Michaela is an Australian “body-morphing” artist and couturier based in London. Her main practice is to create custom made, one-off lingerie pieces that are designed to sculpt and disfigure the body. Michaela often models and photographs her own pieces as part of her artistic practice.
Her culture-expanding body of work has garnered her the undivided attention of the fashion and culture media such as i-D, Dazed, AnOther, Vogue UK, Vogue Italia, Document Journal, Luncheon and Arte TV.
Additionally, Michaela often creative directs and collaborates with other visual artists and creatives. She has collaborated with Nick Knight, Solve Sundsbo, Jack Davison, Katie Grand, Paul Kooiker, Brigitte Niedermair, Lea Colombo, Charlie Chops, and Casper Sejersen, to name a few.
She also works as a costume designer, collaborating with stylists to create custom pieces for artist’s performances, editorials and videos. Some of her most notable ongoing collaborations include creating costumes for The Carters “Apesh*t” music video, the OTRII tour, and Beyonce’s feature film “Black Is King”. More recenlty she has created custom looks for artits like Shy Girl, Sam Smith and Tove Lo.
As a couturier, each piece that Michaela creates is very specifically tailored and created using couture techniques. She often uses delicate silks, hand dyed fabrics and intricate embellishments. Each piece is one of a kind, and has been designed and tailored to perfectly fit and celebrate the body of the intended wearer – whether that be herself or an external client.
Stark launched her first collection during Paris Fashion week September 2022 and opened her first eshop.
Michaela spent 2021 in residency at Sarabande: The Lee Alexander McQueen Foundation, where she hosted a talk with Solve Sundsbo, about their respective bodies of work and their collaboration for the Perfect magazine. With whom she also collaborated with for her first solo exhibition at space 3537. This first art show was the object of an interview feature for Arte TV’s “Tracks”, and included a live performance by Michaela, where she would cut out Jean-Paul Gaultier toiles to then tailor to her body. She has since collaborated with Nick Knight for Photo London 2022 and participated in a group show “Glimpses” as well as participating in a panel talk at the Thyssen Museum Malaga & the Design Museum London.
Michaela had her runway debut during FW 22 Paris fashion week where she was invited to walk for designer Vincent Pressiat, and later for designer Victor Weinsanto on his SS 23 show.
Factum Arte's Diary: Nick Knight from factum-arte on Vimeo.