The Butcher and the Crow

Last week Phoebe and I interviewed Elisha Quintal, designer of The Butcher and the Crow and also one of our former lecturers ;)

Elisha has an amazing style. She uses the hand dying method called shibori and individually dyes each garment. It's a time consuming task she does on her own, using beautiful silk habutai and occasionally other fabrics, creating drama in simple, yet elegant designs.

When did you first want to be in the industry?

Probably at the age of 14. I have a distinct memory of being in art class and knowing that that is  what I wanted to do - make clothes. However the plan didn't really come into fruition until 11 years later. After studying art and then moving into fashion.

How would you describe your signature style?

Unexpectedly feminine, with an appreciation for the hand made and its processes. 

What is important to me is that my label carries a sense of uniqueness. That it is not mass produced fast fashion. The garments are carefully hand dyed rendering each one unique.

Does anyone inspire you? How?

There's lots of people that I take inspiration from; Artists like Lee Ufan for his quite simplicity. 

Designers like Damir Doma for use of  fabrics, falls, layering and drapes on the male form.

Junya Watanabe for his organic tailoring and colour pallet.

Textile artist Shindo Hiroyuki for his exquisite application of indigo dyes.

A lot of people inspire me for different reasons.

Lee Ofan 'From Line', Damir Doma FW 2013, Shindo Hiroyuki 'Shindigo Space 07'

What is your creative process? How do you get your initial ideas?

I have recently noticed it that a lot of the influence for my colour pallet comes from travelling. My new collection 'The Walk to Hanging Rock' is reference to the dark rustic oranges from the Australian landscape. Looking back, a trip to the Kimberley's a year earlier had sparked a point of interest for this collection.

I generally start with a colour pallet that I choose through story booking. I then start sketching and toiling. Here, this is where a lot of the refining process happens, for the silhouette and drape of the garment. 

Then after a lot of tweaking a collection will start to appear.

Do you visualise branching into the international market in the future?

Yes, eventually. For now though, after completing my post graduate studies last year, I am happy to let the label grow step by step.

What are your plans for your brand in the next few years?

To eventually branch out into an international market. Start exploring options to have my dyeing done by dye masters in India and grow the collection to a larger body of work

Skull print singlet

Dual singlet in silk habutai, wool jacket