YARN
The Royal Menagerie ISSUE ONE
INTRODUCTION
Yarn ISSUE ONE
The French-language Methodical Encyclopaedia by Order of Subject Matter of 1782 defines a menagerie as an ‘establishment of luxury and curiosity.’ Embarking on our fifth collaborative collection with Catherine Martin we are once again enamoured by the dazzling maximalism she embodies and infuses into her work. Taking inspiration from the costumes and sets created for her latest film project, Elvis, and the glittering, ironic magic of 1970s design, Catherine and the Mokum studio have translated fantastical botanical motifs, animal prints, and the glamour of rock’n’roll into textiles. The Royal Menagerie is the sum of all these things, bringing accessible luxury and the spirit of the 70s into your space. In the Antipodes, a yarn is an informal chat, a casual conversation, a collection of details coming together to share a story. The threads of this Yarn weave together the influences, inspiration, and collaborations that have brought the collection to fruition – and like any good story, our Yarn is embroidered with a few secrets along the way. Yarn is our online journal. At once a showcase of our designs, an expression of our inspirations, a celebration of our peers, and a space to educate, offering our knowledge of textiles from the simple to the complex. Our Yarn is an ongoing tale and now for the first time, we’re bringing it to you in print.
CONTENTS
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INTRODUCTION T H E R O YA L M E N A G E R I E F O R T H E L O V E O F V E LV E T MONARQUE - PRODUCT PROFILE O N T H E C O U C H W I T H C AT H E R I N E GR A ZIA & CO - MEET THE MAKER DESIGNER RUGS - MEET THE MAKER PA N T H E R A - P R O D U C T P R O F I L E D IN O SAU R D ES I G N S - MEE T THE MAKER H U G H S T E WA R T - B E Y O N D T H E L E N S T H E E LV I S A E S T H E T I C
An exploration of maximalism by Catherine Martin by Mokum
C H A I R Bengal Tiger colour Whisky P A G E 3 - YA R N
“The Royal Menagerie is a play on the idea of decadence, luxury, and maximalism.”
W A L L P A P E R Monkey Business colour Ming Green YA R N - P A G E 4
A N I N S I G H T I N T O T H E I N F L U E N C E S A N D I N S P I R AT I O N B E H I N D O U R C O M P E N D I U M O F L U X U R Y T E X T I L E S A N D WA L L PA P E R S W I T H M O K U M D E S I G N D I R E C T O R , STEPHANIE MOFFITT
The Royal Menagerie is a play on the idea of decadence, luxury, and maximalism. We’re presenting a sophisticated, contemporary interpretation of the quintessential 1970s Las Vegas glitz and glamour and a reimagining of Elvis’s Graceland home. I was lucky enough to visit the Elvis set during filming. It was such a privilege to see Catherine and Baz’s work in person. You walk onto huge sound stages and inside are these beautiful, complete boxes, built within the centimetre of the room sizes at Graceland and nothing is CGI except the windows. The production was fastidiously researched by Catherine and her team; viewed through a modern lens but
incredibly accurate, right down to the custom-moulded light switches from each period.
C O LLECTI O N OVERVIE W
The Royal Menagerie
The thread running through The Royal Menagerie collection is the animal motifs and statues found throughout Graceland. Catherine and I are also both huge fans of classic editor brands like Clarence House and de Gournay, so there is of course reference to Elvis and his home, but a play on these iconic fabric and wallpaper designs is infused into the collection. We wanted to create not only beautiful designs, but accessible textiles and wallpapers with longevity in both their design and their quality.
I M A G E Hugh Stewart
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W A L L P A P E R Royal Peacock colour Sepia B E D S P R E A D Monarque colour Aquamarine C U S H I O N Bengal Tiger colour Gold
“We seek to create textiles and wallpapers which express and enhance Catherine’s creative vision for each collection.”
