Phoenix Keating Rebirths in the Western Hemisphere

Australian designer, Phoenix Keating, has made remarkable strides in his fashion empire, much like the seams on his clothing. Growing up in Sydney, Australia, he managed to find his path in life just in the nick of time at age 17, where he pursued a career in the very competitive fashion design. Starting his own fashion label in 2009 launched him on the runway to prodigious reviews on his collection, which turned the buzz about Phoenix to a full blown high. With landing on cloud nine and being the bees knees around Sydney comes the succulent honey that flourishes from the multi color-coordinated field in the form of recognition by pop superstar Lady Gaga and New Zealand recording artist Kimbra.  Both respectable females who have climbed the charts in historic ways were introduced to Phoenix Keating’s clothing and took a liking to it that grew into a fascination with the need to be styled by the man himself for various concert events. Keating’s designs hold an eccentric quality to them while also being sculpted with a bold mentality that harnesses ulterior structure behind each design. Calling it modern would be an understatement, especially since he’s incorporated retro trends in an updated format that catches the eye of many in our generation, with expert tailoring to a T. I had the pleasure of interviewing Phoenix Keating with a Q&A, where we spoke about his early start in design, his previous love of the theater, the state of fashion, and bringing his collection to the United States for the Spring/Summer 2014 season.

What made you want to debut your line in the United States for the Spring/Summer 2014 season, as opposed to continuing to launch in the Australian market?
I feel that the U.S. ideal of fashion is a slightly more progressive one. While Australia has some amazing talent in the way of designers, there are few people who are willing to buy and wear the clothes, whereas you see fiercely individual women walking down 5^th avenue every day.

Is bringing your line across the seas to the states more because of a fascination with Western style and wanting to throw your hat in the ring of influence or is it more on the behalf of a business standpoint?
New York is my next adventure as I launch the label on an international scale. It feels like the next logical step in a business sense and a definite ‘hat throw’ into the ring. It’s an invitation for people to start to see Phoenix Keating as a contender within the avant-garde, luxury market.

You wanted to be an actor; did the opportunities for actors/actresses come greatly shorter than the opportunities for fashion design, which is why you decided to crossover? Or was it truly because you felt your niche was in design?
Unfortunately, acting was a passion in my youth that died a painful, painful death. I decided that my look wasn’t right very early on in the piece. Design was a passion found separately. I made a dress for a school project when I was fourteen and I saw my model whirling around in my 1950’s inspired piece and I felt so enamored with what I had created that in that moment I knew what I wanted to do, and I have loved it ever since.

Did you set your goals high as to work with people along the likes of the Lady Gaga and Kimbra, or did you simply desire to create clothing and take it as far as you felt you could go?
My goal was always simply to push the boundaries of fashion. To see women on the street dressing up and being their most powerful, commanding selves. I was always attracted by power and beauty to create for women who I dreamed of; calm, sexy, strong, and powerful.

How did it feel when you launched your line in 2009 with outstanding reviews? Did it feel like a dream had come true or a road of trials and tribulations was ahead of you to continue living up to the bar you set for yourself in the fashion world?
It was an amazing time. However, the funny thing about being talked about is that nobody talks to you about it. I wasn’t told about the amount of press I was getting, which was actually quite refreshing. I remained ignorant and kept about my work unsure of what was to come.

What inspired you to come up with the trendy designs, for example, actually making bell-bottom pants ‘in’ again? 
At the risk of sounding like a ‘hipster,’ I am in love with irony. I love the irony of something that is so bad it’s amazing. Taking yourself too seriously, in my opinion, is detrimental to your aesthetic as a fashion designer. It is amazing what you can turn from horrid to chic in the right context.

What are your intentions with your S/S ’14 collection as far as bringing Australia to the states in your own way?
Well, it’s only our first date. So no under the blouse action this time, sir.

Who did you look up to growing up and who inspires your designs?
I looked to the 40’s and 50’s screen goddesses – Audrey Hepburn. Lauren Bacall, Rita Hayworth, Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe. The elegance and stature of these women drove me to create.

How do you feel you earn your respect as a couture designer?
I don’t feel that I am a couture designer. My clothes are a mix between couture and ready-to-wear. Un-dissimilar to the ‘demi-couture’  Nicolas Ghesquière brought to Balenciaga.

Depending on how your debut goes, do you plan on continuing to make an appearance in the United States or was this just a tease in your own fashion conscience mind?
I feel that based on the receipt of this collection I would like to call New York the base of the label for a while. I like you guys, you guys get me.

How do you feel about the state of fashion right now?
There is a huge hole now – McQueen is gone, Galliano’s fall from grace was a tragedy and Ghesquiere isn’t with Balenciaga anymore. It is an odd time of transience in fashion at the moment. I feel that fashion has been drained a little of its hyper creativity, but I also believe it is an extremely exciting time; fashion’s calm before the storm. A very exciting time indeed.

Looking back at your first design project in high school, do you still feel it could pass as fashionable today?
It was as patched and stapled together as it could possibly be, I remember my mother saying to me “Phoenix, aren’t you going to trim these loose threads?” that’s how high quality the piece was. Apart from the construction of the garment – I actually think it would sell really well in 2013!