During these tough times if you really look, there are also glimpses of pure beauty and stories which just make you smile.
One such story is of two beautiful New Zealanders, Kylie and Brant Fraser who have found their way to Sri Lanka with their young son Foxy and have decided that this is now home.
Not only did they decide to live coast-side surf-side, the couple who share a background in creative industries have been inspired by this time to launch Kylie's new fashion label Only Lovers. Launching originally on Instagram, PR is the proud first-ever retailer of this fresh new label.
As we celebrate the launch of Only Lovers at PR this month of May, we asked Kylie to share their story!
What brought you to Sri Lanka ?
Sri Lanka has long fascinated both Brant and I, coming from an island like New Zealand, we are naturally drawn to the sun and surf. One of my oldest and dearest friends had been living here for the last 11 years and we always wanted to visit. We sold our home in NZ with the intention to later move to Sydney. Then came the bush fire catastrophe in Australia, so we changed plans and decided to take off and travel with our then 2 1/2 yr old son Foxy. Sri Lanka was first on the list and we arrived February 2020. Italy and Spain were the next stops with an open European itinerary before heading back to the Pacific. Needless to say the Universe had other plans and we find ourselves now living here.
' Needless to say the Universe had other plans and we find ourselves now living here.'
What has drawn you to stay ?
We've been drawn to stay in Sri Lanka by the people and the authentic connections we've made. We feel so grateful to have met a tribe of people we now consider family. "Find your tribe, love them hard" words to live by.; that, and I think Brant would say, 'the surf.'
' Find your tribe, love them hard '
What was the inspiration behind Only Lovers and why now?
Only Lover's arrival to fruition has been gentle, organic & intuitive. Initially it was born out of a desire to wear beautiful clothes that reflect my aesthetic that would not only translate in this hot tropical paradise but work in any city around the world - Clothes you can move in, that would breathe in the heat and could be worn on the beach or in the city. I'm naturally a dresser-upper and have had a long love affair with ruffles and frills, I love colour and a good historical reference and a little bit of drama.
Taking time out from our old lives & stepping into the unknown inspired me to make clothes to live in and to love in & that will stand the test of time.
' ....clothes to live in and to love in & that will stand the test of time. '
Tell us about your campaign shoot !
Brant, Foxy and I spent 5 beautiful months living in Arugam Bay last year and knew we wanted to do a shoot in the jungle before we left. Spending such a significant amount of time there linked us into a community spirit that made casting the shoot very easy. A wonderful melange of lovers, mothers, sisters, aunts, business women, artists, surfers, healers, yogi's & designers. I'd always envisioned a 'Vanity Fair' style group shot with a diverse group of real women, where they each felt celebrated and empowered for their unique natural beauty. Central to the shoot is our dear friend & muse Mika (who is a professional model) her softness, strength, beauty, grace & loving heart embodies & inspires Only Lovers.
The Only Lovers team is just Brant and I so we really stretched ourselves to pull a shoot with 12 models, It was an ambitious race against time to shoot a group in the magic hour but Brant did an amazing job with the images and was very patient with my demands of how many set ups we should do. I feel as a collective we captured a special moment in time.
' .....a 'Vanity Fair' style group shot with a diverse group of real women,
where they each felt celebrated and empowered for their unique natural beauty.'
What is your favourite style and colour?
I wear a different colored Miss F dress everyday and they've become my uniform, asking me to choose a favourite colour is like asking to choose a favourite child!
I've always been a lover of bold colour and it is why the palette for Only Lovers is so adventurous. That said, I adore the Monk Red as it's such a stand out vibrant hue & it feels like its part of the Only Lovers DNA. From Drop 2 (this latest collection) my favourite colours have to be the Amethyst & Mint Beryl, especially when layered together.
'..asking me to choose a favourite colour is like asking to choose a favourite child! '
Tell us about your background/s
I have always had a passion for clothes and stumbled into styling when I was exposed to it being a career option whilst I was working in Production in the Film Industry. During my career as a Stylist I've worked across a number of mediums including Costume
Designing local films, styling runway shows, fashion editorials, advertising campaigns and reality TV shows - X Factor New Zealand & New Zealand's Next Top Model among them.
Why Only Lovers and why now?
The inspiration for the name came from a brain storm Brant and I had one morning .... We were discussing a film we both adore 'Only Lovers Left Alive' by Jim Jarmusch (starring Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston) and I was immediately taken by the ring 'Only Lovers' had to it; the flexibility it has, it could be clothing, perfume, sunglasses, almost anything. We love the idea that Only Lovers has the breadth to grow.
As a Stylist I was always working with and inspired by designers, my role allowed me to take their work, play with it & re-interpret it to suit a story I was telling through styling. I've always dabbled with dressmaking & enjoyed working with a patternmaker to custom make a special occasion piece for myself. Only Lovers is an extension and realization of that close connection to design.
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