Collette Swindells meets a playful milliner creating iconic design pieces.
July 13th, 2010
Recognised as one of Australia’s most talented milliners, Richard Nylon’s work is nothing short of iconic.
While being respectful of tradition, his hats do not use traditional forms, and often play with the notion of conventionality.
Using a range of self-taught techniques, he creates original pieces of hand-manipulated wearable art – sculptural creations of innovative design and imagination.
Born and bred in country Victoria, Richard moved to Melbourne and immediately buried himself in the fashion world of the 80s, studying fashion and producing amazing outfits to go with his lifestyle.
His early work caught the attention of cutting-edge designers at the Fashion Design Council – known at the time for their flamboyant, theatrically choreographed annual fashion parades – and was featured at their retail outlet in Collins Street.
But it is his 11-year collaboration with Melbourne fashion designer Gwendolynne that Richard says really took his work to the next level.
“People did know my name back in the 80s, when I was doing stuff for the Fashion Design Council,” he says, “But it was really with the hats, and putting them on the catwalk with Gwendolynne that made the difference for me.”
Falling into the role the milliner, Richard has now firmly established himself as a leader in the elite field, teaching regular classes at RMIT and appearing at the recent Hats Off to Melbourne International Millinery Convention.
His work continues to push boundaries, recently being awarded as a finalist in The Hat Designer of the Year competition, held annually at the Premiere Classe trade fair in Paris, during Fashion Week, and will be included in next year’s prestigious Powerhouse Museum International Lace Award competition.
And with plans to experiment with lighting as well, it will be interesting to see how his signature feather-work and transparency translate.
Richard Nylon
richardnylon.com
INDESIGN is on instagram
Follow @indesignlive
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Within the intimate confines of compact living, where space is at a premium, efficiency is critical and dining out often trumps home cooking, Gaggenau’s 400 Series Culinary Drawer proves that limited space can, in fact, unlock unlimited culinary possibilities.
Elevate any space with statement lighting to illuminate and inspire.
To honour Chef James Won’s appointment as Gaggenau’s first Malaysian Culinary Partner, we asked the gastronomic luminaire about parallels between Gaggenau’s ethos and his own practice, his multidimensional vision of Modern Malaysian – and how his early experiences of KFC’s accessible, bold flavours influenced his concept of fine dining.
Advanced Seating Technology A new level of ergonomics has been achieved with the developing of the M1 chair. M1 features a tension adjustable Synchronised mechanism for better support, height adjustable arm rests, a generously padded pre-moulded seat cushion and a revolutionary breathable mesh back. The M1 back rest is in a class of its own […]
What are the rules when decorating a Church? indesignlive discovers the divine inspiration behind designing ’sacred’ interiors.
At Salone del Mobile 2016 visitors from across the world spent a whirlwind week discovering the latest offerings from some of the most exciting names in the industry. We had the opportunity to find out what Liz Teh, the Head of Design for Haworth Asia Pacific, thought were the best design trends and exhibitions this year.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
The 2025 NSW Architecture Awards shortlist is out, spotlighting standout projects from across New South Wales. Winners will be announced Friday 20th June at ILUMINA Sydney.
The 2025 Osaka World Expo 2025 is well and truly open, with Buchan’s Pavilion representing Australia on the global stage.