C H A I R & O T T O M A N Monarque colour Gold C U S H I O N Leopardo colour Tobacco
The jungle room was Elvis’s personal escape, full of decadent resort-inspired decor and furniture from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Complete with animal statues, a water feature, and green shag pile carpet it also doubled as a music studio. The room was a huge influence within The Royal Menagerie because it allowed us to explore the botanic motifs and animal skin references which inspired our sophisticated tropical design, the intricate Jungle Room embroidery. The designs are a continuation of our Majorelle collection. Monkey Business plays into the concept of a menagerie, incorporating the monkey statues in Elvis’s maximalist jungle room but also speaking to the colours of our tropical La Palma wallpaper. Illustrating the glamour of Elvis’s rock and roll lifestyle are plush, richly coloured patterned velvets, animal prints, an exquisite embroidery, and densely pattern wallpapers. The maximalist patterns of the collection are underpinned by a divine silk-look velvet plain and an artisanal handloomed drapery. The colour palette for this collection is nostalgic for 70s glamour! Tropically scented palm greens, deep teals, whisky tinged blush pinks and burnished gold are set into a base of refined neutrals, constructing a rich, heady colour palette.
As a child of the 70s I have an affinity for patterns. I grew up surrounded by patterned jacquard sofas and chairs and embossed wallpapers, as did Catherine who has embraced a maximalist aesthetic throughout her interior design style and approach to film projects. My approach when working with Catherine is to treat her as our director, honouring her working relationship with Baz in her role as a producer, costume and set designer. We seek to create textiles and wallpapers which express and enhance her creative vision for each collection. Hopefully we have achieved this for her in The Royal Menagerie! I’m thrilled to once again be collaborating with the genius that is Catherine Martin. She is both a hero and a friend, and it is always such an incredible experience to have an insight into her world and the rich quality of her work.
I M A G E Hugh Stewart
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TEC H NI CAL
For the Love of Velvet W I T H G E N T L E M A I N T E N A N C E V E LV E T W I L L R A D I AT E G L A M O U R A R O U N D YO U R I NTER I O R FO R Y E A R S TO C O M E
Velvet has a rich and storied history dating back thousands of years. Once reserved for royalty, this opulent and luxurious fabric adds softness and warmth to traditional and contemporary interiors, from drapery to upholstery and accessories. Whilst velvet can be made from natural fibres such as silk or cotton, or complex synthetic blends, the velvets within The Royal Menagerie collection are crafted from viscose, a strong and lustrous regenerated fibre. Beautiful Bruises Velvet is a cut warp pile fabric, produced by weaving two cloths face-to-face on a special loom, joined by the warp pile thread. This combined fabric is then separated by a knife edge as it comes off the loom and the fibrous cut ends of the yarn form the textured surface of the velvet. Characterised by this short dense pile, different effects can be achieved by either leaving the pile erect or laying it in one direction to create the delicate lustre. If you run your hand over the velvet the pile will move, press on it and it will leave a mark, brush in the pile’s direction and it will return to its natural state. If the pile does flatten the angle alters which results in areas of the pile appearing lighter or darker in shade. This can easily be mistaken for uneven dyeing but is in fact an inherent characteristic of pile fabrics, however, the beauty of fabrics such as Bespoke by Catherine Martin by Mokum is in this bruised appearance. Crushed velvets achieve perfection in their imperfection and inherent luminosity. A Directional Fabric In upholstery applications the pile is commonly orientated downwards to give furniture a smooth and consistent appearance. A downward facing pile is easier to care for as it is more resilient and tends not to bruise as much; the deeper the pile, the more bruising and shading in the fabric. In contrast, the pile often curves upwards in velvet draperies producing a deeper, more intense colour. Any pile disturbance will disappear quickly as the pile relaxes, although an upward facing pile will naturally collect more dust. Lining velvet drapes will not only protect them from exposure to UV light, reducing the pile loss, fading and fibre degradation, but enhance the drape and general appearance. In addition, we recommend to always use a pull cord or rod to open and close velvet drapes as hand contact will likely bruise and crush the texture of the pile. After hanging velvet drapes, it is recommended that they be drawn across, allowing the pile to breathe and relax; this will continue over time due to atmospheric conditions. For example, in humid environments the velvet will relax well on
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its own, but in a dry climate velvet often needs assistance to settle correctly. In this situation, velvet can be sprayed with a fine water mist to lightly dampen the fabric, then left to dry without being touched. After drying, most creases and marks will have dropped out and the pile will have lifted. Gentle Maintenance Dry cleaning is the preferred cleaning method for velvet, however, to maintain the lustrous quality and ensure your furnishings age gracefully we recommend regular vacuuming and gently brushing spills. By vacuuming home furnishings, especially pile fabrics, once a month with the brush attachment we can counteract the flattening of the pile which occurs when we sit on our furniture, ensuring the longevity of the fabric and decreasing signs of wear and dust collection. When spills occur the fibrous cut ends of the yarn clump together, creating a watermark on the surface of the velvet. Rubbing the area with a suede brush comprised of soft and metal bristles in addition to vacuuming will help to separate the clumped fibres and improve the appearance of the velvet. Through regular wear and tear home furnishings will show natural signs of aging, but just like a beautiful timber or metal finish, the way these materials change over time is part of the life that you and your furnishings experience together. With gentle maintenance velvet will age gracefully and retain its charm.
