Francis Hooper and
Denise L’Estrange-Corbet
Fashion Designers

Why would Telecom Prospect 2004: New Art New Zealand ask two fashion designers to comment on art?

We have no idea, except for the fact that we think all 'creatives' swim in a different direction to all the other fish in the sea, hence quite often we are so misunderstood.

Why do creatives always have to be saying something? Why is it always assumed we have an agenda?

We can only speak for ourselves, but most of the time we are not that deep, we only do what comes to us.

'What are the colours of the season?' we are continually asked, and personally we don't give a flying fuck, they are for the uncreative creatives, the followers of fashion, not the leaders. Does anybody ask artists what the colours of the season are? Why not?

Creatives are the only profession who have to lay themselves open to the public and media each time we do something. A singer with a new CD, an artist with a new collection, a writer with a new book, a fashion designer with a new season. And there we are, all sitting like possums caught in the headlights waiting to see what is coming to hit us, a driver who cannot aim in a straight line or a Mack truck.

So why did the Queen, Elizabeth II, give us an award for fashion design in 2002? Because we are great at what we do and are not answerable to anyone, which is the way we like it.