We were excited to attend the launch of AFC Member Alix Higgins’ latest collection, 'Archery Practice,' which features predominantly upcycled, one-of-a-kind pieces—a core focus for the designer.
Having studied fashion in Sydney and Paris, Higgins launched his eponymous brand in 2021 with a commitment to sustainable practices. Here, we spoke with Alix bout the inspiration behind their latest collection and got a glimpse of what the brand has in store for 2024.
Tell us about the concept behind your recent collection ‘Archery Practice.’
The collection is a 10-look lookbook of predominantly upcycled garments made from Polo Shirts, T-Shirts and Rugby Jerseys reimagined with poetry. The concept was to recreate a sort of backyard in a sense, the feeling of youth, of being almost home.
I was thinking about fashion as a destructive process, and how we could minimise our impact through refined practice, turning something violent into something beautiful, like archery. I began the collection thinking about sport, repetition, and beauty. I also wanted to revisit some pieces from my brand and refine them, reissue them in new colours and more luxurious fabrications.
China Heights offered me the space in January to do a pop up so I designed this collection with this space in mind, and with the end goal being a physical launch where people could try on the pieces and engage with them closely. This meant I could lean into upcycling techniques where every garment was unique, because people would shop them in this way, physically.
The emphasis on upcycling and the creation of one-of-a-kind pieces in your designs has been evident since you launched your brand in 2021. Can you tell us why sustainability is so important to you?
I don’t think designers really have a choice but to engage with ideas of sustainability. As someone who creates something (especially something as impactful as fashion) I have a responsibility to explore and challenge myself to find new ways to produce that are less harmful, and hopefully even positive.
Upcycling is a wonderful tool for design, wherein you depart from materials that lack the initial 'preciousness' of untouched fabric rolls. Instead, you engage with materials that have already experienced life, imbuing them with character and presence from their prior use.
Winning the Emerging Designer Award at the 2023 Australian Fashion Laureate was a remarkable achievement. Looking ahead to 2024, what exciting developments or projects can we anticipate from your brand?
For 2024 I am working on a second collection to debut in May in a fashion show. Additionally, I will be working on an upcycled capsule collection to be released later in the year with a new partner. I have held a few pop-up stores over the last year and find this is a lovely way to launch new lines, and engage with my customer base directly, and will continue doing this in 2024 as well.
Campaign Photography: Daniel Harden
Casting: Chloe Corkran
Shop Archery Practice here or stay up to date with Alix's journey via Instagram.
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