marieclaire.com.au (^) | 47
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JILL RAINES; HUGH STEWART. HAIR AND MAKE-UP BY SAMANTHA POWELL/VIVIEN’S CREATIVE. TEXT BY CLEO GLYDE.
REPORTAGE
“I’m particularly inspired by
the end of the decade –
I love the extremes of the
’70s, but also the ease
and relaxed sexiness”
’70 s
“I was born in the mid-’80s and my parents were totally into
recycling furniture, clothes and second-hand culture. I spent
my childhood roaming bric-a-brac and old wares in [the
Sydney suburb of] St Peters. I met my partner Akira (pic-
tured) at art school, and our mutual love of ’70s B-grade biker
movies, metal, psychedelic and progressive rock music just
naturally expressed itself in how we live, dress and have fun.
Our home is full-tilt ’70s, with frosted glass doors and
outrageous wallpaper. We buy stuff to match the house, and it
just snowballs from there. We were vintage before, but things
got kind of insane once we moved in here.
I am particularly inspired by the end of the decade. I love
the extremes of the ’70s, but also the ease and relaxed sexi-
ness. The silhouette is tight and stretchy rather than sloppy.
Akira and I both wear high-waisted jeans and flares – I’m a
huge devotee – and pair them with tight T-shirts. We have a
massive collection of ’70s leathers and a serious love of big
belts, either vintage or the ones we make for our clothing
label, The Church Of Lilith.
The majority of our friendship circle are inclined towards
vintage clothes, design and music. I don’t know what it’s like to
go to places like [Sydney nightclub] The Ivy and hear contem-
porary music, which I avoid like the plague. Akira and I spin
heavy metal and obscure vinyl sets where we hang out at Frank-
ie’s Pizza, which plays great ’80s hair metal and Van Halen, or
The Cricketers Arms Hotel, where DJs play disco and funk.
I loathe new apartment developments, but there are
some incredible, untouched ’70s spaces out there, if gentrifi-
cation doesn’t destroy them first. The ’70s visual and cultural
references and feminist politics inform my artwork as well –
I’m currently creating wall hangings of ’70s sex symbols
made out of shag-pile carpet.”
BRIDGET STEHLI CURNOW, 33, ARTIST
sharon
(sharon)
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