Anonymous New Zealand fashion collection THPRKS, offered us up an exclusive first look at their latest collection and a sit down for a chat. Of course we couldn't refuse.

Jamie/ Where does the name THPRKS come from?
THPRKS/ This is something that only a few select people will know

Jamie/ How would you describe the brands aesthetic-the changes seem quite drastic collection to collection but the idea of having a more art or conceptual take on fashion seems to thread throughout?

THPRKS/ The clothing we create is our canvas to paint on via live performance art pieces with the creative director of the house wearing the clothing to show a translation through art and fashion, a powerful collaboration

Jamie/ Is making wearable garments or staying true to the brands identity more important?
THPRKS/ We will always stay true to thprks identity, we will not allow a current trend to dictate our designs or art pieces.

Jamie/ You don't seem to mass produce/sell the pieces, Who are they for then?
THPRKS/ I never had a mentor or someone to look up to when I was young, I lived in a small town with little inspiration, this lead me to split who I was in two almost a split personality or alter ego, to create a fictional character I could look up to and always want to be this collection was designed for him however he is fictional,

Jamie/ How does one even get a hold of a THPRKS piece?
THPRKS/ The new collection is not for sale perhaps in the future it will be accessible

Jamie/ There seems to be a large cross-section between graphic design and fashion-especially in the lookbooks, where does that influence come from?
THPRKS/ Previously as a painter and sculpture based artist the cross over into a digital platform was inevitable

Jamie/ Whats the design process like for each collection?
THPRKS/ We do not believe in moodboards or visual references to create a collection as we feel it will forever be tainted with others designs or influences, we named our first collection born to fail to create something to learn from what can we do better and how can we improve in creating new and unseen garments our design process is learning from our mistakes.

Jamie/ You just debuted at NZFW, you did a performance right, how was that? What did you choose that medium to present the collection?
THPRKS/ We wanted to display Balance, a runway show would not portray our aesthetic as we are art based, to do this we showed a live performance art piece with the models interacting using each others body weight to support one another displaying perfect Balance.

Jamie/ You like to stay anonymous, why is that?
THPRKS/ There is a magic that comes with not knowing, human nature makes us want to know the answer to everything and when that is taken away it is a challenge, you may have found a beauty in never knowing however once you know it will never be the same, you may even be disappointed,

if you met me you would not believe I owned Thprks. I even had trouble setting up my show at fashion week I wasn't allowed into my venue at the door they did not believe someone like me would show a collection at fashion week,

we want everyone to connect with us no matter what your social standing thprks in a way is an exclusive club for losers

Jamie/ Whats the inspo behind this collection?
THPRKS/ Patricide.

Photography / Alexander Schipper
Models / Tessa - Unique Model Management, Joe - Unsigned &, Andre - Red11 Models

www.thprks.com

Words/ Jamie-Maree Shipton