MONARQUE Chocolate
MONARQUE Moss
MONARQUE Palm Leaf
MONARQUE Peach
Monarque is a luxury viscose velvet with a sublime soft pile and liquid drape, emulating the glamour and opulence of silk.
PRODUCT PROFILE
MONARQUE The French spelling of Monarque reflects Catherine Martin’s European heritage and nods to velvet’s rich history and association with aristocrats across Europe, where it was especially adored by the Italian House of Medici. Building on the offering of our best-selling velvet and pillar of the Majorelle collection, Bespoke, Monarque is available in a sumptuous array of custom colours including peach, palm leaf and chocolate, enhancing the maximalist textiles and wallpapers in The Royal Menagerie.
“We chose to add rich jewel-toned hues to this exceptional velvet construction alongside our principal neutrals as velvet, in particular Monarque, takes colour beautifully with its luminous dense pile. These exquisite shades shift in tone as the light passes through an interior space, creating an atmospheric environment.” Stephanie Moffitt
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I N C O N V E R S AT I O N
On the Couch with Catherine A N I N T I M AT E C O N V E R S AT I O N W I T H C R E AT I V E F O R C E , D E D I C AT E D M A X I M A L I S T, A N D L O N G -T I M E M O K U M C O L L A B O R AT O R C AT H E R I N E M A R T I N
Nestled into an opulent array of pink and green velvets and maximalist animal prints sits the denim-on-denim clad Catherine Martin. We’ve found a mid-photoshoot moment to pause with the Academy Award winning costume and set designer to find out what inspires her at work and in her home. Since childhood Catherine has immersed herself in the world of art and design. She muses, “I don’t know how talented I was as a fine artist, but I was certainly prolific. In kindergarten I would make thousands of pieces of art and I was extremely proud of them; it was impossible for my mother to keep pace with my desire to have things put on the fridge at home.” These abstract scrawls had become tangible items by the age of six, when her mother taught her to use a sewing machine and thus encouraged a lifelong passion for textiles. It was through a process of experience and elimination that Catherine came to study Costume and Production Design at Australia’s National Institute of Dramatic Art. “When I found that calling, it became more of a vocation than an occupation, I just loved that work. I really enjoyed that it combined the nexus of translating a director’s vision, of translating historical morays, of working with actors and their individual characterisations and physicalisation of the role, and then creating an environment in which all these clothes could be set. So, I think it’s something that was probably in my future, but it took me a little while to discover.” The director-designer duo of Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin has become one of Hollywood’s most prolific and creative pairings. Not only their films but their television series, theatre productions, documentaries, and even commercials bring stories to life in nuanced ways, capturing the viewer’s imagination by vividly expressing their own. “In my work [inspiration] comes from an original idea or a story that Baz wants to tell, then it’s my job to help him translate what he’s seeing in his mind, in terms of the visual language of whatever project we’re working on. He’s a visualist, he has very strong ideas about how things should look, how things should appear on screen, or on stage, or online and that’s one of the things I really enjoy – that translation process from an idea or a concept into reality.” Like Catherine’s previous Mokum collections and her life in general, The Royal Menagerie is a thematic and theatrical work channeling inspiration from different cultures and historical moments. Produced alongside the ‘Elvis’ biopic, the collection takes inspiration from the 1970s and “certainly the joyful exuberance that Elvis’s style brings to the table, I think that the textures and patterns reflect this enormously optimistic time. I love the idea of luxury that has an ironic-ness about it, that doesn’t take itself too seriously and stimulates your senses and makes you smile when you walk past, and I think that these mood boosters ultimately improve our quality of life.”
