Celebrated as “one of the most exciting fashion talents to emerge from this country in decades,” by Harper’s BAZAAR, The Calile is delighted to present an in-conversation with Brisbane-born, London-based designer, couturier and artist, Michaela Stark.
On Tuesday 29 April, Michaela Stark will make her first public appearance in Queensland in conversation at The Calile to discuss her extraordinary impact and groundbreaking career. Through self-portraits that fuse fashion and art, Stark deploys extreme styling and body-morphing techniques to sculpt and re-shape her body in an active exploration of identity, assumed ideals, conformity and outdated beauty standards.
With a powerfully subversive muti-disciplinary practice that has exploded in recent years, Stark has designed looks for Beyoncé and Sam Smith; posed as a contemporary Venus in the Tate Britain; created a highly coveted couture line as well as a ready-to-wear collection; collaborated with Victoria’s Secret to reimagine their famous (or infamous) angel wings; and has appeared across a swathe of influential media including The New York Times, Financial Times, Vogue US, iD, Dazed, AnOther, Numéro, Le Monde, Forbes, Purple, Novembre and ELLE UK.
With an unapologetically sexy foot planted equally in both art and fashion, Stark investigates the accepted and expected figurative representation and challenges the censorship of real bodies equally through white-cube gallery spaces and via in-demand apparel and lingerie.
In her fashion life, Stark’s couture service provides highly customised and exclusive clothing and corsetry, while the coquettish handmade and ready-to-wear line (appropriately named ‘Panty’) serves up slow-fashion sexy smalls for all bodies using deadstock fabric from luxury couture fashion houses. The product premise remains true to her commitment to “highlight the parts of the body that we’re conditioned to hide, the big bellies or asymmetrical breasts, in order to show [them] off,” Stark says, “…to show a new kind of beauty.”
Stark’s art practice doesn’t deviate, with work that defies limitations of the physical and psyche with a liberal imagination, Stark curates delicately visceral interpretations of the body that are both intimately personal and universally resonant. Her culture-expanding multidisciplinary practice spans photography, video, performance and conceptual art. Attracting global recognition for her unique and powerful voice expressed through provocative, human sculptures that challenge ideals of representation, beauty standards, fashion and identity.
Stark will appear in conversation with Editor-in-Chief of LOVEWANT Magazine, Bart Celestino, alongside Dr Sal Edwards whose PhD research in fashion studies evaluated distinct historical narratives of the past, to examine how they have been perpetuated through dress, fashion, and the body within a Euro modern context.
Content warning, we advise that this event is for guests 18 years and over only. Tickets are highly limited, reserve now.
