The Professor’s Daughter

Posted on 23 March, 2015

Windows. They’re so much a part of our everyday lives and so much a part of the fashion that will be launched at FASHFEST 2015 by Melbourne designer Mariska Thynne.

Mariska runs ‘The Professor’s Daughter’, a unique label with a strong and growing Canberra fan base.

The collection Mariska is working on for FASHFEST expands her ‘City memories from a Peranakan window’ designs, which sees viewers gazing at a series of windows from the outside. ‘Window glimpses’ does the opposite. It sees viewers gazing out of windows from the inside, and being immersed in the beauty and intrigue of Canberra while doing so.

‘I’m workshopping the idea of views and poignant memories,’ says the dynamic designer whose level of enthusiasm for fashion is infectious. ‘And the collection will have a wintery feel with coats, warm work jackets and even warm evening dresses—all perfect for Canberra’s cooler weather. Canberra is great for its winter months and it’s exciting how the city has become such an outdoors dining and coffee culture.’

Mariska loves how Canberra has evolved. She used to live in Braddon, but moved to Melbourne eight years ago. Her younger sister, Raphaela, still lives in the capital and Mariska visits as often as she can.

Staying true to her label’s aesthetic, Mariksa creates pieces that are corporate, yet colourful and creative. ‘The aim is to move away from the fashion stables of the little black dress and grey suits so common in the workplace by designing alternatives that allow the wearer to express their personality,’ she says. ‘I strive to create enviable style for exceptional women through hand-crafted, tailored clothing.’

Mariska’s garments are highly noticeable among the sea of blacks and stretch fabrics of Australia’s high-street stores. She creates tailor-made, structured pieces incorporating bold prints and hand-finished details, using wool, silk, cottons, leathers and linen rather than poly blends. The Professor’s Daughter garments make women feel special, unique and fashionable, regardless of size and age. All pieces are timeless classics and available from size 6 to 24.

To say that Mariska is thrilled to be launching a collection on the FASHFEST runway is an understatement and she describes the opportunity as ‘fortuitous’.

‘My younger sister and I go to a lot of fashion events together, including in Melbourne and Sydney,’ she says. ‘Last year she went to FASHFEST and told me how fabulous it was. She said it was more of a spectacle and a curated show, not just a parade. She said it was a pity I didn’t live in Canberra anymore since FASHFEST would be a great fit for my label.’

Around the same time, nine of my Canberra customers mentioned how FASHFEST was such an amazing event. ‘Then, out of the blue I received an email from Steve Wright, the Producer of FASHFEST, inviting me to apply for the 2015 event. I jumped at the chance.’

The ‘City memories from a Peranakan window’ collection is the first time Mariska had her own cotton and silk fabric printed. She designed the pattern with her partner, Jack Langridge Gould, also from Canberra. The pair went to arts school here in the capital.

Peranakan homes, initially founded in the regions of Malacca City by the 18^th century, are a combination of European, Chinese and Malay influences and they reflect the cosmopolitan aspect of Peranakan culture itself.

‘I find the windows fascinating, but didn’t want to create a traditional repeat pattern. I wanted more intrigue so Jack and I started having a play and then Jack did the graphic design,’ says Mariska. ‘If you look closely, you’ll see 15 variations on the windows in the print. Some are open. Some are shut. Some have shutters and some don’t. Some accompany rooms that are lit and some rooms that are dark.’

This approach means that no two pieces that Mariska produces are ever the same, even if made from the same pattern. ‘No two window prints appear in the same position,’ says the designer.

After she creates a theme for a collection, Mariska designs between 28 and 34 pieces. ‘City memories from a Peranakan window’ includes printed textiles, leather and block colours, and unique embroidery designs.

Mariska has a Bachelor of Visual Arts, South Australian School of Art, The University of South Australia, specialising in Jewellery and Metal Smithing and Textiles. She has also completed additional studies in couture sewing, tailoring techniques, pattern making, and digital pattern making.

Mariska credits her grandmother for the label’s ‘enviable style for exceptional women’ direction. ‘My grandmother was an impeccable sewer who created beautifully tailored and well-styled outfits. She had an impeccable eye for detail and took pleasure in how she presented herself, even at home, coordinating absolutely everything from her shoes to her earrings down to the last detail,’ says Mariksa.

And the inspiration for the label name? Mariska’s parents, who are both university professors.