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I M A G E Hugh Stewart
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From seeking out original sources to reading books, analysing pictures, and exploring the social history surrounding a story, the process of bringing a film to fruition, especially one based on real events, involves intensive research. In true American style, a road trip come pilgrimage was essential. Significant locations included Elvis’s birthplace Tupelo, Mississippi and Memphis Tennessee, the respected home of soul, rhythm and blues, and rock’n’roll music, with its emotive Civil Rights Museum and of course Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley. “Being able to indulge in what Baz calls the ‘Elvis decorative aesthetic,’ this kind of baroque 70s view of the world which is very liberating because you are abounded by convention. Whether that’s looking at the incredible chain stitch embroidery on Elvis’s jumpsuits, their rhinestone embellishment, or the stain glass windows at Graceland.” Elvis’s love of peacocks and monkeys is on display throughout his home and informed the costumes, film sets, and ultimately the fabrics and wallpapers of this bold collection; for Catherine it is the details of everyday life which pique her interest and inspire her most. In response to widespread illness, warfare, right-wing politics, and economic crisis we notice a desire for optimistic colours and patterns. “I think the late 60s and 70s are a nostalgic period because they represent a kind of lost glamour and exuberance, and a rejection of the utilitarian. Culturally America was on fire with the Factory and Andy Warhol and Halston … There’s a joy too, a sort of joyful exuberance ... But I think that in dark times you need to be even more conscious of living in the moment and being surrounded by beautiful and joyful things. I think that art and culture, telling our stories, celebrating, actually helps to elevate us as human beings.” These ideas are realised in the eclectic and extremely versatile Royal Menagerie collection, presenting a modern interpretation of the brash glamour of the 70s in tactile velvets, animal prints, and decorative botanicals. “I think that you can go as exuberant and playful as you like, or you can lean into the clean liquid luxury of the plains within the collection.”
“I think that art and culture, telling our stories, celebrating, actually helps to elevate us as human beings.”
C U R TA I N Jungle Room colour Antique YA R N - P A G E 1 2
W A L L P A P E R Royal Peacock colour Vintage White C H A I R Monarque colour Gold S O FA Grande Boucle colour Champagne C U S H I O N S L- R Jungle Room colour Antique, Leopardo colour Palm Leaf, Leopardo colour Tobacco, Bengal Tiger colour Gold. Panthera colour Olive (floor)
The interior narratives of Catherine’s homes have been influenced by their individual histories and locations. “For instance, in New York the house was built in 1850 right in the middle of the Victorian period and I felt when decorating that house, you needed to respond, albeit it in a modern way, to the inherent nature of the house. So, that style has an exuberant texture and opulence that I think is very particular to that time and place but then if you pivot to living in Queensland, on the Gold Coast, what’s appropriate in a Victorian brownstone is not appropriate in a fibro shack on the beach. They’re two completely different things and for me the most important thing about interior style is responding to the nature of the place. That doesn’t mean that you need to be a slavish re-creationist, it just means that you need to find something that naturally fits.”
Trends, however, demand little devotion. “Sometimes things can be overused or feel obvious, or they’ve been repeated too many times and don’t feel special enough. But I think I’ve learnt over the years that having hard and fast rules about what’s appropriate or tasteful or good is a dangerous road to hoe, because you never know when something that you have sworn is terrible is absolutely perfect.” Noting her greatest learning as the surprising and humbling acceptance that there is always something new to discover, so long as you remain open to new ideas; “I think that ability to pivot, to be nimble, and to respond to the circumstances that appear before you are the things you have to keep reminding yourself of.”
