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“Noisy, punchy, hard and fast, but you can sleep on it like a pillow.”
Merging the worlds of fashion, art and music, GarbageTV is a collaborative creative project by Perth duo Kiel Rogers and Rhys Scott. Originally launched as a series of Melbourne-based club nights, the GarbageTV brand was founded in 2015 after growing demand for merch stock sparked a new idea.
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Walking between high fashion and streetwear, GarbageTV’s designs are loved by artists, skateboarders, musicians (see Billie Eilish). Vogue Here) and fashion people alike. Loved for their signature energetic, avant-garde-DIY aesthetic, Kiel and Rhys play with genderless painting, experimental construction and punchy graphics. I’m getting behind the new AW22 collection, Reaching the topKiel talks about GarbageTV’s journey so far.
Tell us about you. What is your fashion background?
My name is Kiel Rogers. I have worked in fashion for 13 years, I got into it in the early 2000s. After my first year of art I decided to switch to fashion. It was a strange move at the time, but something attracted him. In the second year [fashion school]I worked in the dressing room at the Western Australian Ballet; I traveled to NY to work for Karen Walker.
After graduating and winning the Young Designer Award for my year, I moved to Antwerp to intern with Walter van Beirendonck. Working for Walter has to be one of the greatest highlights of my career.
After Walter I moved to LA to work for Jeremy Scott. I’ve always loved Jeremy Scott’s work because it brings together streetwear and high fashion. While working for Jeremy, I built a lot of runways. Coming from Walther and Western Australian Ballet, costuming was my strong point. I have personally worked on custom clothing items for Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Fever Ray, Jared Leto and Glazer.
After LA I moved to the UK and worked for Comme des Garçons Black Label. An expired visa means it is time to return to Australia. I met Perks and Minnie and worked for Pam in Melbourne for four years. It was around this time that I started an event called Garbage and that’s where the label started.
How did the account start? Tell us about the process and the problems.
The label started organically. The event started with hugs and kisses. [a now-defunct Melbourne club]. At that time Melbourne was very disco and Italiano, there weren’t many serious music events. Older heads before me made it 100 percent, just back then, there wasn’t much around.
Once upon a time, someone loved to play trash shows because they only had time to bring them [in] Music does not allow anyone to play. This idea stuck with me and continues to this day. I started with a little merchandise to sell at the event and it immediately sold out. After the first run, my friend Rhys approached me and asked me to help fund him so he could do more. Then, the account just grew.
The idea behind the label GarbageTV was to create an avant-garde project based on music. Since my work was mainly in pattern cutting and construction, I wanted to create unique shapes and concepts, and I also presented a commercial aspect. I guess that’s where the challenges come in. GarbageTV doesn’t really fit into a group – it’s always been very high fashion for streetwear and streetwear for high fashion. Then there is the event and the music around it.
Another challenge was that GarbageTV wasn’t as big as it was when it started. But [now]Because of the internet, social media, and the times, it seems like many of the same things are popping up all the time. The best idea is to stay away from social media and the internet. Also – of course – COVID was the biggest challenge.
What were you trying to achieve from the project at that time? How has this evolved and what are you trying to communicate with the brand now?
My first thought was to have something of my own. After working with some of the best designers/artists I look up to and in the world, I wanted to do my own thing, just with my own ideas and concepts. [I wanted to] Pushing something new. I never thought it would grow to the level it is now.
I guess in general, I want to inform that [the label] That’s what it says. Like it or leave it. I really want to push positivity through the label and push music like never before, work with young people and help everyone around me grow and be heard.
How would you describe GarbageTV to someone who has never seen it before?
It’s his voice. Loud, punk, hard and fast, but you can sleep on it like a pillow.
Where does the name come from?
Growing up, I was a very punk/hardcore kid. And I was passionate about what I loved and believed in. The show started because I felt there was a lot of rubbish around and I wanted to push something new so I called it ‘Rubbish’! and then [when I was looking for] Brand names, I couldn’t trademark ‘trash’. [The only domain name] It was .TV for the website, so it became GarbageTV.
What are you most proud of about the work you do on your account?
I think growing up in a single parent family with no money, working multiple jobs and rushing to start an account…I always look back and think, ‘How?’ That’s what I think. It will be another. Vogue. All my career, all I wanted was presence. Vogue And GarbageTV has accomplished just that.
We were asked to send items after the season and Vogue Italy Emailed asking for items. This is definitely something I am most proud of as an artist/designer. Also seeing people dressed up at trash events [the label]… I’m still very overwhelmed. It means a lot to me.
What do you wish you knew when you started?
How hard it really is and how to ignore trolls on the internet. Some people have a lot of time on their hands.
Who do you think is the hottest in local fashion right now?
I think it’s about seeing people wear and buying off-trends, not following them. [what’s trendy on] The internet makes me happy. I also like to see people push performances and costumes really hard.
Do you dream of domestic partners?
I still love the opportunity to work for a big fashion house again. If I could choose one it would definitely be Margiela.
Go to dinner party playlist?
Anything 80s and post-punk or new wave…always on.
Who is in your wardrobe right now?
Bernhard Wilhelm, Margiela, Comme des Garçons, Walter van Beirendonck and many tees… When I see something I like, I generally buy it.
How can we buy one of your pieces?
Online (new website coming soon!) or from one of our stockists.
Anything else to add?
After covid we have all struggled in our own way. One way or another, you never know what someone is going through or how they are dealing with things. Just because they seem to be on the internet doesn’t mean they do. We are all equal. Be kind to one another, work together, dance together and don’t take this life for granted. Don’t stop dancing.
Browse the GarbageTV collection here.
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