myPetsQuare encapsulates everything I envision Australia to be - laid back and casual with just the right amount of edge and playfulness. We're excited to feature an interview with myPetsQuare designer Angelique May-Bennett as the first in our Spring Summer '10 Designer Interview Series.

Paper-Doll: How did you get into fashion design?
Angelique - myPetsQuare: I began making clothes from a very young age, cutting things up to fit to how I liked to wear them, with many mistakes and many people laughing at me along the way! I also did modeling for 17 years and learnt the fashion industry and styling techniques that I decided to incorporate into clothing so that everyone had access to these techniques. I did styling in NYC for a couple of years with renowned Joe McKenna and learnt more again! One day I began to make clothes from scratch, found a fantastic business partner and found a factory who believed in me and off we went!

What is the first thing you designed (personally or professionally)?
My first personal garments were more fancy dress items for parties! Wedding dresses called SUICIDE BRIDE, and ZIGGY STARDUST outfits to go clubbing in. Professionally one of my first designs were Summer Shorts made from all different coloured satin. Everyone who got a pair still wears them! They are perfect to wear to the beach, to the gym, out at night with dressed up tops and shoes. They’re like sexy boxer shorts!

When did you launch your own label?
At the end of 2007 Vicki Lee and I began myPetsQuare.

What inspires you / your work?
A desire to feel good walking down the street.

Describe your AW’10 Collection.
WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOUR. Inspiration is drawn from the need for us all to be accepting of one another, one another’s beliefs, one another’s tastes, one another’s religion – without fear or favour. With the grace of a white tiger, and the strength of this mighty animal, we too can be without fear or favour – to wear what we want, be who we want, follow whatever religion we want – without fear or favour.

What is your favourite piece from your AW’10 Collection?
Scrunch up Poncho (pictured above)! It can be worn on it’s own, or with a hot sexy dress underneath, or casual! It goes with everything and it’s a double-take kinda outfit.

Did you have a personal soundtrack or a favourite album that you listened to while working on AW’10?
Goons of Doom ‘I hate my hair and I want to die’, just released in USA.

What area of your work do you enjoy the most?
Laughing with Vicki about what we are actually doing.

What is the most difficult aspect of your job?
The hours can be very long. I wish they weren’t so long sometimes. But when things are urgent, they have to be finished – even if it means making it a 16 hour day, that’s just the way it goes.

What is the most surprising thing that has happened to you as a designer?
The most surprising thing on a bad level is when shops don’t pay their suppliers! I find that so crazy. Those people don’t stay in business long. Must be to do with karma. Paying our suppliers is something we hold as our #1 – and this has become our good karma. Business is an energy flow. Money belongs to the world and no one owns it. We pass it on, that’s all we do!
Surprising good is everyday that we work, realizing how great it is to do something I love and can be so happy in!

If you could collaborate with any designer / artist / musician / etc. on a single project, who would it be and what would you do?
Iggy Pop for some of his fantastic suits! We LOVE Blazers and use light weight fabrics to give them a casual edge. I’d mix it up with some of his early punked out looks that have become such a source of inspiration today.

If you could design a wardrobe for any one person (past/present/real/fictional), who would it be?
Definitely would want to dress the Aliens on their first contact with us… maybe we already have (eery whistle blows)…

How would you describe your own personal style?
Comfortable, basic, loose, low on trends, high on unique.

What is your favourite item in your personal wardrobe?
My new shoes that I made recently, worn without laces. THEY ARE AMAZING leg shoes! You wouldn’t think so, they are like Louis 14th, made from green suede. They make anything look good! We used to do shoes but we only do them for friends and VIP’s now as hand made shoes get to be very expensive to retail and harder to sell in these economic times.

Where do you shop for clothes when you're not wearing your own?
2nd hand places – and friends labels.

What is on your current fashion wishlist?
A new dishwasher and extensions from my kitchen so I can have big open parties where we can all hang in the dining room and kitchen together.

What fashion trend would you not be caught dead in?
Probably the Balmain shoulders. It’s SUCH AN OBVIOUS TREND, and I like to have my own take on things.

What is the one item that every woman should have in her closet?
A good bra and a good bodysuit that can work well underneath different styles – chiffon styles especially.

What is your favourite thing about the city you live in?
Sydney has the best quality life in the world for the least amount of money. I’ve lived everywhere – Berlin, Turkey, Bali, NYC, LA, Paris, Munich, Hamburg, Milan, Rome, London, etc. Nothing compares to Sydney. They are all incredible places to visit or live for a short time, but Sydney has it all! The food is the freshest, if you know where to go. What more is there to life than good food and healthy living! Sydney can get very party orientated – some people get very caught up in that, which is super fun – but it definitely doesn’t lead to feeling so good, after a while. hahha

If you couldn’t be a fashion designer, what other area of interest would you like to explore?
Property Development is another hobby of mine. I have renovated 5 properties and I love it!

What is next for your label?
We have sooooooo many ideas and things up our sleeves as well as so much interest internationally, we are expanding and taking it with baby steps. Baby steps is our motto. We never want to move to fast, we want slow and steady growth – although it still is moving very fast!

Visit: myPetsQuare