Antipodium pops up in town
If the name Antipodium isn’t on your radar, it’s high time you sit up and take notice of this London-based label. Known for its wit, wearability, and subverted takes on classics, Antipodium has achieved the impossible in just a few short years: gaining serious street cred with London’s fashion cognoscenti, all while maintaining its refreshing, tongue-in-cheek irreverence.
And now, some of that patented Antipodium magic has made its way to our shores, thanks to its recent collaboration with local e-tailer Gnossem. With a special two-week pop-up event and even a special capsule collection just for us local folks, clearly the fashion Gods have been listening. We had a chat with Antipodium co-founder, Ashe Peacock, who filled us in on the label’s legion of super cool fans (ahem, Alexa Chung) and why it’s even been described as ‘unapologetically addictive’.
Hi Ashe! Take us back to the early days of Antipodium. How did it transition from a boutique/fashion agency to the cool label it is today?
We stocked designers from Australia and New Zealand and some of them were just too expensive to compete in the global market. I won’t name any names! But we felt that the price points were too high. We noticed there was a gap in the market for designer apparel with a relaxed, not too dressy Australian aesthetic that, most importantly, was not too pricey. And that is how Antipodium came about.
With two Australians at its helm but a distinctly East London vibe, how does Antipodium mesh these two different styles?
What we’ve always wanted to do since the beginning is to bring something new to East London. And we found that our style wouldn’t really fit in with Sydney, which is why East London is great. It’s very open and it’s the best place to bring your vision and new ideas out – and it definitely was the best place for us to launch Antipodium.
How would you describe Antipodium in just three words?
Irreverent, relaxed and…zeitgeisty (laughs). Ok, we may have made up the last word but it fits because lots of the young, cool celebrities come to us.
It girls Alexa Chung and Pixie Geldof wearing the Antipodium Intersection coat
Let us help you out here. London Fashion Week described the label as ‘unapologetically addictive’.
I do find Antipodium addictive – I wear it all the time! It’s versatile and easy to wear and it’s these qualities that make Antipodium addictive.
Speaking of young, cool celebrities, we hear that Alexa Chung is a massive Antipodium fan.
Yes, Alexa used to DJ for us at our parties back in the day and she often Instagrams pictures of herself wearing Antipodium. It’s great that we have such a cool, interesting vibe that celebrities support us are smart, working girls like Alexa, Susie Bubble, Carey Mulligan, Eliza Doolitle, and Pixie Geldof.
Ashe with Gnossem founder and director, Lisa Crosswhite (wearing Antipodium Hatchet dress)
What made you decide to bring Antipodium to Singapore and collaborate with Gnossem?
Singapore is one of our target markets. After I moved to Australia last year, I’ve focused more on what the women want there – and Singapore is an extension of that because it’s a lot like Australia, in terms of the climate. We’re imagining how we can do different fabrics and styles that you could wear in a hot climate like Singapore’s – something that’s really hard to do when you’re in freezing London. I met Lisa (Crosswhite, founder and director of Gnossem) while in Perth. I love what she’s done with Gnossem and we thought it’d be a good fit to collaborate with each other.
Teddy Boy’s Picnic Resort collection
What was the inspiration behind Antipodium’s Resort and Spring/Summer collections, which are available online at Gnossem?
The Resort collection is called Teddy Boys’ Picnic and it has a rockabilly vibe with an edge to it. We collaborated with Russell Maurice, a London-based artist to come up with very fun, playful prints on some of the pieces. The Spring/Summer collection is inspired by the 90s and the joy of retail: that’s why it’s called Attention Shoppers!. One of the hottest pieces of the collection is the Hot Knife, an iridescent organza dress that’s been photographed in practically every magazine you can find.
We’re very excited about the localised capsule collection. What we can expect from it?
The collection is going to be a selected edit of styles from the main collection but made in lighter fabrics to suit the local climate. We have found that there is an elegance to the way women here in Singapore want to dress – it’s not quirky, but more chic in the way girls in New York and Paris are. So we’re trying to tap into what gets Singaporean girls excited.
Oh, you flatter us! Who’s the ideal Antipodium girl?
Someone who embodies the Antipodium spirit perfectly: she’s quirky and fun but most importantly, smart. The Huffington Post called our last show ‘The Most Intelligent Show of London Fashion Week’, so there’s a different level of thinking when wearing Antipodium than just being sexy.
Antipodium co-founder/creative director Geoffrey J. Finch recently took on the role of design consultant at TOPSHOP and now, a localised capsule collection for Singapore: what’s next for Antipodium?
There is a lot of growth in the Asian markets for us, so we’re focusing on that. Previously, it was more on Europe and the US but now we need to fully understand this part of the world. Antipodium is currently stocked in Istean Japan, so fingers crossed you’ll be able to find us in Isetan Singapore soon. As for pop-up stores, we’d love to keep doing that – it’s a great excuse for a party!
Thanks for chatting with us, Ashe – we’re fully-fledged Antipodium addicts now!
Selected styles from Antipodium’s Resort and Spring/Summer 2014 collections are available online and at a two-week pop-up store at Gnossem Shophouse (#02-01, 735 North Bridge Road) from 21 April to 2 May. Stay tuned for details on the localised capsule collection that’s in the works!