May 2013 has been a momentous month in Canberra fashion, starting with FASHFESH and the Food and Fashion Market. Continuing with this trend, Luke Chiswell launched his new collection of t-shirt designs at Hippo Bar last Friday. Hippo, which has been stripped back in preparation for its top-secret dramatic reinvention, was the perfect industrial chic location to showcase this edgy collection.

The four designs released are a clever departure from Luke’s previous work, enigmatically drawing inspiration from ‘manly men, girls, raw wood, black, wrapping paper and…cement.’ The unisex designs reference asymmetry and indulge the human tendency to infer faces from inanimate objects. Only 40 editions are produced in each print.

Luke started his t-shirt label in the barn of his family’s farm four years ago. Since then, his designs have been featured in Frankie Magazine and stocked in boutiques in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Wellington, London and New York. Luke’s eponymous label is identifiable through its bold lines, repetitive forms and largely black and white palette.