Fashion Dump: Fecal Matter Launch Into the Penniless World of Couture

Posted by Jessica Kinnari in FringeBlog on October 19, 2015

Fashion-forward collective Fecal Matter hosted their first big event this past Friday, Oct. 16.

In line with an edgy and bold mantra, members Mikaelle Huard-Berro, Hannah Dalton, Steven Bhaskaran and Benaiah Dyett Mcdonald chose the mysterious dive FELIX as the location for their DJ debut. Music and eccentric clothing is not all this group has to offer; the fashion designers are “fighting the people we are inspired by,” according to Bhaskaran.

All who wore white feasted their eyes on an entirely black-lit hallway which lead to the infamous ‘sex room’ – a running joke at all the collective’s events. There were people sporting feathers, while one individual wore a Lady Gaga-style bubble wrap outfit, complete with white piping and silver glitter. Definitely a fashion event for the risk takers, the cave-like dance floor featured dark-red lighting, lots of techno music, and plenty of platform shoes – a Fecal Matter fan favourite this season.

Formed in the summer of 2015, Fecal Matter focuses on sending radical political messages through art and fashion, while simultaneously bringing revolution to the world. The members, who met at Lasalle College in 2014, want to create art within clothing; to birth and deliver a message through fashion and music, to create a mode of thought, a creative outlet.

“We want people to use our brand to self-curate themselves, we want to make designs for them,” said Huard-Berro, who first met Dalton and Bhaskaran last spring when they were working in the Lasalle College fashion show Gen Z.

“We never expected to get so close. We even shaved our heads together,” she said. They realized they shared the same ideals about fashion and branding; it’s not all about the money.

“As designers, we need to sell products, but I think we’re more into selling experiences,” said Bhaskaran.

This is certainly a faux-pas in a fashion world where sales are king. With major fashion houses like Dior and Chanel, selling products are a design house’s biggest challenge, plus bringing in enough revenue to support the brand. According to Dior’s interim financial report, the company raked in €17 billion, or $25 billion, from June to December 2014. Fecal Matter is inspired by these big names, but they want to use their powers for a different purpose.

“It is ironic that we try to emulate them when we don’t believe they use the power in the right way, but we are using [Dior and Chanel] as inspiration,” said Bhaskaran.

“We want to use [fashion’s] power to better the world. We just want to create stuff, and have people experience the brand,” Huard-Berro added.

As for releasing a collection, Fecal Matter is currently selling designs on Stopshop Boutique, a local Montreal shop, but their goal is to present a collection in New York this winter. The designers are saving up money through jobs and events in order to afford their goal.
They want to create a unique website to sell and exhibit their own work. The website will revolve around their whole world, including the music they use, info about the designs and their everyday lives.

“We want to make it into an interactive 3D sphere,” says Huard-Berro.

Fecal Matter are currently looking into hiring a Concordia graphic design student to bring their virtual reality to life.