LUCY FENTON & VANESSA PEARCE, BEHIND TROPICALI
Two Australian brands, a shared love of colour and a mutual appreciation for doing things a little differently. We sat down with Lucy Fenton, Creative Director of Fenton & Fenton, and Vanessa, Creative Director of The Wolf Gang, to chat about the beginnings of Tropicali, the ideas behind the collaboration and bringing their creative worlds together.
HOW DID THE TROPICALI COLLABORATION COME ABOUT?
Lucy: It actually started at our summer launch event last year, almost exactly 12 months ago. A few guests came up to us and said, “You two have to collaborate with The Wolf Gang.” We were already huge fans of the brand, so it was a bit of a lightbulb moment. I realised that the same people who love Fenton & Fenton for their homes also love The Wolf Gang for their wardrobes. I reached out to Vanessa after the event and we hit it off straight away. It all felt really natural from the beginning, and the collection came together from there. It's been so much fun.
WHAT DREW YOU TO EACH OTHER'S BRANDS?
Vanessa: I think we have such a similar aesthetic. We both love colour, being bold and doing things a little differently. It just felt like a really natural fit. We were so excited when Lucy reached out, and already had so many ideas about what we could create together. We're really happy with how it's all come together.
WHAT DID YOU WANT TROPICALI TO FEEL LIKE?
Lucy: We wanted it to feel like being on holiday. Think balmy skies, summer dresses, evening dances, bare feet and drinking coconut rum. That feeling of escaping somewhere beautiful and just switching off. We wanted to capture that feeling through the collection, but also through the whole experience.
Vanessa: And I think Byron Bay was the perfect place to bring that to life. It's the perfect setting for a little tropical paradise.
BRINGING THE TROPICALI WORLD TO LIFE
From the setting at Jai Bohème to the artwork by Jai Vasicek and the many Australian creatives involved, Tropicali became about much more than the collection itself. We asked Lucy and Vanessa about bringing all the different elements together.
Lucy: As soon as we started talking about the Tropicali event, I thought of Jai Bohème. It felt like the perfect backdrop. When I reached out to Jai, he threw himself straight into it. He was so keen to be involved and started painting a collection of artworks to complement the Tropicali series. It brought another layer to the whole world we were creating.
Vanessa: I think that's what we all have in common. The Wolf Gang, Fenton & Fenton, Jai and the other creatives we've worked with, including Departed Spirits, are all about collaboration and community. It's really special being able to bring everyone together like that.
Lucy: And there's something really exciting about seeing Australian brands and creatives come together to make something happen.
