HEW Clothing AW20 Film: Refraktion
Film By Olivia Milleta
Fashion by HEW Clothing
Interview by A-Zine
Mere days before the the current coronavirus induced shutdown, VAMFF was one of the last public gatherings Melbourne got to have. Local label, HEW Clothing, previewed it’s new collection at one of VAMFF’s Offsite Runways, featuring it’s sustainable and fresh silhouettes.
We have the unique pleasure of premiering the film, dubbed Refraktion, created specifically to showcase the collection and to immortalise the eccentric runway. Directed by Olivia Miletta, the film showcases the cast of models from the runway, who prove to be much much more than their traditional 'model' titles.
She says of the film: “Fashion is a form of self expression as much as self expression gives form to fashion. But when meeting a brand new collection in runway format, why are viewers often deprived of meeting the wearers of that collection?”
The film has also been shortlisted for the LA Fashion Festival’s ‘emerging’ category.
I spoke to Olivia Milleta, the filmmaker herself, to get a bit of insight into her creative process.
What's your experience filming for fashion shows?
I’ve always been drawn to fashion as a cultural phenomenon; a vehicle to communicate with the world. It plays a huge part in how I express myself. Given my deep love for styling and fashion, it felt it a natural extension to start making fashion films. I’ve been working as a graphic designer and photographer for 5 years and I’m relatively new to the film world, making films as a freelancer for just over a year now, and I’ve gotten to make a mix of campaign films and fashion show films.
I keep being drawn back to fashion I think because I’ve always had such positive experiences working along side designers. Ema is particularly great to work with because she’s always open to throw around conceptual ideas. In our initial meetings discussing the brief for ‘refraction’, we both agreed on a strong idea, which all started from the core concept for the AW20 collection.
Tell me a little about your filming process? Does it flow naturally or is it structured?
It’s really important for me to strike a balance between being organised without inhibiting a creative flow when shooting, that way I have a sense of what I’m doing and don’t miss the organic moments that often make a film.
For the ‘refraktion’ film I watched a lot of old Vivienne Westwood runways, I freaken love her ‘Punkature’ SS83 runway, the handycam style of shooting, music choices, and the overall non-traditional format heavily inspired the film. During the shoot, I honestly felt like my camera, affectionately known as ‘Marnie’, was an extension of myself, rather than a piece of equipment, we were working as a team serendipitously.
Your film is decorated with light refractions throughout, what drew you to this visual effect?
That’s a great question! I’ve been experimenting with creating refraction using crystals ever since I started shooting and love how they take light in such a unique way, creating a very organic feeling effect. I think I’ve always been a bit obsessed with lens flare and rainbows created by light refraction.
And like anything, I want to make sure the visual effect is used with intent and purpose and not just because it ‘looks cool’. In the case of ‘refraktion’, Ema and I wanted the film to have a nostalgic aesthetic, and to conceptually communicate a the multifaceted local creative community.
Why HEW? What brought the two of you together?
Ema and I met at the Sydney Big Design Markets in 2018 and I was really drawn to the vibrant prints and ethical focus of Ema’s work. One thing led to another and Ema agreed to get me on board to create a fashion film for her for her AW19 collection.
Ema has a brilliant skill in collaborating and giving everyone a voice on set, I’ve always felt empowered to give my creative best and I think that’s why we’ve continued to work so well together. This extends into her collaborative philosophy by using local artist’s prints in the fabric of her garments; I’ve always been really drawn to them. I’ve been able to make 3 fashion films for Ema so far, and hope to continue to make heaps more!
Follow Olivia’s filmography journey on Instagram at @_olimiletta and shop HEW pieces online here.