"Nature, life, a pause.

In this collaboration between Melbourne artist Atong Atem, design icons Romance Was Born and not-for-profit organisation The Social Studio, a limited-edition capsule collection brings not only fine art and fashion together but also the opportunity for social change.

Atong has contributed a hyper-local artwork, born from the pandemic, capturing the stillness and quiet of her walks within her permitted 5km radius during the Melbourne lockdowns of 2020.

From the banks of the Merri Creek and around Collingwood itself, she collected natural detritus and stored them in her bag for weeks. She then took the contents and scanned them, applying distortion to her image of a richly coloured, decaying, natural world.

Taking her artwork as inspiration, Romance Was Born devised a capsule collection emblazoned with Atong's print. The Social Studio worked with both artist and designer teams to finalise artwork, fabric, and silhouettes, manufacturing the pieces in its Ethical Clothing Australia-accredited studio in Collingwood .

For this unique event, The Social Studio will transform its retail shop into an immersive exhibition space featuring Atong’s work. The outdoor and public spaces of the Yards will be used to present the Romance Was Born pieces as well as take the audience into elements of the natural world that Atong drew from in her work.

All proceeds from the collection go towards supporting the work and education programs The Social Studio runs for refugee and migrant young people."

This event is owned and operated by The Social Studio and proudly promoted by Melbourne Fashion Festival as part of the Independent Program. Please contact the organiser directly for further information and to review their COVID safe plan.