Each month desktop ask six creatives a design-related question.

This month’s question: AGDA hall of fame inductee Max Robinson recently transformed his iconic 1958 Beethoven record sleeve design for the World Record Club into a range of tees. Which piece of design would you like to see inspire a fashion collection?

Stuart Geddes
Designer/director, Chase & Galley
chaseandgalley.com
Being someone who hates printed t-shirts, I’m proposing a collaboration that would be unlikely to produce one. I would love to see Les Mason’s hoardings for the NGV (National Gallery of Victoria) in the 1960s used as inspiration for a collection by Obüs – a label that does great things with colours and, in several collections, has shown a talent for finely tailored pleats. The sawtooth construction of the hoardings revealed different views from different directions, and the alternating sides contrasted between black and white and vibrant colours. The hoardings (http://bit.ly/eLO9nQ) were a beautiful and dynamic response to a practical requirement – something that good clothing is all about.

Christopher Doyle
Design director, Interbrand
interbrand.com
It could be because I’ve recently become a father, but I have always thought the fruit and veg stamp series that Johnson Banks designed a few years back would make great kids’ clothes. The idea was to provide buyers with a blank set of stamps and range of stickers – different eyes, noses and hats etc – that allowed them to design their own funny faces. I reckon this would be hit with kids in a t-shirt format. It becomes wearable art they design themselves.

Tanja Hall
Director Jolt, president AGDA Queensland
joltstudio.com.au, agda.com.au
One piece only, that’s a tough one! I’d actually love to see a Marian Bantjes design piece influence a complete collection. Her work is incredibly intricate, detailed and innovative. The beauty and versatility of her patterning and typography pieces would translate to fashion perfectly through screen-print, embellishment, colour and fabric. Bantjes’ work is already being commissioned for fabrics and wallpapers, so fashion makes complete sense. Team Bantjes with an Australian label like Easton Pearson and there could be a sensational collection.

Jesse Mallon
Designer
jessemallon.com.au
I’ve recently been reading Haruki Murakami’s novels, always making sure to get my hands on the editions with covers designed by John Gall (vice president and art director of Vintage/Anchor Books). I think individual elements could be taken from these covers and used as inspiration for a fashion collection, whether it be the dynamic use of shape (particularly The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle), the surreal illustration (South of the Border, West of the Sun) or the strong colour palettes (Norwegian Wood). Aside from that, the covers themselves could be translated into great garment prints.

Anita Ryley
Creative director/owner, Seesaw
seesawdesign.com.au
My first impulse would be Sonic Youth’s iconic Goo cover, by Raymond Pettibon – an album which jolts me back to my teenage years. I was there and still have the shredded t-shirt to prove it. My adult self, however, will pick something else. I would have to go with the awesome Razzle Dazzle WWI warships painting: Geometric. Linear. Camouflage. Timeless design – and great inspiration for a clothing line. Jeff Koons was also inspired by Razzle Dazzle in his decoration of the luxury yacht ‘Guilty’. And speaking of Jeff Koons, imagine his inflatable sculptures as jewellery. Amazing.

Suzy Tuxen
Founder, A Friend Of Mine Design Studio
afom.com.au
Artist Felice Varini paints architectural three-dimensional surfaces and planes with bold blocks or stripes of colour. When viewed from a particular perspective, these coloured surfaces form a clear shape or picture. From all other perspectives, the shapes break apart and are purely abstract. I envisage that Varini’s concept would translate interestingly into fashion. I like the idea of garments having bold, bright patterns and shapes that have beauty in themselves – yet also have the potential to create a bigger picture either when combined with similarly themed surroundings or when the wearer is positioned in a certain way. Of course, this would all depend on where you are standing.

From desktop magazine.