear layers underneath or you know, you you could just wear wear them with flats or heels, you know, you could just wear them and style them however you like. you know, th there are no rules. I don't think fashion should have any rules. Eve: Yeah, I love that. And it is the like you're wearing a piece of art when you put one on So do you think, Tanya, we've lost some appreciation for where our clothes come from in society currently? TANYA: Definitely. I I really do think so. in so many ways. I think fast fashion, you know, you become less appreciative of you know where it has come from and there is no uniqueness because everybody is wearing the same thing. you know, if we took the time and, you know, curated our own wardrobe and created our own uniqueness, by, you know, buying one of a kind, buying something that, you know, is maybe second hand or upcycled, you know. I think I think we need to appreciate our fashion more again. Eve: Yeah, absolutely. I love that you like you know are bringing in Japanese traditions that have been protected for hundreds of years and reimagining them in a new way, ⁓ in a circular way and you know, continuing to honor that tradition, but also ⁓ you know, it's an expression of creativity as well. So I hope to see more and more designers ⁓ reimagining fashion that way and society and consumers actually appreciating the history and the creativity and the time and the opportunity to wear something that ⁓ you know has had that time and energy and love put into from a designer. TANYA: ⁓ definitely, yes. I hope so too. Eve: Yeah. So Tanya, what does living intentionally mean to you? TANYA: just being true to yourself. I did write the answer down, sorry. Just Yeah, I'm Eve: Okay, you can read it if you want. TANYA: Where is it? Had this all planned, Eve. All these cool answers, but Eve: Totally fine. You just breathe them out and you're ready. I'm just gonna have a sip of my tea. TANYA: So living intentionally ⁓ means making choices that reflect sorry, I don't I hope you have lots of editing here. 'Cause I don't even understand Eve: It's okay, have a breath, have a breath, it's okay. Like there's no rush, there's Yep, have some coffee, have a breath, it's all good. We're not live. It's just you and me. And editing would take care of this, so it's all good. So I'll are you do you want me to ask it again? TANYA: We have some coffee. Well that's good. That's good because Well, intentionally living means okay, hang on. I don't it doesn't matter how many times I read that, like I and like I wrote it down, but it just to me it doesn't make sense. Yeah, it just means doing intentionally living means doing what I value, not what everyone else is doing. So ⁓ just being true to myself and listening to myself a lot and None of the outside noise. So just being true. Eve: Yeah, beautiful. And what advice would you give your younger self? TANYA: Well, my younger self. I I would probably say pretty much what I just said. Listen to yourself, listen to your gut instinct and you know just yeah it's it's pretty much what I answered about intentionally living. Just be true to yourself and true to what? ⁓ live by sorry. ⁓ my god, am I your worst interviewer? Eve: It's all good. I'm only like I'm only just starting out as well, so just there's no pressure. Yeah. TANYA: ⁓ really? Yeah. Well just pretty much advice to ⁓ my younger self is just again be true to yourself, and you know, don't listen to or listen to any anyone judging you or, you know, get rid of all that noise. Just just go for just go for it and you know, your values are the most important thing. Eve: Yeah, absolutely. ⁓ we you know, our motto at Project Emerald Collective and what we live by is aim aiming to empower women to take their power back ⁓ with regards to their time and their energy and their money. but it can mean so many different things to different people. So what does take your power back mean to you? TANYA: Trusting yourself. Yeah. Definitely trusting yourself. And I guess the last two questions. It's just really listening to yourself, trust in your values and Yeah. I don't know. Sorry. I'm Eve: No, he did well. And yeah, finishing off TANYA: Are you are you able to work with what I've given you? I'm so sorry. Eve: Yeah, it's all good. W you'll be amazed, trust me. When did you last feel most like yourself? TANYA: Most like myself, wow, that's I don't know. I feel like myself all the time. Eve: Right. It's the whole purpose. TANYA: What about you, Eve? When do you feel like yourself? Eve: ⁓ I actu I just what is bringing me the most happiness at the moment? I'm just gonna stop the interview.