ABOVE: Photography by Reeny Jarro
Murrii Quu Designs offers timeless and fashion-forward pieces for women inspired by everyday beauty. Cheryl Creed, Fashion Designer & Owner of Murrii Quu Designs has refined her own unique styling regarding evening wear for women, and she has developed her label from ideas to realities. I spend a few minutes with Cheryl, who is also one of the designers in MBFF Brisbane’s Next GEN fashion show:
SD: What was the biggest inspiration behind your latest collection? I got inspired from my mother and grandmother, our love of Second-Hand shopping, they would often adding or removing sleeves on blouses, hemming garments to fit. Over the years, I'd collected beautiful dresses that hung in my wardrobe, I'd use them for dress up at family gatherings, taking photos of my family in the hats, gloves, wigs and dresses I'd had. An opportunity was given to me, following my second walk on the runway (2016) modelling Indigenous fashion at RIFTS Indigenous fashion show, organised my traditional members of Dawul With Aboriginal Corporation, who simply asked if anyone was interested in becoming a designer and wanted to put a collection together for the (2017) fashion show. I put my hand up and said "yes me" and that's where it all began.
With no experience, I invested in a sewing machine and an overlock machine, taught myself to use the machines and began creating designs, I eventually bought on board a professional tailor because I needed quality finish.
SD: What helps you get in the zone when you’re designing?
Am I influenced by the broader trends, well no, but perhaps yes, I like my style to reflect feminine modesty, many styles today encourage women to show a lot of skin, their concept of less is more gives the wrong perception of a woman's personality, I want to bring back the lady, the sophisticated lady, but not have her completely covered, my gowns are tasteful, their off the shoulders look not revealing breasts, there's no plunging backs that show the top of a women's backside, the splits stop at the top of a women's knee instead of up to her groin or waist, so yes I gust I am inspired by current trends but in the opposite direction. My label is all about drawing on the woman's natural or individual beauty, adding drama from my style, while maintaining feminine etiquette.
SD: When did you first realise you wanted to pursue a career as a designer?
My designs are influenced by the garment I find on my treasure hunt in the Second-Hand shops, I look for quality, vintage fabric and materials, I immediately invision what I can do with it, looking at the seems to see if they can be restichted, pulled apart, I am inspired by the material, I recently fell in love with velvet, I love all the sheer fabrics, and each gown is different, no two gowns are the same, they are exclusive one off gowns, this is something I can give to our women, they are assured that they are purchasing a one off, and won't experience the embarrassment of going to an event and seeing another woman in the same gown, they can never be compared "who wore it better", no woman wants that. But the can feel proud that there is another woman wearing Murrii Quu Designs by Aboriginal Fashion Stylist.
SD: What was your biggest fear when going out and starting your own line?
I was encouraged by a dear friend, mbff advertised on fb for designs to submit an application, my application was accepted with strong support, I was told and I couldn't believe this was happening to me. I had a smile from ear to ear, I wanted to tell the world, I'm sure my family and friends got sick of me talking about it all the time, I was over the moon, it was definitely a goosebumps moment finding out that my label in just under 12 months was going to grace the runway at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion, I wasn't expecting it.
ABOVE: Photography by Pbhstudio
5) How do you want women to feel when wearing your clothes?
I have 8 gowns for the runway, each one is a favourite, because each us different from the other and I really can't pick a favourite, I love them all and I can't wait to see them on the models, so far I've only seen them on a mannequin.
SD: There’s so much pressure for designers to come out with their greatest collection season after season. What advice would you give to young designers just starting out and hoping to make it in the industry?
If I had any advice to give, it would be to don't over think your incapabilities, follow your passion, fight for you dream, keep focused and don't let anyone deter you, struggle is a part of everything, making mistakes is part of learning and perfecting your craft,
I've been questioned and ribbed that my gowns are second hand, and I say no they are not, I incorporate discarded material that this has quality in them, I'm conscience about our planet and the negative impact we are doing to it, my brand is a responsible brand, I'm helping to look after our planet.
I am an Aboriginal woman whose parent and grandparents who were once denied the opportunity to dream, through the my label I'm giving them the opportunity to have that dream by seeing me do what I love, and I'm grateful for all the opportunities given to me to enable me to do just that, it's a bit if an honor to be a part of something more
I'm a woman who walks to the beat of my own drum, I don't follow trends, I don't have a target audience, I creative what I love , my fashion is for women who want something, different, dramatic, exclusive and draws on her individual beauty .
My last words:
"Dream Big Aim High And Touch The Sky."
