Jackie Tina Mary
Jackie Galleghan is a fashion designer and close friend. I was lucky enough to catch up with her recently and shoot a few looks from her premier collection and rack her brain about fashion, cats and the journey that got her here………….
You have just completed studying Advanced Diploma of Fashion & Design. At East Sydney, ULTIMO TAFE, can you take me briefly through your journey of getting to that graduating catwalk?
Four years at TAFE, where very up and down. I started on top of my class in design, having an extreme creative flair and want and need to be different. Coming in the top 10 in my year for the dylon awards. (see below). Then going into second year, stuggling to keep up, with the technical side, i failed my tailoring design. I was trying to create somehting amazing, but not having enough skills to exauate my design. So with lots of disussions with teachers, in my third year I decided to enrol in 6 month technical fashion course at tafe, while re doing my tailoring at the same time. I ended up getting top marks again, and wowing my teachers. Failing was the best thing that ever happend to me. I learnt so much about myself, and others. And had more time to create the amazing manipulation for my graduate collection [using] lattice smocking.
The jouney to the graduate catwalk, came more clear in the fourth year, going to Hong Kong and China to source fabrics, then hand drapping my evening wear dress. Leaving my range to only 3 months to pattern make fit and make. My graduate collection was inspired by images from my past. Images i found after my grandfather died in a horric car crash early 2011 before i went to china. I took each image and used the colours, shapes of clothing and textures to create my contrasting romance collection.
What first made you want to be a fashion designer? has it always been a love of yours?
From when i can rememeber i always was so fussy about what i was wearing. In pre school, i pre planned my outfits. My mother used to sew her out fits friday nights, and wear them saturday nights, my nonna tina, tought me and my mum to saw. I was so inspired by her, she was so pretty, and had so many amazing clothes, i used to sit an watch her get dressed an ore. I take alot of inspiration from my family history, being italian. I grew up, drawing and winnning art comititions, as well as sewing crazy things as a girl.
My dads grandmother was a hat maker and famous potter. i was so inspired by her, i used to go to pottery classes every friday as a young girl, and create magical things with her.
What was the first piece you ever made? and how old where you?
I used to make doll clothes, and knit scarfs with my Grandmothers. I used to copy dresses I loved and sew them with out even a pattern, just by eye. (crazy)
Your premier & graduating collection Contrasting Romance screams Jackie! Can you tell me a bit about your inspiration and how it developed?
I was inspired by images from my past.. Images of my family. Also i am big on style not trends, and i wanted to make my graudateing collection very personal. my own style. everything i would wear.
And playing on the norm of balance, where i find every day is about balance. Playing on the norm of aystemerical lines and pannels, playing with patterns making four patterns for one dress. Layering with soft draping smocking.
I think i was little mad. I took each image an was inspired by the person, fabrics, clothing, colours. ‘She is recreating external love, matters never seen before, things she loves and adore’- by jackie galleghan.
(also i have a big poem i wrote in my folio i sent you, was a massive inspiration for my collection.) Cats, flowers, polka dots, fitted waist, long skirts. layering, soft pastels, contrasting with black.
Contrasting Romance was very technical range, and I love the “plated” look of the material that you have included throughout the range. What is this technique called, and what is the process?
I came across some old 1960s pattern sewing books at vinnies, and found this manipluation, “lattice smocking” I manipulatied the concept a few different times, where i would hand sew the mesuarements, then drap the access
around the body, it become me really. I ended up playing with this manipluation through out my whole last year. My evening wear dress, also my graute collection. I used a fused wool, then silks and cottons when manipulating.
The process is a gride on the back of fabric and a magical hand stitch (cant give out my secrets) [laughs]. I spend most weekends, hand smocking the fabric to be draped into /over panels for my garments.
How would you describe your approach or process when it came to creating the collection?
We ended up only having three months to complete the range.
We went to Hong Kong and China to source fabrics in April last year. then had to do the evening wear dress and present sep. then after then started.
it was crazy wild whimcal experience, not much sleep, lots of coffee and sandwiches. Thank you to my parents, father who paid for everything and mother, who was
my assistant /taxi driver.
Do you have a favourite piece from the collection?
The lattice smocked long skirt, floral print. And cat collar cropped bodice with floral and mustard sleeves.
Where do you see Jackie Tina Mary going from here? and where do you want to be in five years time?
at the moment, i am working as assistant to the garment technicas at david lawernce and jigsaw. I want to move into design with in a year, and hopefully be a key designer.
I have dreamt about starting my own label. Will see. 5 years time. anything could happen.
How would you describe your own personal style?
Mostly style is about feamle form. Embracing my curves, hiding my legs, and showing of the shape (no skin) of bust.
Showing off my best assets. Waist, Neck and shoulders. In winter i wear short tarten skirts with stockings, summer always long dresses./skirts. and Cropped tops/bodices.
I like to mix prints, and textures, and have a playful feel, always sexy but quirky.
I love contrasting, heels and pants, big boots and dresses. Also love in the summer time, becoming a hippy with no shoes, and adding flowers and jewlery in my hair.
You just need to walk into your home to see your a cat person, and that love can be seen throughout your collection, what is your favourite thing about cats in one word?
For my 23rd birthday, my partner Tai bought my a kitten. Ever since then we are best friends. And working at vinnies newtown while studing fashion, finding all the little best
things. Mostly cat ordements, and polka dot dresses!
Lastly, what is it about designing that makes you jump out of bed every morning with a smile on your face?
I am a very positive person,
I only see the good in everything, and people.
I am a very positive person,
I only see the good in everything, and people.
I am happy to be alive and healthy and to be living my dream.
And having every day as a fashion show helps, playing dress ups every day! Puts a big smile on my face.
Wearing: Jackie Tina Mary Clothing & Earrings / Nine West Heels / OpShop Ring
Check out Jackie’s blog & other work here
XXX Annabel
