Lisa Gorman

Lisa Gorman is an Australian fashion designer. She is the founder of the women’s fashion label Gorman, for which she is now the creative director.[1]

Lisa Gorman
A Gorman dress, as seen in the front window of its store at The Galleries, Sydney.
NationalityAustralian
OccupationFashion designer
Spouse(s)Dean Angelucci (m. 2007)
Children2

Early life

Eldest of four daughters, Gorman grew up at the coastal town of Warrnambool in Victoria.[2] After graduating from Emmanuel College Warrnambool in 1989,[3] she moved to Melbourne and studied nursing.[4] Gorman worked part-time at Royal Melbourne Hospital for eight years.[5]

Career

Gorman began her career in fashion as a designer for the Melbourne bridal couturier Mariana Hardwick.[6] In 1999, she launched her label, Gorman, with a collection titled ‘Less Than 12 Degrees’ at the now-defunct fat 52 boutique.[7] By 2003, the label was stocked in 55 retailers in Australia and 15 in Japan. In 2004, she opened the first Gorman boutique in Prahran, Melbourne.[2]

In 2010, Gorman part-sold her brand to the fashion conglomerate Factory X,[8] citing that she wanted to remain focused on the designing and have assistance running the growing business. That year in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, Gorman stated that “it’s been a good move. Before the partnership, I was exhausted. But I love it again now. It’s like a new phase for me. I feel so much more in tune with the product again and excited, and it’s just so much more of a joy to go into work. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted."[4]

Now with over 40 stores across Australia,[2] Gorman (the label) has become one of the most "iconic" brands on the Australian fashion scene.[9] Brooke Babington, curator at the Heide Museum of Modern Art, says the brand’s “playful and inventive approaches to colour, pattern and form… are all part of Gorman’s distinct and recognisable design aesthetic”.[5] The label has built a loyal fan base, who call themselves “Gormies”.[10]

Brand collections

The label is known for its collaborations with Australian and international artists as part of each seasonal collection.[11] These artists include Atelier Bingo, Mirka Mora, Miranda Skoczek, Monika Forsberg, Liz Payne, Dana Kinter, Elke Kramer, Miso, Rhys Lee, Rachel Castle, Ellie Malin and Alexander Kori Girard.[12] The Gorman 2019 Mangkaja collection collaborated with Aboriginal artists Ngarralja Tommy May (2020 winner of the Telstra Award[13]) and Sonia Kurarra from Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia's far north.[14]

At the 2015 Melbourne Art Fair, Gorman said, “having now undertaken creative projects with over 30 different artists and brands both locally and abroad, I’ve come to realise how the act of collaborating has been definitive in shaping the Gorman brand.”[12]

Manufacturing processes

Gorman has been called the “Queen of Green” because of her passion for sustainable fashion, use of organic fabrics and efforts to reduce packaging.[4] In 2016, the label encountered some bad publicity after Factory X made it onto Oxfam’s annual “Naughty List” for not disclosing its suppliers.[8] In April that year, Gorman also attracted criticism when it received an “F” in the Baptist World Aid fashion report for choosing not to participate in the survey.[15]

The brand responded with the statement “Gorman's decision not to publicly disclose the identity of its manufacturers is not “naughty”. (The) Gorman team have worked closely with their manufacturers on the development of techniques, trims and treatments that are key to Gorman's point-of-difference in the marketplace. We are currently not prepared to share the details of our manufacturers with our competitors”.[16]

Personal life

Gorman lives in Fitzroy, Victoria with her husband Dean Angelucci and their two daughters.[6][17]

References
  1. "TDF Talks With Gorman Founder + Creative Director Lisa Gorman". The Design Files. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  2. Corso, Lisa Marie. "The Gorman Story". Gorman. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  3. "About Lisa Gorman". Emmanuel College Warrnambool. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  4. Wells, Rachel (14 March 2010). "Fashion's queen of green". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  5. Aouf, Rima (9 March 2019). "'We were accused of all sorts': Lisa Gorman on learning from old mistakes". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  6. "Lisa Gorman's intimate wedding". Vogue. 25 May 2012. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  7. "Lisa Gorman". VAMFF. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  8. Au-Nhien Nguyen, Giselle (28 April 2016). "Why Gorman can't ignore its fans". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  9. "Understanding the ubiquitous cult of Gorman". Fashion Journal. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  10. Fitzsimmons, Caitlin (11 August 2019). "'Ken Done for Millennials': inside the cult brand of Gorman". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  11. Traill-Nash, Glynis (12 May 2020). "Lisa Gorman, fashion designer, 48: Q&A". The Weekend Australian Magazine. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  12. "Fashion and art – Gorman collaborations". fashionphantasmagoria. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  13. Gooley, Cameron (7 August 2020). "Surprised Arnhem Land teenager, veteran Indigenous artist claim wins at 2020 NATSIAAs". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  14. Bamford, Matt (21 July 2019). "Gorman Mangkaja collection breaks new ground for Indigenous fashion design collaboration". ABC. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  15. McClymont, Mhairi. "How Ethical is Gorman?". Good on You. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  16. Croffey, Amy (25 November 2016). "Gorman wants to be taken off Oxfam's 'naughty list'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  17. Crawford, Laeta (9 January 2016). "Fashion designer Lisa Gorman opens up about her favourite things". Herald Sun. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
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