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S O FA Monarque colour Moss C U S H I O N S L- R Bengal Tiger colour Whisky, Leopardo colour Palm Leaf, Bengal Tiger colour Palm Leaf, Monarque colour Peach C H A I R S & O T T O M A N Leopardo colour Palm Leaf
MEET THE MAKER
Grazia & Co G R A Z I A M AT E R I A F U R N I S H E D O U R P H O T O S H O O T I N A C O N S I D E R E D PA I R I N G O F E C C E N T R I C PAT T E R N S A N D S I M P L I S T I C F U R N I T U R E D E S I G N S
How would you describe grazia&co? grazia&co is dedicated to the design and manufacturing of furniture in Australia. Servicing architecture and design professionals, our signature collections marry aesthetic simplicity with a focus on detail and finish; a philosophy mirrored by our dedication to service and the ability to customise and collaborate through flexible production capabilities. We manufacture locally in Melbourne, ensuring longevity and sustainability through classic design principles and skilled workmanship that fulfills both functional and aesthetic needs. How do your products reflect this? There is no compromise in terms of the quality of our workmanship and the materials we use. The temptation to take short cuts and substitute inferior raw materials for cost savings is not reflective of our core values. Can you give us an insight into your journey as a furniture designer? I studied interior design at RMIT in the mid-1990s. After working in the industry, I soon realised my passion for furniture design and manufacturing. This passion was cemented after 10 years working with Gordon Mather Industries, where my appreciation for Australian-made furniture and the iconic Featherston range began. This was followed by a decade focusing on my own designs and importing. The past 7 years have been 100% focused on sustainable furniture design that can be locally manufactured whilst meeting commercial Australian standards. In addition to this I’m campaigning to change the laws so Australian designs are protected from replication.
How does collaborating with other creatives enhance grazia&co’s offering? Collaborations give the opportunity for designers to work side by side to create a piece reflecting each individual’s design philosophy. They create diversity in our range and ensure the aesthetic of the collection is continuously evolving and moving in a direction we may have otherwise not gone, creating opportunity to appeal to new markets. To grow creatively we should appreciate and learn from others. The Royal Menagerie photoshoot is a showcase of Australian creativity; what does this design perspective offer internationally? The world of Catherin Martin and Mokum Textiles is a world of theatre, a partnership that can be celebrated and recognised globally. The combination of eccentric patterns with strong colours offers something memorable and unique, a perfect tribute to Elvis Presley. Favouring clean lines and textured plains, how did you find working with a maximalist pattern-on-pattern collection? Working with a range that has such a strong decorative focus has certainly pushed our boundaries, which is one of the many benefits of collaborative projects. We have had the opportunity to see our pieces in a range of upholsteries we may have otherwise not gravitated to. This new look has potentially expanded the market that our furniture appeals to, showing the versatility of our furniture to work with the most simple or elaborate upholstery designs. Which colours, textures, and styles are catching your eye at present? As a team, we are being drawn to more traditional fabrics like moquette, with a focus on earthy neutral tones paired with stronger contrasting colours to create depth.
I M A G E Cricket Studios YA R N - P A G E 1 6
Y O S I TA L , F O U N D E R O F D E S I G N E R R U G S , C O L L A B O R AT E D W I T H C AT H E R I N E M A R T I N T O C R E AT E T H E S TAT E M E N T PAT T E R N E D C A R P E T S I N O U R P H O T O S H O O T
How would you describe Designer Rugs? We see ourselves as a design company that makes rugs – we present the best of Australian design through flooring. How do your products reflect this? Our talented in-house design team have over 40 years’ experience and it’s reflected in the collections they produce and the custom rugs we design every day. We are also passionate about supporting Australian design, including Indigenous artists, through our many collaborative designer collections. Designer Rugs is a family business, how did it begin? I started Designer Rugs in 1986 with my parents Eli and Nurit. We saw an opportunity in the marketplace for handmade rugs, and since then have built our reputation on quality and unique Australian design.
MEET THE MAKER
Designer Rugs Collaborative design is a big part of Designer Rugs. How did this idea come about? Since our inception we’ve being collaborating with artists and designers but took it to another level in 2005 when we were licensed by Akira and Dinosaur Designs to reproduce their designs in our rugs. Today we have over 30 collaborations. Is the desire for patterned carpets residential or strictly in the commercial market? We see applications of Axminster in both residential and commercial spaces. Using patterned carpet can add a bold statement to a space at a lower cost than a rug, and is fantastic for disguising wear and tear, whether it’s a hotel lobby or a hallway. What is on the horizon for Designer Rugs? I hear there is a hand knotted Catherine Martin collection coming… Yes, there certainly is! Expect a lush zoological and botanical spectacular!
