IKEA carry bags, galvanised steel scourers and white cotton tube socks hardly sound like items worthy of the title ‘avant-garde’, but, like most things in life, it’s all a matter of perspective. In the hands of Australian designer Alexandra Hackett, these items become just that. Alex, under her label Studio Alch (web), deconstructs and reconstructs everyday items to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. We’re big fans of Alex’s work, here at Foot District, so we thought we’d take a moment to shine the spotlight on Studio ALCH to show why this is one streetwear label you need to watch!
Alexandra HacketStudio ALCH transform the ordinary into the extraordinary
First things first, if the name ‘Alexandra Hackett’ sounds familiar, there’s a good reason for that. Alex, who goes by the alias miniswoosh (@miniswoosh), was one of 12 artists from around the globe selected to participate in Nike’s ‘Vote Forward’ campaign for Air Max Day 2017. Sean Wotherspoon’s corduroy-clad Air Max 97/1 hybrid would ultimately take out the top spot when the campaign’s creations were put to the public vote, but the remaining designs – particularly Alex’s – garnered plenty of attention in their own right. Her design mashed together more than a decade’s worth of Air innovation and the result was surprisingly sleek. While we won’t be copping the ‘Air Miniswoosh’, as it was to be known, anytime soon, Alex has been serving up some insane apparel and accessories under her Studio ALCH label for quite some time.
Alex describes her work as extending the lifespan of pre-existing products. To put it simply, her work is an imaginative take on the concepts of reusing and recycling. Almost anything is fair game – from sneaker hangtags to busted Apple EarPods – although she has a particular penchant for any and everything with a Swoosh, With that said, it comes as no surprise that Alex’s self-described focus is on ‘non-traditional apparel fabrications and design methods’. Rather than simply create clothing, her technique is to design ‘packaging’ for the human body as a product, and she’s built up her fair share of noteworthy fans in the process.
Billie Eilish x Studio AlchStudio ALCH has collaborated with the likes of Kendrick Lamar and Frank Ocean in the past, and, recently, Billie Eilish was snapped sporting a pair of the label’s lime green Lanyard shorts in a shoot for The Evening Standard. Patta regularly call on her talents in reconstruction, and Nike have even given her talents their official blessings on multiple occasions.
Studio ALCH has evolved extensively in recent times, but is no less experimental. The brand’s SS19 lineup is a mix of bright colours, unconventional materials and reconstructed experimentation. Studio ALCH’s inventory isn’t for everyone, but that’s exactly why it’s so good. In this time of fast fashion and creatively bankrupt copycats, it’s refreshing to encounter a brand so willing to think outside convention. We just wish there were more streetwear brands willing to toe the line of avant-grade. Bravo, Studio ALCH!