MONOTREME DREAM

– Painting the Spirit into Couture
100 x 120 cm, acrylic and latex polymer paint on stretched canvas

This look, featured in the Back in Blak runway at Melbourne Fashion Festival 2025, finds its origin in the painting Monotreme Dream. As with all my designs, the journey begins on canvas—where the story first lives and breathes.

Here, a family of echidnas nestle beneath a star-swept desert sky. The coral circle mark the safety of their burrow, while the yellow tones speak to the land that holds them. Above, stars shimmer against a deep indigo night—casting a gentle glow over this tranquil scene.

I paint each garment before touching the digital tools, creating something real and tactile—an emotional blueprint. This process grounds my work in intention. It's not just about wearable fashion; it’s about conjuring a fictional life and honouring the spirit of the animals that inspire it.

For me, storytelling is stitched into the seams. This is an act of reverence—transforming garments into vessels of care, memory, and connection.

Artwork Available for purchase - Email admin@byjoshdeane.com