Print Club Maker Feature: Creatures of XIX

This month we chat to Harriet of Creatures of XIX for a quick Q&A! Harriet was a recent Print Club member and regular at Bobbin and Ink (until her visa ran out and had to go back to the UK!).

Harriet was a B&I walk-in customer who enquired about print sampling back in July. We convinced her to save money and sign up for the next Fabric Printing for Beginners Class instead. She then became a Print Club regular in our studio, pumping out the Collection XIX "teevocative" range.

The tees were a hit and Creatures of XIX continues to grow as a successful, young fashion label, carving a niche for fiery fans of pole dancing and fitness.

Tell us about your label and what you do?

Creatures of XIX is a fierce brand for girls with grit. Our core market is certainly the pole dance market, both on the side of strippers and also for those wanting to dance for fun and fitness. We create a variety of products including stripper shoes (hard wearing and use no animal products unlike most of the options currently on the market), and our popular Gecko Grip Leggings. They are breathable, flexible and provide grip. The work I did with Bobbin and Ink was for Teevocative, our range of tees with provocative slogans such as ‘Pussy Power'. The tops have been a great success, selling out in strip clubs of Sydney and at Pole Dance Competitions.

What inspires your work?

The incredible pole dance community that i’m lucky to be a part of, as well as nature and music.

On your website you describe Creatures of XIX as a "fiercely feminine brand". How do you build this in to your creative practice and what does femininity mean to you?

In the pole dance community there is a tension between fitness and the exotic roots of pole dancing. For us feminism means having the right to chose your own path, whether you want to split drop in heels or train pole flips in trainers, we should be jointly building each other up and supporting each others creative expressions and use of pole for different reasons like fitness, dance, expression and art. As a brand we want to embrace the fierce femininity of pole dance. Modern pole dances roots are in the strip clubs, and we love that! We love the empowerment pole gives you from self acceptance and realising what your body is capable of doing. We want our brand to be about women, womens strength and sexuality and targeted directly at them. If you look at our brands products photos they are fierce and bold, whilst being sexy, but targeted at a female, not a male gaze.

How long have you been pole dancing for and how did you get in to it?

5 or 6 years now, I really wanted to do something for me and the most amazing studio called British Pole Academy in the UK opened its doors. I felt so welcomed and a sense of belonging to a community of supportive women.

How have you been invovled with Bobbin and Ink?

My first screen printing course was with Bobbin and Ink, and the creation of Teevocative tops ‘Heels Bigger Than Your’ and ‘8 Inch Heels’.

What business tools can you not live without?!

Google Drive is super useful as a central place, and whatsapp to speak with people around the world. Gimp is also ok editing software that is free!

Where can we find more about you/ what you're up to?

On my Instagram! @HarrietWolfX

My business partners is @MelissapoleXIX

Any plans to return to Australia?! 

I adore Australia, so who knows!

Web: CreaturesofXIX.co || Facebook: Creatures Of XIX || Instagram: CreaturesOfXIX