Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/94641
SARAH WATANABE Monster Alphabet What is your background? My background is in architecture. I graduated from that before studying Garment Creation at Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo, Japan. How did you end up where you are today? After completing my course at Bunka, I returned to Perth and did my internship at Aurelio Costarella which turned into a full time job. After working for Costarella, I started developing Monster Alphabets in 2010. I took part at the Upmarkets before launching Monster Alphabets as a collection label last year in 2011. What, to date, has been your biggest failure? My biggest failure is not delegating tasks to others. Since I have skills in pattern cutting and sewing, rather than employing people to delegate some production tasks, I end up doing most of it myself. It just means I lose a lot of time for production when I should be moving on and creating the new collection. What, to date, has been your biggest success? My biggest success has been winning the Styleaid Betts Creative Design Award for 2012. It was industry professionals which gave me so much What items/experiences have inspired you? Diana von Furstenberg came to Bunka Fashion College to do a talk about her life experiences. When I asked her about her early days, how she managed to juggle raising a young family and developing a fashion label, I can't remember her exact words but she said that the most important thing is to do what makes you happy before you can make anyone else happy. This was a turning point for me as I was struggling to justify going back to school when my friends were progressing in their architectural careers. What personal possession do you most covet and why? My vintage black and gold diamond ring that I inherited from my Great Aunt. It looks like it's from the Art Deco period. your current collection/work? extremity of folding a plane and the wood texture that is revealed when you press down the keys expresses the unfolding of the planes and revealing what is the trace of the folded elements. If money was no object and you could own any one object/item, what would it be? I would buy a white grand piano. Personal item that inspires me: 'The Black Book' is written by a blind girl. It is a picture book about how she imagines what is colour is like. I feel tremendous awe every time I read this book. Her imagination captures the distinctness of every colour and beyond. In a way it mimics my interest in designing in black, in shadow, and focus in silhouette. I have attached two images that I took from my digi cam as well as two images from my campaign shoot. SHEILA SPRING 2012 35