Toni Maticevski
Toni Maticevski's world is shaped not by a single source of inspiration,
but by a rich tapestry of influences gathered over a lifetime.
From family and friendships to books, photography, art, travel and the
people who have challenged and inspired him, each element contributes
to the creative language that has become uniquely his own.
His collage offers a glimpse into the ideas, images and relationships that
sit behind the work, revealing that creativity is rarely born in isolation, but
emerges from a life lived with curiosity, observation and intention.
Together, these pieces form something greater than the sum of their
parts: a portrait of the influences that continue to shape the man behind
the artistry.
Letter to future self
It’s a hard thing to write to my future self as I feel like I have navigated and controlled so much of my future along the way. And writing to myself feels like some forecast which I find I don’t want to set anymore. I learned a long time ago that it’s important to hold on to things until you have achieved them- and then, MAYBE to talk about it. Often at that stage my mind has already wandered off and far away from the reasoning or intention around something, so revisiting often feels like moving backwards.
Talking about what I would like to do/ envisage or advise feels fraught with failure and disappointment. I learned simply to do. Do what you think, don’t explain it too much, don’t
over think it, let the magic of it exist. I feel if anything I am caught in a moment of resistance. Of myself, or what I have achieved, of what I want to break into and out of. It feels exciting to feel restless. And what that means I don’t know. All I know is that it’s when I make my most rewarding work and build my most meaningful relationships.
The future me is not far away. And what the future image/ story of me is, I’m working on. And for the first time it feels a little unwritten. My younger self was so determined, so precise in what he wanted to create, to achieve and I can say that I have eclipsed a lot of the things that I thought were possible. My self in this moment is as focused and determined but
in a very different way. This self is focused on creating a deeper context to the inner world as opposed to the created world. There have been conversations with the people who have been part of its creation and revelation, but I think it’s important to keep some things unanswered. They are resolved in my mind and in my action of their creation, how they are discovered or read and interpreted is more exciting to know its left to the imagination. Imagination is where magic happens.
TM
Letter from Krystyna Campbell-Pretty
I first became aware of the Toni Maticevski brand around 2001/02 when I
bought my first Maticevski pieces. I did not know Toni personally then but I fell
in love with his garments.
I remember being delighted with the beauty and innovation. All were pieces I
really loved wearing – and I wore them for many years.
It was many years later before I actually had the privilege of meeting Toni and
getting to know him well.I think that the first time that we met was during 2015. I had become involved
with the NGV and their fashion department. The NGV organized a delightful
lunch and from the very first moment I was deeply struck by Toni’s gentility
and humility. We connected instantly.
Over the months and years that followed, the relationship has deepened.
There is no question that Toni is one of this county’s leading fashion designers
and creative forces.
He has a deep sense of beauty which is clear in all that he does.
He understands what women need to look and feel beautiful.
He has an innate ability to “feel” what will work.
When I wear Maticevski I always feel confident and at ease – and beautiful.
In personal terms, Toni is loyal, caring, genuine.
He is a wonderful son, brother and uncle to all his family.
Over the years, Toni has had to get through times that have been extremely
difficult.
He not only survives, he thrives.Toni is a beautiful person and I am honoured to know him.
Letter from Janet Nyblom
My relationship with Toni feels less like a story and more like a curated Pinterest board - isolated snapshots rather than just a single unbroken reel. Yet together they all share a commonality!
I first met Toni when he was my art student at Altona North High School. He was a sensitive,artistic, almost angelic boy - so different from the many dominant personalities around him. From the get-go, he was captivated by fashion.
The next snapshot takes me to the Balenciaga exhibition at the NGV in Melbourne in 1993. By then, Toni was studying fashion at RMIT, and we attended the exhibition together, accompanied by my baby daughter, Isabel. It feels like such a small, fleeting moment in time, yet becomes significant to the 3 of us.
We later crossed paths again briefly at his exhibition on Swanston Street at the Fire Brigade Gallery. By then, Toni was already emerging as a fashion designer with a distinct and powerful vision. He has always remained uncompromising, creating work that feels sculptural, almost defiant of convention, pushing the boundaries of fashion and fabric.
Although our paths diverged for many years, a beautiful coincidence brought things full circle. Isabel, once the baby at the Balenciaga exhibition, later met Tony through the world of fashion in Paris, eventually becoming friends through his circle. It feels like a unique stroke of serendipity.
Toni, I have admired your single-mindedness and your unwavering dedication to your craft - your commitment to creating not just fashion but works of art.
Thank you.
Janet Nyblom