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PA N T H E R A Gold
PA N T H E R A Aquamarine
PA N T H E R A Snow
PA N T H E R A Whisky
O T T O M A N Panthera colour Olive
PRODUCT PROFILE
PANTHERA Elvis’s eccentric attire became his trademark in the 1970s. Embellished jumpsuits with matching capes and bejewelled belts were created by costume designer Bill Belew. The relationship between designer and star began with Elvis’s ‘68 Comeback Special’ on NBC, returning to American screens in a black leather suit by Belew. From 1972 Belew collaborated with Gene Doucette to produce elaborate rhinestone-studded embroideries, such as those featuring the infamous peacock, tiger, and American Eagle designs. Our lithe leopard illustration Panthera was inspired by these iconic stage costumes and jewellery, at once beautifully intricate and shamelessly bold in design. Woven in a decadent cut-pile velvet construction our leopard motif is sunken into the cloth and detailed using a rhythmic binding, adding further depth and dimension to the pattern.
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I M A G E S Nick Tsindos
AC C E S S O R I S I N G O U R MA X I MALI ST C O LLECTI O N P H OTO S H O OT A R E F U N CTI O N A L P I EC E S O F A RT D E S I G N ED BY LO U I S E O L S EN A N D STEP H EN O R M A N DY
MEET THE MAKER
Dinosaur Designs How would you describe Dinosaur Designs? Hand-felt, sculptural, artful, colourful and bold. How do your products reflect this? All our resin pieces are handmade in the Dinosaur Designs studio based in Redfern, Sydney making each one of a kind. Can you give us an insight into your Sydney design studio? Co-founders and Creative Directors, Louise Olsen and Stephen Ormandy are based at the Dinosaur Designs studio, all collections start in Louise and Stephen’s sketchbooks. Their studio is a creative hub, with high ceilings, large sash windows creating beautiful light filled and airy space, a sense of energy and positivity pervades. It’s where all their resin pieces are handmade from start to finish, each floor is filled with a kaleidoscope of brightly coloured resin. With showrooms in New York and London, how is modern Australian design perceived internationally? We create and design objects we believe in, it’s wonderful to see that people feel a sense of Australia in our pieces, however, we don’t sell our pieces as being Australian design, we create pieces we love; it’s wonderful to see the support for what we do across international markets. Which colours, textures, and styles are catching your eye at present? We’re loving the relationship between bright colours and tone. Tone has a way of making colour pop. It’s interesting to see how each material has its own voice whether you’re working with resin, paint or wool.
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I M A G E Sean Slattery
I N T E R N AT I O N A L P H O T O G R A P H E R A N D D I R E C T O R H U G H S T E WA R T D I S C U S S E S T H E A R T O F P O R T R A I T U R E A N D H I S F R U I T F U L R E L AT I O N S H I P W I T H B A Z L U H R M A N N A N D C AT H E R I N E M A R T I N
I N C O N V E R S AT I O N
Hugh Stewart Beyond the Lens Hugh Stewart has photographed many of the greatest actors and characters of the past 50 years. His story is one of an ambitious, bold, and somewhat dissatisfied youth with a definitive goal: to work for British Vogue – and a naturally relaxed ability to follow his nose on the way there. From a small farm in South Auckland, New Zealand, to London, New York, and Sydney, Hugh has collaborated with luminaries like Vogue and i-D magazines, Chanel, and Academy Award winning director Baz Luhrmann throughout his career. In 1981 Hugh completed his printing apprenticeship and moved to London, finding himself living in a squat behind Houston Station, Saint Pancreas, with an array of creatives including photographers working for music magazines. “With one of them we built a dark room, and then I had a camera and started shooting over there, I didn’t work but I started taking pictures and I started to really love it,” says Hugh. Following London came a year in New York and an expired visa which forced him home, but with no interest in farming Hugh quickly moved to Sydney, Australia. “I had all these photographs, so I made a portfolio. I was young enough, cocky enough, and overconfident enough to just think I should start at the top – so I did, I went to see Vogue and they actually gave me a job.” With ambitions beyond 1980s Sydney, Hugh spent his early career working between London and New York, developing his photographic style firstly in commercial fashion and then in portraiture. Although currently embracing the bright light and hard shadows of Australia’s Northern Territory, his expansive body of work has a consistently moody atmosphere, capturing emotions in his photographs which are by no means sad, instead conveying a decidedly grungy aesthetic. “It’s growing up in New Zealand, that’s because I grew up in the rain! … My family are originally from the Isle of Skye (Scotland), and I have been there a lot, but I don’t think I’ve ever been there when it’s not raining. There’s a real beauty in that that I love … it’s funny because I live in a bright, sunny, frivolous city you know, Sydney, so I do like that too. But in terms of my photographs, I love that kind of texture and depth and the moodiness that you get with that.” Hugh met Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin nearly 30 years ago, when on the back of the successful release of the 1992 Australian classic Strictly Ballroom the creative couple envisaged a modern interpretation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. To raise the capital required Baz and Catherine flew the relatively unknown American actors Leonardo di Caprio (Romeo) and Natalie Portman (a possible Juliet) to Australia, “they wanted to photograph the workshop and film it so that they could cut something together in the style that the film would be made in and test costumes and looks.”
