Inspired by the nostalgia of childhood dress-ups and the rapturous awe with which we once looked upon circus performers and their perilous antics, Therese Rawsthorne’s A/W 09 collection is designed with the deeply imaginative in mind. The clean lines and quirky layering that have come to characterise the designer’s work play on a largely muted palette of pastel lemon, plum, black, white and nude for ‘The Greatest Bareback Rider of All Time.’

Combining easy wearability with ostentatious Vaudeville gauche, Rawsthorne’s collection seems natural and organic, despite being rooted in the theatre and drama of vintage circus. Contradictions are rife in this collection, making its intrinsic charm difficult to define. Stiff tulle pieces stand against raw cottons and silks; a spectacular past of circus bound equestriennes meets an avant garde present, and pieces are made to suit both the demurely graceful and the outrageous performer.

Surprisingly new to the fashion scene, Rawsthorne has only been designing under her eponymous label for two years, and has already been nominated for Woolmarks’ illustrious Designer of the Year Award. Here, she speaks candidly to Dazed Digital about perfectly imperfect woman, industrial Sydney and her upcoming foray into knitwear…

Dazed Digital: How old are you?
Therese Rawsthorne: 32

DD: How long have you been designing?
TR: I started my label 3 years ago

DD: Where are you based?
TR: I work from Marrickville in Sydney, it’s a kind of industrial area on the outskirts of the city

DD: What inspires you at the moment?
TR: Innate strength. It’s fascinating to see the essence of peoples character come out in trying times.

DD: What is your A/W 09 collection about?
TR: A/W 09 was inspired by a book of early 20th Century circus posters I found. It was full of acrobats, bareback riders and aerialists. The images were so playful & all about the hair raising acts they would perform!

DD: How would you describe your style?
TR: It has a real unstructured sophistication. I like to put strong shapes into soft fabrics and vice versa. The pieces are really versatile and easy to wear but there is always beautiful details and fabrications.

DD: What is your earliest fashion memory?
TR: I had my heart set on a pair of rust coloured dungarees appliquéd with toadstools when I was about six. They didn’t have them in my size, it was my first fashion letdown!

DD: What is special or unique about Australian fashion?
TR: Australians don’t tend to take themselves too seriously. They can be really sophisticated but still keep a relaxed edge.

DD: Who are your favourite designers and why?
TR: I consistently love the independent British designers like Preen & Christopher Kane, I also love the incredible Rodarte for their delicate/savage aesthetic and the visionary work of Nicholas Ghesquiere & Martin Margiela.

DD: Who do you imagine wearing your clothes?
TR: She’s not too polished, a little imperfect but really cool and happy to follow her own path.

DD: Where do you see Australian fashion in 10 years time?
TR: I think we’ll have a really healthy local industry, there is a lot of really great talent coming through and support for them is really good.

DD: What's next for your label?
TR: We have just started doing knitwear, so I’m excited about launching that next season!

DD: Where can we buy your collection?
TR: Couverture in London. For NZ, Asian and US stockists go to thereserawsthorne.com.