Yahoo Finance A celebration of fashion, colour and inclusion with Bobbi Lockyer
Bobbi Lockyer, the self-confessed queer feminist and pink-haired mermaid queen, shares why she fell in love with fashion.
Bobbi Lockyer grew up with a love for fashion. Her mum taught her how to sew at a young age and she would spend her time sketching ideas for dresses.
“I started creating outfits for my dolls and my siblings. It was just something that I was always into,” the Nikon creator told Yahoo.
But her love for fashion was also met with roadblocks, with Bobbi admitting she often felt excluded from the fashion world.
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“I was always told that I was ‘too fat for fashion’ and that fashion wasn't attainable for someone like me. I was told that I couldn't wear colour and that I needed to wear black because black was slimming,” she said.
But as she grew older, Bobbi’s love for creating got her back into fashion and she decided to use her talents to also make a difference.
“I wanted fashion to be available to the girls like me growing up who felt like they couldn't be part of it. I wanted my fashion to be available to all body types, body sizes, and abilities,” she said.
“It's also my love for photography that has really inspired me in my fashion design. When I take photos of my clients, I want them to feel beautiful and to see themselves in a way that they may not see themselves.”
Bobbi credits her entrepreneurial spirit for deciding to start her own fashion business, which has seen huge success in what is considered a cut-throat business.
“My dad was quite the entrepreneur and always had some sort of small business going, and my mum has always been creative, and really encouraged my creativity,” she said.
“When I was around 14, I started my first business, selling earrings that I had made myself. From there, I think I really fell in love with the idea of having my own business. I didn't want to work a normal job for an employer. I wanted to just create all day and get paid for it.”
Bobbi has come a long way since that first business at 14 years old, having showcased her works at New York Fashion Week and being published in Vogue.
“It feels really special to sort of be at the forefront of the fashion industry as it moves into a more inclusive and diverse space. It's quite surreal to see it happen in real time,” Bobbi said.
“As a child, I never saw anyone like me on the runway, let alone on a magazine cover. And to just play a small part in the representation of that is really special for me.”
So, what’s next? After recently opening her solo exhibition titled For Ocean, which blends her photography and art, Bobbi will also be launching a homewares collaboration with a “really popular retailer” - so, watch this space.
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