Discount Universe, (stylised as DI$COUNT UNIVER$E) is an Australian fashion label developed by
Nadia Napreychikov and
Cami James.
Their designs have been featured in major Australian exhibitions such the
National Gallery of Victoria
The National Gallery of Victoria, popularly known as the NGV, is an art museum in Melbourne, Victoria (state), Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1861, it is Australia's oldest and list of most visited art museums in the world, most visited art mu ...
's exhibition, ''200 Years of Australian Fashion'',
and
''Know My Name'' at the
National Gallery of Australia
The National Gallery of Australia (NGA), formerly the Australian National Gallery, is the national art museum of Australia as well as one of the largest art museums in Australia, holding more than 166,000 works of art. Located in Canberra in th ...
.
History
James and Napreychikov met while studying at
RMIT
The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (abbreviated as RMIT University) is a public research university located in the city of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia., section 4(b) Established in 1887 by Francis Ormond, it is the seventh-o ...
in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
, Australia.
Following their 2009 brand manifesto, the label launched via their website in 2010.
The brand manifesto indicated a consciousness for the re-appropriation and imitation that is present in post-modern fashion. James and Napreychikov began with handmade riveted jackets, followed by sequinned and beaded clothing the brand is now synonymous with.
In 2016, James and Napreychikov moved their studio from Melbourne to New York.
Collections and influence
The brand is known for their 'anti-seasonal' approach to fashion as a response to the limitations of the Australian fashion industry at the time of its inception. Their clothing often features feminist and political statements, and through the release of their collections on their website, the brand has been able to garner international attention and sell to a global audience.
In 2015,
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman, and actress. One of the List of music artists by net worth, wealthiest musicians in the world, List of awards and nominations received by Rihanna, her vario ...
was seen wearing a Di$count Univer$e dress with the words 'you will never own me/I will never fear you' over the front and back.
Their 2019 collection, developed during the
MeToo movement
#MeToo is a social movement and Consciousness raising, awareness campaign against sexual abuse, sexual harassment and rape culture, in which women publicize their experiences of sexual abuse or sexual harassment. The phrase "Me Too" was init ...
, featured in their 2018
New York Fashion Week
New York Fashion Week (NYFW), held in February and September of each year, is a semi-annual series of events in Manhattan typically spanning seven to nine days when international Fashion design, fashion collections are shown to buyers, the pres ...
showcase. The collection featured cisgender and transgender models in slippers wearing designs with statements such as ‘I AM NOT SORRY/I AM NOT FOR SALE/I AM NOT FOR REPRODUCTION' in bold glitter, protesting against the objectification of women.
Exhibitions
* ''200 Years of Australian Fashion'', at the National Gallery of Victoria, 5 March 2016 – 31 July 2016.
* ''It's-too-soon-for-a-retrospective'' Retrospective Exhibition, 32-34 Wellington Street,
Collingwood, 29 November 2016 – December 9, 2016.
* ''Know My Name,'' Part One'','' at the National Gallery of Australia, 14 November 2020 – 9 May 2021.
References
{{Authority control
Australian women fashion designers
Australian fashion designers