story / Koko Ntuen
If we are going to talk about pretty young things, then we definitely have to add Rose Thomas and her label, NYMPHETS, to the conversation. Rose, a native kiwi, first entranced us with her young, low-fi styling and digital projects. Her persona radiates effortlessly cool and her clothing line is sure to bring out the superhero of your youth that you never thought would make it to adulthood. We got a chance to talk to Internet superstar about her line and what she has coming up next.
Why did you first decide to do the line Nymphets?
I didn’t want to work for anyone else.
Were you surprised to the response you got from your clothing collection and how did you think people were going to respond?
I didn’t really think about it, was just focused on making things I was proud of. I’m so happy there’s people out there loving Nymphets.
What was the first thing you ever made?
Me and my best friend made matching skirts when we were 8 years old, they look like pillows. I remember us thinking they were the coolest.
Welcome To Paradise has a very glam opulent feeling to it. Did you experiment with any new materials you really love?
I’m really into fake leather and fur, you can get so many different colours.
What is paradise for you?
Laying in bed with someone you luuurrve.
Can you explain what digital printing is and what attracted you to this medium.
You create a digital image, and then a fabric printing company to prints it on fabric. I love it because its your images are unlimited of what they can be, so you can personalise them like crazy.
You are known as a digital artist and your design aesthetic often feels very lively, colorful and almost digital. How do you incorporate the various mediums you work with into your fashion line.
I feel like any projects I do are connected to Nymphets, its the brand thats stamped on everything I make, its pretty much me.
Where is the most unlikely place you find your fashion inspiration from?
In dollar stores, I’m obsessed with them, gotta look at everything.
Nymphets is a very pretty unisex line that encourages, vibrance, fantasy, femininity, what other things do you encourage?
You are beautiful the way you are.
Your models are all very beautiful and so unique like the articles they wear. How do you find your models and do you even design things inspired by people?
Mostly the models I use are friends or people I’ve seen around Auckland. People do inspire me, especially seeing what looks good on different body types or if they got amazing style.
If you could wear one thing from Nymphets for the rest of your life what would it be.
This pleated mini skirt thats got my BBF’s naked bodies on it. Its from the Welcome to Paradise collection.
Will Nymphets be doing a collections for the masses soon?
Gonna need lots of dollars for that to ever happen. I’ve love to sell clothes outside of New Zealand. But we never going to be a massed produced machine, there got to be love in our clothing.
What other mediums would you like to explore?
I’m interested in doing more performance and experimenting with textile design and installation. I’m going to be doing two artist residencies next year, so I’m excited to explore Nymphets from an art making perspective.
We love you and Isaac! How did you guys meet and what was your first collaboration?
We met in Dunedin, I was so amazed by his style. We made a movie called Underwater Apocalypse together with our friends, where everyone wore Nymphets clothing and swam in the pool we made to look like a swamp.
How would you describe your community and how do you notice a difference when collaborating with your fellow kiwis than collaborators in other parts of the world.
I haven’t left NZ since I was 15, but I like Auckland, I feel like I’m meeting lots of people who are on a similar buzz. But yeah excited to get out into the wide world and see how that feels. Auckland feels pretty small right now.
If you have 29 hours in the day what would you do with the other 4 hours?
Read some smart shit…
Back Stage images of Nymphets collection release for Welcome to Paradise. Make up artist Ash Jones, Eve Sorenson, Oneroa Tangaroa Makeup Artist, Meital Kazula and Models Lila, Beverly, Toyah, Sabine, Isaac @Red11 Management Models, Actors, Talent, Dirk, Willem @62 Models, Bridie, Hariet. Mary and Anahera @RPD Models, Genevieve and Florence @UNIQUE MODEL MANAGEMENT.
Get more NYMPHETS here.
