Created by designer Lisa Gorman, Gorman is a fresh, modern womenswear label, established in Melbourne in 1999 and now available in Brisbane at David Jones and the new Gorman store in QueensPlaza. Fresh and uncomplicated, the label uses quality fabrics, good shapes and customised prints to create clothes that work well with the Australian way of life. Here, Di Cant chats with the talented designer.
Q: Where did the designer and the brand Gorman begin? Did you have any formal fashion design education? And if so, how long ago? What were the stages you went through to get to this level of success as a dynamic Australian designer?
A: I had no actual formal training. I worked with Marianna Hardwick for seven years - firstly in retail, then visual merchandising and then design. There, I learnt it all - I even learnt special couture. It was great experience.
Q: What is your passion? Obviously, your designs are young and modern. Who is the Gorman customer?
A: My passion is "ready to wear" and "knitwear". The Gorman customer - well, she has a youthfulness, and maybe an age range of 17 to 60 years. The key customer is 25 to late thirties. She is independent in her style, she doesn't succumb to every new trend, she likes to mix the brands, she is socially and environmentally aware. We do a Gorman organic range twice a year with 30 styles, on top of our usual collections.
Q: How many retail stores - and retail stockists in Australia - do you have?
A: We have our seventh Australian store opening soon. In the spring we will be supplying David Jones stores and apart from that we do supply 45 retail boutiques throughout Australia. Our second biggest market is Japan. We also sell to the USA.
Q: What is the greatest moment so far in your career?
A: The opening of my first store - Chapel Street in Melbourne - three years ago. Yes, seeing the Gorman sign go up was very exciting and special.
Q: Do models and celebrities buy your clothes? In a perfect world who would you most like to dress and why?
A: Yes, there are a few. Ashley Olsen's stylist often orders for Ashley, and the actor Rose Byrne looks great in Gorman. Who would I like to dress? Well probably Kim Gordon from [band] Sonic Youth. I like her style.
Q: Each season where do you get your inspirations from? Do the fabrics and colours available have a big influence on what we can expect from Gorman, or do you design your own fabric prints and colours?
A: Print and colour inspire me. Especially right now, the strong digital prints.
Q: What is the best jacket shape for girls this season?
A: I love the tiny puffer bomber jacket in a soft fabric.
Q: Are opaque tights important to the Gorman girl this winter?
A: Yes, they add variety to an outfit - all the textures and colours. I myself wear a very short skirt in winter with black opaques whereas in summer I wear a skirt nearer to the knees without opaques.
Q: Do you have a large back-up team of pattern makers and sewers or do you manufacture off shore?
A: Not really. I do have two pattern makers, and myself and two others do the design, but no, we are really a small team with production, marketing and sales people who are very important to the brand.
Q: What can we expect to be wearing from Gorman next spring/summer 08/09? We are seeing strong trends of florals, man-tailored safari, nautical and bright. What is new from Gorman?
A: Bright with natural, some bold, some prints, and a combination of earthy with bright. Dresses and skirts show the fitted waist - the length is a little longer. Wear this look with the gladiator sandal, which we will be stocking our stores. Another shoe choice is a round-toe bright-coloured court shoe.
Q: Lisa the designer - what is your personal style?
A: As a busy mother of a two-year-old I am pretty relaxed during the day. I love jeans, tees and knits. When I go out I wear a cross of day/evening - I like a fresh modern approach. It's about a way of life, multi-tasking and feeling great.
Q: Where do you manufacture?
A: 60% of the ranges are manufactured in Vietnam, the knits are done in China, and 22% is made in Australia. Most of the fabrics and yarns are Italian.
Q: The Brisbane store in QueensPlaza on Adelaide street, is a great store. Does it carry the complete season's range? Does this store receive two seasons per year or are there mini-ranges dropped throughout the seasons? What is new for May delivery?
A: Yes, each store gets the complete range - there are two main collections each year with four drops each season with a pre-christmas drop in late November for those Christmas/New Year holidays. Gorman organic is four times a year. This keeps it all interesting and stock isn't sitting around for months. We usually sell out of certain styles - it gives the customer more variety so they're not seeing what they bought still in the shops months later.
In Brisbane, the Gorman store is located in QueensPlaza.
