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Of late I have been most fortunate in having the delightful opportunity to meet and mingle with some of Australia’s most incredible creative talents. Not long ago, a close friend introduced me to the lovely Lang Leav; a Sydney based artist who uses illustration to bring her label ‘Akina’ to life. Alongside other achievements, Lang has been featured in art magazine Curvy 4 and in 2007 she held her first solo exhibition entitled “The Teddy Bear’s Picnic” in which beloved childhood fairytales walked an ominous path. For Lang, 2008 and beyond may just be her very own remarkable tale to tell.  

Has the design industry always been your passion?

Creating is something I have always done naturally, I don’t remember a time when it wasn’t the center of my world. So it is very fortunate there is an industry that exists out there for what I do because at the risk of sounding cliche, I can’t imagine myself doing anything else.

Who is Akina?

Akina is a little character I created. She is a villain with a fetish for buttons who attacks teddy bears to steal their button eyes! For some strange but wonderful reason, the story really struck a chord and has been a huge part of the label’s popularity.  

What is your favourite fairytale?

My favourite fairytale is The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Anderson. It is such a tragic tale about a beautiful mermaid who falls in love with a human. She gives up her whole world, her identity to be at his side. Each step she takes, her feet are cut with a thousand knives but she endures this for him. In the end it is all in vain as he falls in love with someone else.  It is the ultimate story of self sacrifice for love.  

You mention Peter Morrissey as mentor. How is he a source of support and encouragement?

I entered my first T-shirt collection into the Qantas Spirit of Youth Award (SOYA) in 2005 where Peter Morrissey was one of the judges. From thousands of other entries, he chose mine as the winner. We catch up from time to time and he continues to be an amazing source of support and encouragement. I think it’s vital to have mentors in this industry. Especially when you are making those really important decisions, it makes a world of difference to have the input of someone who has decades of experience ahead of you.

How do the Harajuku Girls inspire your work?

I was lucky enough to travel to Tokyo on my SOYA award in 2006. This is when I first came across the Harajuku girls. Just before I left for my trip, a friend said to me. ‘Lang, when you go over there, don’t draw, just observe’. I didn’t really understand it at the time but in hindsight it makes so much sense. When you’re thrust into a different culture and your senses are overloaded with new sights and sounds, it takes time to absorb and truly appreciate it. It was really hard for me but I stuck to my friend’s advice and I didn’t create anything for the entire month I was there. When I got back, I had the Harajuku girls swirling around in my mind and in the next six months I was able to draw from this amazing reservoir of inspiration that I had built up during my time there. It was such a revelation for me! Now the little Harajuku girls are a part of every piece of work I create.   

What is The Harajuku Girl Porject all about?

The Harajuku Girl Project is a six week study I am undertaking in Tokyo under the assistance of The Churchill Trust. It will almost be like a photo documentary. As well as doing an in depth study on the Harajuku girls; I will be working alongside Austrade, researching the Japanese fashion market. My journey will be blogged on my website www.akina.com.au to inspire and motivate other young Aussie labels to take steps into the Japanese market. A lot of focus has been on the European market even though there is a market spending 2.5 billion US dollars annually on clothing and accessories, literally at our doorstep, waiting to be tapped into. As part of the project, I will also be writing a comprehensive report on my return and giving talks at design and educational institutions.     

What challenges have you faced and how have you overcome them?

Though I am very blessed to have incredibly supportive people around me, Akina is still a one woman show. The biggest challenge has been to switch between different roles and responsibilities, to find a balance between creative and business, to learn how to separate my personal life from my career which is near impossible because it is so much a part of what I do and can get pretty consuming at times.  

How would you describe an “Akina” girl?

From doing regular shows and exhibitions, I have the wonderful opportunity to meet and talk directly to people from the Akina fan-base. It’s really hard to box in what is an Akina girl because the people I meet are from all walks of life. Though the one thing they have in common is their love of stories and they appreciate the love and attention to detail that goes into every “Akinaesque” creation.   

Who is your biggest inspiration?

My favourite artist is Gary Baseman. I really agree with his ideas about ‘pervasive art’. The ideology of pervasive art is the notion that art can be just as valid hanging in a gallery as it is displayed on a t-shirt or whatever medium or form it chooses to take. I like the idea that art can be accessible to a wider audience.

What was the last book you read?

To be honest it was a Mills and Boon novel about an American cowboy and English widow! So much fun!

Do you have a favourite restaurant/bar/café in Sydney?

I have a soft spot for fine dining! There are quite a few places in Sydney I love but if I had to pick one, I would say Yoshii down at the rocks. It’s amazing to sit at the sushi bar and watch the chef create these little works of art that are almost too pretty to eat. Almost.

If you could live anywhere, which destination would you choose?

I would live in a sleepy little fishing village as a fisherman’s wife. I’d spend my days writing, drawing, fishing, cooking, dancing and studying astronomy via correspondence.

How did your collaboration with Zoe come about?

Zoe saw some of my work in a store and got in touch. We knew from our first meeting that we were onto something very special. It’s worked like a dream ever since! There is something almost magical about the tiny silver charms; they’re truly little sculpted artworks!

What’s 2008 about for Lang?

I’m really excited about the Kids of Today Exhibition run by my friends at Stupid Krap. It is the official exhibition of Semi Permanent and will be hosted at the MTV gallery. I also have quite a few upcoming solo and group exhibitions, including Curvy run by Yen Magazine. I have my Churchill Fellowship coming up very, very soon, that is going to be huge! 2threads are actually sponsoring this project so you will hear more about it as it develops. It’s going to be a really big year for Akina, and for myself. I can’t wait to see where it takes us!  

Visit: www.akina.com.au