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The workshop was captured on Hugh’s Super 8 camera then cut together by Baz, resulting in the six-minute treatment used to convince the studio to finance the film. “Out of that shoot came all the photographs. They’d already made decisions about the costumes, what’s now become quite famous – the Hawaiian shirt that Leo was wearing. So those pictures became synonymous with the film I suppose.” Then came creative projects including Moulin Rouge!, two Chanel No. 5 perfume campaigns, The Great Gatsby, The Get Down series on Netflix, and many more opportunities in between. “They’re incredibly loyal and I suppose I must’ve done a reasonable job …. I’ve been very lucky. I’ve had a really long relationship with them, which eventually led to me doing Elvis.” The Elvis biopic was filmed amidst the pandemic and as such, it was the first time that Hugh could commit himself to three to six months on set. It was a combination of the government restrictions in workplaces and the technological advancements of digital photography, accompanied by the directorial vision and trust from Baz which led to Hugh joining the production full time. “This is what I love about those guys ... his whole thing to me was just come and take pictures, your perspective on the film.” Like much of Hugh’s career, his method of set photography is far from traditional. Rather than recording a still version of each scene, Hugh constructed a studio and a selfdeclared ponzi scheme to run alongside, amalgamating the photography budgets. “I ended up shooting on pretty much the whole thing. I think I ended up shooting 93,000 frames, which we’ve now edited down to about 1500 which will be the final body of work that ends up being associated with the film. But it was interesting, and it was a good way of proving that there’s a different way of approaching on set photography.” The Elvis experience has not only altered Hugh’s attitude towards on set photography but influenced the way he works, choosing to visit the set on key days to capture the process of making the film. “I might be on set and the actors’ just sitting around and if they’re agreeable I’ll take them off set and take a picture of them somewhere relevant to the film but not necessarily what the film is shooting. Which I think is more interesting, it’s better for the photographer and I think it also provides the film company with a lot more collateral that they can roll out when they’re trying to promote the film … The trailer and the marketing around the film is equally important and that’s what Baz and Catherine absolutely understand.” Hugh has made a career out of working with actors, both as a director and a photographer. “You’ve got to be respectful of how actors work, you can’t be getting in the road ... It takes a lot for them to get in character and stay in character. Sometimes they stay in character between takes, sometimes they’ll stay in character all day. You’ve got to have a degree of intelligence … You’ve got to kind of understand the process and be sensitive and empathetic to how people work.”
Portraiture is an artform unlike any other. Capturing the personality, status, and mood of an individual at a particular moment in time. Analysed by historians, manipulated by politicians, and over the past 100 years – especially in the last decade – democratized like no other. As much as the characters in films are invented or reimagined, when they sit for Hugh in his studio they become people in their own right. So, what distinguishes a person from a character? Very little it seems. “It’s a little bit like photographing two different people. Because you’re still looking for the same thing, you’re still looking for an authentic photograph that doesn’t feel forced and feels that it truly represents something about them … Like when Austin was playing Elvis, he was basically Elvis for a year. He spoke in his voice – everything. And if he came on to my little studio and he was Austin, he didn’t look like Elvis because of the way he held his face muscles, everything changed the minute he stayed in character, but he looked the same, he was wearing costume and everything. But then when we really looked at the photographs afterwards it was like, he looks like Austin Butler, he doesn’t look like Elvis.” Hugh’s take on set photography resulted in his on-screen debut with the opportunity to capture Elvis on stage. In 1956 Alfred Wertheimer was employed by RCA Records to photograph a 21-year-old musician he’d never heard of on CBS’s Stage Show. Over the next two years he spent ten days with Elvis, capturing over 2,500 photographs of the months before Elvis reached superstardom. Of particular interest to the film are a series of infamous black and white concert photographs, mid-performance and radiating energy Elvis is up on his toes. In the original recording of the concert Wertheimer can be seen shooting from the side of stage, poised between two worlds: the entertainer and the audience – a crack Hugh slipped through with ease.
