Embrace wearable art and vibrant colours like never before with unique clothing brand Frida Las Vegas’ one-of-kind retro-inspired designs inspired by 80s Australiana to 90s pop cultural influences, like the Nanny’s Fran Fine.
Designer Stavroula Adameitis says she spent the 80s and 90s, “soaking up my environment like a sponge!”
“Colour then became my taste by osmosis. I get a kick out of playing with bold graphic linework and remixing colour with iconography to create a distinct visual language,” she added.
Officially throwing open the doors on Friday, the ethically designed and locally made fashion brand’s first art fashion studio now lives in the heart of the Adelaide Arcade. Known for its vibrant, ostentatious pieces that celebrate personal expression with an antipodean twist, Frida Las Vegas is bringing a burst of creativity and style to the Adelaide fashion scene.
When the opportunity arose to establish a studio in a space as unique as her brand, Stavroula says she was eager to secure it.
“Adelaide Arcade is a beautifully ornate heritage building brimming with history, so the chance to become a part of the living history of the building felt like the natural place for Frida Las Vegas to call home,” she said.
“Adelaide Arcade is home to many boutique businesses that offer out-of-the-box products and services. I wanted to complement the existing community of ventures with a stylised and considered studio space that is centrally located for both locals and visitors to discover.”
General Manager of Adelaide Arcade, Andrew Jonats, shares his excitement about the new addition.
“We are thrilled that Frida Las Vegas will be joining us at Adelaide Arcade,” he said.
“The atelier will act as a work studio where artistic prints are designed, a consultation space for customers to commission bespoke pieces, as well as an educational workshop space.”
“We can already feel the vivacity that this new studio will bring to the precinct,” he added.
“I love people who create distinctive ‘worlds’ with their work that errs towards the visually over the top,” Stavroula says.
Her inspirations include film directors like Pedro Almovodar and John Waters, musicians like The B52s, architect Ettore Sotsass and fashion svengali Elio Fiorucci.
“They all share a sense of bombastic exuberance that I admire, regardless of their chosen medium. I try to mix all these references up with my love of 20th century vintage fashion to form a distinct ‘Frida Las Vegas aesthetic’,” she said.
The Festival Plaza Glamour Kaftan is one of Stavroula’s favourite patterns, which is a limited edition print for the 2024/25 summer 2024/25.
“I was in awe of the Festival Plaza sculptures and was gutted when they were demolished. It’s creatively satisfying to give these strange and fantastic figures a new lease on life through the medium of textile design,” she said.
At the core of Frida Las Vegas’s ethos is inclusivity and self-expression with sizes ranging from AU 6 to 26, each piece is crafted to ensure that every wearer feels fabulous.
“I’m proud to offer Pop Art ‘kitsch couture’ that takes into account a wider spectrum of body shapes,” Stavroula said.
“The colour and humour in my prints exudes a sense of happiness, if this feeling was something I couldn’t offer to all of my customers, I would feel like a phony!
“Good design is inclusive by definition.”
The brand’s commitment to ethical and transparent production methods shines through its garments, which are proudly printed and produced in Australia, including exquisite kaftans made right in Adelaide.
Sustainability is another driving force behind for Frida Las Vegas, by utilising small production runs and print-to-order processes, the brand minimises waste and keeps environmental considerations at the forefront. Any excess fabric is transformed into stylish scarves, making sure that nothing goes to waste.
Stavroula says the commercial fashion industry is one of the world’s most ardent environmental polluters.
“As an independent artist and designer, it makes better sense to produce garments in small quantities, keeping fabric wastage to a minimum and individual designs special for the customer,” she said.
But that’s not all, Frida Las Vegas is dedicated to celebrating individuality through bespoke creations with custom designed textile prints, ensuring that every piece is as unique as the person wearing it.
To mark the launch of the new atelier, Frida Las Vegas plans to host a variety of events and workshops during Adelaide’s vibrant festival season and Adelaide Fashion Week. From art to fashion to illustration, these sessions will delve into the fundamentals of creativity, all while drawing inspiration from beloved pop culture icons.
“I’m hosting a light-hearted fashion drawing workshop called ‘Fran Fine Fashion Fantasy’ deep-diving into the closet semantics of the Flashy Girl from Flushing – my number one fashion heroine!” Stavroula said.
“It will be a super fun afternoon where we re-watch scenes from The Nanny and play with colour and pattern to design Fran some new dream outfits as she visits Grandma Yetta, heads to the buffet with Val or finds herself a guest on The Rosie O’Donnell Show.”
Step into a world of bold colours and unique designs at Frida Las Vegas in Adelaide Arcade.
Frida Las Vegas
When: Trading hours available by appointment from Monday to Saturday. Appointments can be booked online.
Where: Shop 110 (Balcony Level), Adelaide Arcade, 112 – 118 Grenfell Street, Adelaide S.A 5000
Workshop: Fran Fine Fashion Fantasy tickets and info here
For more information, visit the website.
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