Author | Christiane Nickel | Fashion Editor
From New York to Berlin to Melbourne, queer street style is an ever pervasive dialogue that provokes, re-appropriates, and celebrates an ever-changing culture. From Sonny Oram’s progressively prep and organically subversive blog Qwear to Bryan Boy, GLBTQ street style has quickly evolved into a kaleidoscopic tableau verdant in a visual and sartorial culture that’s unparalleled and, for the most part, unexplored. Thanks to the Renaissance of GLBTQ-owned and operated clothing and apparel brands like Huntley Homme, we now have a stylishly expansive range for professing and queer identity– the days of the obligatory rainbow tee and paraphernalia are long gone. Launched in February the Australian based clothing and apparel company Huntley Homme draws from the attitude and graphic aesthetic of Melbournian street style with queer-gay iconography and verbiage. I had the exciting opportunity to chat with co-founder and freelance stylist/photographer Markian Charuckyj about the launch of their new line.
What was the initial concept?
My boyfriend James and I wanted to design shirts to provide an alternative to the generic gay printed t-shirts. (I.e. “I’m gay that’s okay”), that appeal to a more underground subculture.
What about the design is different from other queer-gay owned, operated and inspired brands in AU?
I think what we are doing is different because although it’s in your face there is a meaning and a back story to most of the prints. We like to play on history and the struggles that gay men have had to deal with. There is this great quote from Ernest J. Gaines who said “Why is it that as a culture we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands?” This was interpreted in a visual way in our Holding Hands Tee.
What are your major inspirations?
I love street fashion and the way guys mix high end designers with underground names to create their own personal style.
Since a lot of your inspiration comes from street style, what Australian street style blogs do you follow?
A few!:
http://martanmain.blogspot.
http://instagram.com/
International: http://www.meninthistown.com/
How would you describe the various queer Australian fashion cultures?
In Melbourne we have definitely have different areas that have varied styles.
The North side is sportier, known for athletic men in tight tees. Whereas the South side is more indie with ripped jeans and guys making their own fashion statement. They tend to reinterpret a current look in their own unique voice.
What is your distribution like?
Initially online but we might approach some retailers.
Music and fashion are symbiotically linked as creative forms of expression, what style of music does this collection encapsulate?
Madonna from the ‘80s. Even before I knew I was gay, she enabled me to feel that it was okay to be gay.
Patrick Wolf – a gay British singer – he has an eclectic music style and plays a lot of instruments himself. He mixes organic and electronic music and that contrast of hard and soft plays a lot in our brand. As a gay man I have a lot of masculinity as well as femininity in me, which I think is beautiful thing.
