Of the numerous appears that caught our eye at Melbourne Fashion Week in October, one designer’s imaginative and prescient lingered lengthy after the Closing Runway: Gotham. Founded by Melbourne-based designer Gautam Kapoor, the label finds inspiration in surrealist artwork and the occult, drawing on voluminous, Victorian-era silhouettes to create items that really feel experimental but wearable.
At its core, Gotham is a label outlined in contrast, pairing opposing parts to create one thing sudden. “I might reference the rigidity of suits of armour and contrast that with something overtly feminine, such as a dramatic ruffle,” Gautam explains. “This tension between strength and softness allows new and interesting shapes to emerge.”
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Gautam’s artistic outlook can also be formed by world influences. His Indian heritage is mirrored within the label’s assured use of color and print, whereas a sequence of internships in London throughout a post-university hole yr helped refine his technical pattern-making expertise. This consideration to element is obvious throughout the collections, where clothes typically endure a number of toile iterations earlier than reaching their last kind.
Moving to Melbourne to finish his Honours at RMIT opened doorways each creatively and professionally. “It was my first time living in the city and I only knew one person, but I was drawn to Melbourne’s creative energy and felt it was the right place to push myself,” he says.
Today, Gautam shares a studio in Clifton Hill with fellow designer Lucinda Babi. While every maintains a definite aesthetic, each designers function with a hands-on, DIY strategy and a powerful dedication to domestically produced, made-to-order vogue. Below, Gautam displays on his journey into vogue, the inspiration behind his newest assortment, Arcanaand where he hopes to take Gotham in 2026.
Fashion Journal: Hey Gautam! Tell us about your vogue background, how did you get began?
Gautam: I migrated from India to Australia at a really younger age, which actually formed my perspective and artistic outlook. I went on to check vogue and textiles in Perth, and through a spot yr I accomplished a number of internships in London that helped refine my curiosity within the business. After that, I made a decision to maneuver to Melbourne to finish my Honours at RMIT. It was my first time dwelling within the metropolis and I solely knew one particular person, however I used to be drawn to Melbourne’s artistic vitality and felt it was the suitable place to push myself each personally and creatively.
When did the label get began? Talk us by the method and the challenges.
After graduating from RMIT, I fell into the sample of working in luxurious retail to economize, after spending a lot on my commencement assortment. I reached out to certainly one of my mates, Lucinda Babi, from my college and stated, ‘let’s go view a studio’ and the day we appeared at it, we each dedicated to it and it started our respective journeys there.
The label actually started throughout Covid in 2020. That yr particularly, going from simply experimenting and studying to sample sew once more, I created an internet site and Instagram and began posting and making an attempt to promote my items on-line. The early years have been very DIY – you’d be stunned by how a lot of my product and items have been shot on an iPhone.
Tell me about your new assortment, Arcana. What was the inspiration behind it?
Arcana attracts inspiration from my commencement assortment, which I revisited as a supply of fabric. I at all times felt there have been many concepts inside it that I’d beforehand ignored. I researched surrealist artists resembling Leonora Carringtonwhose work are wealthy with occult themes and representations of magic. From there, I drew on Victorian-era silhouettes, incorporating flounces, ruffles and quantity, in addition to print concepts developed from my earlier work.
When designing, I at all times purpose to fuse opposing parts to create one thing sudden and visually compelling. For instance, I would reference the rigidity of fits of armour and distinction that with one thing overtly female, resembling a dramatic ruffle. This stress between energy and softness permits new and fascinating shapes to emerge.
Do you’ve got a favorite piece within the assortment?
It must be the jacquard floral gown. This piece examined me as a designer, taking round 4 to 5 toile iterations earlier than reaching the ultimate model. Each sleeve alone makes use of roughly two metres of cloth to realize its quantity and sculptural form.
Can you inform us a bit about the way you supply your supplies and your provide chain?
All of my prints are produced in Melbourne by a printing firm referred to as Next State, an unbelievable crew I extremely suggest to anybody seeking to develop customized printed materials.
I supply my core materials domestically as properly, together with the ponte used for my Dive tank tops, which stay certainly one of my bestselling items so far. Supporting native companies in Melbourne is essential to me and I make a aware effort to prioritise this wherever attainable. All items are nonetheless made in studio. I function on a made-to-order mannequin, which continues to work properly for the enterprise and helps hold extra material waste to a minimal.
How would you describe your label to somebody who’s by no means seen it earlier than?
I might describe the label as experimental, fusing masculine and female parts whereas working closely with color, print and form. The items are designed to really feel distinctive but wearable, created to be styled in a number of methods.
What are you most happy with in your work in your label?
What I’m most happy with is the expansion the label has achieved. Looking again, I can see how far I’ve come and every time I really feel overwhelmed or face challenges, I remind myself of where I began. I’m particularly happy with this yr, having been invited to showcase at the Melbourne PayPal Fashion Festival and most lately, at Melbourne Fashion Week. The turnaround for Fashion Week was extremely fast, and I’m proud I used to be capable of make all of it occur. I used to be lucky to have a tremendous crew round me who helped carry every little thing collectively.
What do you want you knew whenever you began?
I want I’d targeted extra on the advertising and marketing and content material aspect of the enterprise from the beginning. Over time, I’ve realised simply how essential it’s and the way a lot it shapes each facet of the model. This can be a serious focus for me in 2026.
Who do you assume is most enjoyable in Australian vogue proper now?
There are so many thrilling, rising labels. I additionally love seeing unbiased boutiques showcasing new expertise, resembling Solari Studio in Abbotsford and Sucker in Fitzroy. What I discover notably thrilling is how persons are purchasing extra consciously, selecting intentional, long-lasting items that may be built-in into their wardrobes, slightly than chasing quick vogue developments.
What concerning the native business wants to alter?
The business is slowly evolving to assist rising expertise however I’d like to see extra funding and grants obtainable for vogue, together with stronger assist from the federal government and the humanities sector. I additionally assume extra unbiased runways that absolutely showcase a designer’s imaginative and prescient, from casting and make-up to fashions and styling, would make an enormous distinction. This yr, I noticed Amy Lawrance’s runway, and to me it was such a robust portrayal of her imaginative and prescient. I might like to create one thing comparable for my label within the coming yr.
Who are your dream collaborators in Australia?
This may appear a bit of on the market, however sooner or later I’d like to create a small capsule of objects, whether or not its hand-blown glass candles, every one distinctive, or ceramics, and have them showcased with Mecca as an rising designer collaboration. It’s oddly particular however I’ve at all times had an enormous respect for the way properly executed each the model and enterprise of Mecca are.
What objects are on excessive rotation in your wardrobe proper now?
Right now, I’m biking by a bunch of Gramicci T-shirts, dishevelled denims and a pair of Gucci Horsebit loafers that I’ve worn to loss of life.
How can we purchase certainly one of your items?
Gotham is at present obtainable to order on-line by my web site and Instagram. In the brand new yr, I’ll even be stocked at Solari Studio in Melbourne and Basket Studio in Perth.
Keep up with the newest from Gotham right here.
This article An up-close look at Gotham’s ‘Arcana’, where surrealism meets wearable design appeared first on Fashion Journal.