“I was young enough, cocky enough, and overconfident enough to just think I should start at the top – so I did.”
I M A G E Hugh Stewart, Leonardo di Caprio in Romeo and Juliet
“We had talked about making sure that we got that photograph because that’s one of the scenes in the film, that concert. It was at the stadium, and I was walking up set one day and Baz was like, ‘We need to get that picture, what do you reckon? … You can play Wertheimer’ … It was ridiculous really because I’m like 60 and Wertheimer is 23 … I had to go and spend three days, every morning in hair and makeup and costume and all the rest of it getting transformed into a 23-year-old photographer. But it meant that when they were shooting, I could be on the stage, and when the cameras weren’t on me, I’d whip my camera out and photograph them and we got extraordinary pictures that are kind of a modern interpretation of exactly what Wertheimer did.”
Hugh has photographed an impressive list of celebrities, but how would he photograph the enduring cultural icon that is Elvis Presley? “There’s something I love about taking people’s portraits and just rocking up and figuring it out on the day. So, I would be quite happy to just get into Graceland – and I’m pretty good at getting people to do stuff – I reckon I could have probably talked him into taking me upstairs to the part of Graceland which is completely off limits and photograph him sitting up there.”
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I N S P I R AT I O N
The Elvis Aesthetic T H E R O YA L M E N A G E R I E WA S I N S P I R E D B Y C AT H E R I N E ’ S R E S E A R C H I N T O T H E C U LT U R A L I C O N ; I N PA R T I C U L A R T H E M A X I M A L I S T G L A M O U R O F E LV I S ’ S G R A C E L A N D H O M E A N D D E C O R AT I V E S TA G E C O S T U M E S
I M A G E Hugh Stewart
Las Vegas Hotel Suite “The dark sumptuous luxury of Elvis’s hotel suite in Vegas was a starting point for the liquid drape of Monarque velvet. In the suite, sapphire blue Bengal Tiger and gold Bespoke velvet are paired to create a sensuous and decadent environment befitting a rock and roll god.” Catherine Martin
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I M A G E Hugh Stewart P A G E 2 5 - YA R N
I M A G E Hugh Stewart
Jungle Room “Elvis loved monkeys, he did at one point have a chimp called Scatter and you’ll see in the decor of Graceland little porcelain monkeys … we were actually able to purchase the same monkeys made by the same people in Italy who made Elvis’s.” Catherine Martin “Elvis’s animal statues inspired our Monkey Business wallpaper and Catherine brought them with her from the film set to feature in our collection photoshoot. Everything about the costume and set design is very considered and very authentic.” Stephanie Moffitt
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I M A G E Hugh Stewart
Music Room “The peacock was a talisman for Elvis, symbolising good fortune as he had had great success with the ‘68 Special at NBC. Along with the windows, Elvis had an elaborately embroidered peacock jumpsuit made for his residency at the Hilton in Vegas. These iconic stained-glass windows inspired the Royal Peacock design.” Catherine Martin
I M A G E Hugh Stewart
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W E L I V E F O R FA B R I C . W E ’ V E D E V E L O P E D A D E E P - S E AT E D K N O W L E D G E O F I N T E R I O R T E X T I L E S I N O U R 1 1 0 Y E A R H I S T O R Y. W E ’ R E I N T E R E S T E D I N D I F F E R E N T W AY S O F L I V I N G , A N D W E ’ R E C O N S TA N T LY E X P L O R I N G W H AT FA B R I C S CAN B RI N G TO PEO PLE’ S LIVE S . AN D LI FE HA S A LW AY S I N F O R M E D W H AT W E D O . W E B E L I E V E I N FA B R I C S T H AT H AV E A U N I Q U E V I E W P O I N T, B O R N F R O M A C U R I O S I T Y A B O U T T H E W O R L D . FA B R I C S W I T H A S E N S E O F P U R P O S E . FA B R I C S T H AT A R E C R A F T E D W I T H P A S S I O N , AND EMBR ACE THE LIVES SPENT ON AND A R O U N D T H E M . FA B R I C T H AT S P A N S T R E N D S , G E N E R AT I O N S A N D C U LT U R E S . T H E FA B R I C O F L I F E .