ORRI HENRISSON

Melbourne based label Orri Henrission set about redefining menswear in 2008 when designer Henry Ng came to the realization he was disillusioned with the city’s grim aesthetic of black-on-black.

Searching for a label that shared his ‘upbeat’ vision, Ng was underwhelmed by the lack of diversity in Australian menswear. "I have a vibrant, quirky, dapper and sometimes even outrageous taste,” says Ng “and I found that the local market was not catering to that."

Suddenly cognizant of a gap in the market the graphic designer set about designing his first collection.

Ng’s first collection was a full-frontal assault of exciting street-wear inspired separates that immediately defined Orri Henrisson as one of the most promising menswear labels in Australia. Subsequent collections have demonstrated Ng’s skill in building a cohesive bridge between casual and dressy, fun and smart aesthetics.

Inspired by music and photography Ng said his designs are a result of how he’ll envision a garment will look on “a certain musician or in the mise-en-scene of a photograph." But the designer also takes inspiration from Eric LeBon, Timo Weiland, Wooyoungmi and Junya Watanabe.

The label has continued an upward trajectory however it was the Spring / Summer 2010-11 campaign which saw Orri Henrisson enter popular consciousness.

Titled ‘Bobby, King of Boys Town’ Ng collaborated on the shoot with one of the world’s biggest fashion bloggers, Matt Jordan of Imelda and The Style Tyrant fame. This collaboration resulted after a chance encounter when Jordan shot Ng for his year-old men’s street style blog The Style Tyrant.

Styled by James Dykes, the campaign stars Ashley McConnell, bass player for Australian band Operator Please and is McConnell’s campaign debut.

Ng’s bold usage of colour, which was inspired by Korean pop group Big Bang 2NE1’s music video “Lollipop”, is a key element of the campaign. It was carried through to the postproduction with Jordan and Ng extending the collaboration to include Dutch modernists from the recently established Lekkur Studio.

"I stepped out of my comfort zone” said Ng “and realised that the result was far more amazing from what was conceived initially. The S/S campaign shoot was the journey that my label needed."

Ng’s Melbourne-based label has already been called ‘one of the most promising emerging menswear designers in the country’ and with a number of high-profile stockists placing orders for his S/S 11 collection, things are about to get a whole lot more promising.

Stockists have included Alice Euphemia, Bespoke Boutique, Brave New World, Pigeonhole, Comeback Kid, Kids In Berlin, thatshopeveryonetalksabout.