Since closing their cult streetwear label Trimäpee, Melbourne-based designers Peter Strateas and Mario-Luca Carlucci have made great strides with their second incarnation. In 2014, Strateas.Carlucci won two of the most prominent awards for emerging Australian designers: the Australian regional Woolmark Prize, where they were victorious in both the men’s and women’s divisions; and the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival National Designer Award, sponsored by Tiffany & Co.

This year, they became the first Australian designers invited to present their collection as part of the official schedule for Paris Men’s Fashion Week. Their new collection, titled MYOPIA, is a sombre exploration of the distortions of memory. Pious whites float alongside oceanic blues; Cubist geometry consorts with iris-like iridescence. Mr Strateas and Mr Carlucci sat down with Manuscript to discuss their ethos and evolution.

You recently showed in Paris – the first Australian menswear designers to do so in a runway format on the official schedule. What was that experience like?
MLC It was surreal, and it all happened so fast, from the moment we found out we were on the schedule to then planning the show. Of course, there were many obstacles in trying to co-ordinate an international runway show from overseas, but we look forward to the coming seasons when our process will be more streamlined.

What were some of these challenges?
MLC Not being able to do regular site visits, negotiating space and time without being physically present, meetings with key people in different time zones—all of these seemingly simple tasks were the most arduous. It also meant that our collection had to be complete before leaving for Paris, and without having a studio there the small alterations during fittings can be stressful. One thing that became immediately apparent, but hardly a surprise, is that Paris is expensive when it comes to fashion week.

But as you say the benefits far outweigh the obstacles.
MLC We knew that being on the official Paris Fashion Week calendar was a big deal, but that reality didn’t hit us until we were there in person. Half the challenge is showing your work, the rest is making sure you deserve that opportunity. It’s been our main focus: to ensure we continue to grow, to not become complacent and to continually push our boundaries.

You’ve both worked in the fashion industry for many years – how has it changed in that time? Is it more challenging now than it was before, or has it gotten easier?
MLC I don’t think the fashion industry ever was or will ever be considered easy. Social media has allowed small brands to reach a global audience, but puts a lot of pressure on designers to constantly create something new. On the other hand, it also gives a leg up to emerging brands wanting to sell their creations: rather than dealing with buyers and stores, designers can connect directly to their audience. We have taken the more traditional route, but might explore the possibility of e-commerce when we’re ready.

Is it possible to build a serious, successful fashion business from Australia?
MLC It depends on what your idea of serious and successful means. Compared to other markets, the industry here is young. We need to travel to source fabrics and sell our collections, but we still manufacture in Australia. The tyranny of distance ultimately results in higher costs of goods being exported from Australia and fabrics being imported. However, as the industry grows here, hopefully changes will be made to redress these costs to ensure Australian businesses stay onshore. Sadly, there is a growing trend of Australian labels manufacturing offshore, which has become less of a choice and more a necessity. Fashion now, though, is a global business, so I think where you are based is becoming increasingly arbitrary. Even so, being Australian-based is part of who we are and we will always have those roots.
PS This is a question that played on our minds when we launched the label in Paris a few years back. It is challenging traveling so often, but short intense periods of work overseas is always followed by returning home to our secluded studio in Brunswick, away from the rest of the world.

Your label is one of the most directional in the country – how does the consumer respond to your ideas? Is it possible to push the envelope in menswear today?
MLC It’s about balance: communicating who we are as a brand, and also creating those essential items with commercial viability. Although we would love to see men wearing our runway looks daily, we understand that lifestyle plays a large role. Like womenswear, menswear has categories, too: event dressing, day dressing, work attire, and casual attire. Unfortunately, you cannot be everything for everyone, so we focus on those who respect innovative design, craftsmanship and quality. We will continue to push the boundaries, perhaps more for selfish creative pursuits, and can only hope that our customer will join us for the journey. We are fortunate enough to be working with Harrolds, the leading menswear store in Australia. They have a strong grasp of directional men’s fashion and actively communicate those ideas.

How might you describe what Strateas.Carlucci is about, with particular reference to the new collection?
MLC A constant underlying theme in our work is the idea of oppositions. This new collection, MYOPIA, is no exception. We were interested in how memory can suffer distortions. As an experiment, we created a series of blindfolded sketches, working purely off memory. We explored the idea of manipulating our silhouettes and exaggerated forms to these oversized shapes with elongated features. We also explored some more new print appliqués, new patterns and colour palettes.

But your creative development also exists in fabrication – what are some significant developments/fabrics you’re working with?
MLC We’re attracted to texture and distortion. We developed some interesting crushed, laminated silk fabrics, and mesh-like netting which fused cotton and polyurethane coating, allowing us to create more structure. We also experimented with merino wool for our summer collection, through knitted jacquards and the ‘hybrid-knit’ development featured in our Woolmark collection. Visuals started with the iris, and like a fingerprint each individual iris is unique. We created an iris-like silk jacquard to capture this element.

How do you plan to continue to grow the business and the brand?
MLC. Building a global brand, to stand the test of time, will actually take time. We believe in getting the foundation right and building brick by brick. We often liken our brand to a human life; we are only 3 years old. We are ensuring that, like any 3-year-old, it is nurtured. We plan to continue showing on the Paris schedule, and building our business by partnering with like-minded global retailers. Our end goal is longevity.

If you weren’t in fashion, what would you be doing?
MLC My other passion is painting and sketching, and experimenting with other visually creative art forms. It would be amazing to combine it with fashion, as they tend to go hand in hand.
PS I’m fortunate to be working in an industry that encompasses a wide range of creative elements. It changes and evolves. Our creative process every season allows us to explore various mediums. If I wasn’t in fashion, I’d be working in another art as I revel in creation and working with my hands.

See our exclusive shoot of the Strateas.Carlucci design studio.