Louise Zhang x The Social Outfit

Introducing Louise Zhang x The Social Outfit, a new print collaboration and highlight of our 2019 collection, Kinetic Bloom!

"The artworks for these prints come from a solo exhibition, ‘Art eats its young’ shown at Artereal Gallery. The body of work developed over a sort of (constant) mental dilemma over my position as a Chinese-Australian artist growing up in a very Western religious environment. The conflict between my morals, position on religion and lack of education over Chinese traditions and folklores made me, as a Chinese-Australian person what to learn more about Chinese superstitions, mythology and culture which conflicted with my family’s faith. I guess you could say it was a way for me to try and reconcile with it all in the creative way I knew."

- Louise Zhang
Portrait by Levon Baird

“As soon as The Social Outfit reached out to me I was 100% on board! I’ve been aware of TSO for a while and really admire what they stand for and how they ACTIVELY support migrants and refugees. I come from a migrant family and have experienced the hardship – both financial and emotional, the difficulty and racism faced towards BIPOC  people. My parents have quite literally given up everything so that I could have a privilege life. My dad gave up his dream to be a teacher so that I could be an artist. For that, I am eternally grateful. But what they have achieved took so much resilience, determination and generosity. This is a very small way to give back."

- Louise Zhang

  

About Louise:

Louise Zhang is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans painting, sculpture and installation. With an interest in horror cinema, particularly the body horror genre, Zhang is interested in the dynamics between the attractive and repulsive. By exploring how themes of perceived innocence such as prettiness and cuteness can be contrasted with notions of the perverse and monstrous, Zhang explores the intersection of fear, anxiety and a sense of otherness in the construction of identity.
Exhibition photos by Zan Wimberley

About Art eats its young:

Referencing this Taoist mythology, Zhang’s new paintings, sculptures and scroll-like banners incorporate demons, dismembered body parts and organs drawn from anatomy books, and cartoon-like ‘gore’ – overlaid with delicate illustrations of peonies, koi fish, scholar rocks and lunar imagery – all painted in the artists signature sugary palette. The resulting visual cacophony (a disjointed and disorientating mash-up of symbols and imagery) represents an attempt on Zhang’s part to reconcile and make sense of the fissures and contradictions that define her own identity. As a ‘third culture kid’ with a strict Christian upbringing, Zhang was discouraged from engaging with or learning about the superstitions that form such an inherent part of Chinese mythology and culture. Likewise, her teenage love of western horror films and gothic subculture, and her art making practice in general, were derided by her family as being sources of anxiety and depression. By researching and integrating these seemingly disparate sources of artistic inspiration into her latest series of works, Zhang documents her attempts at both constructing and deconstructing her own personal and cultural identity.

— Rhianna Walcott, Artereal Gallery

How much is shipping?

We send out every order securely with parcel tracking via Australia Post. We'll email you a tracking number on dispatch so you can keep track of your order.

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How much is shipping?

We're all about slow fashion production at The Social Outfit. In order to prevent excess stock at the end of the season, we produce small size runs which often means that your order enters production once purchased.

If your product is in stock, we aim to ship it in 2-4 business days. New production on products takes up to 14 business days from order to dispatch, but we'll let you know via email as soon as your order is ready and making it's way to you!

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We want you to be happy with your purchase & we understand that not every item will work out which is why we offer exchanges & refunds for full-price items purchased online within 30 days of receipt for a credit note or full refund (excluding shipping costs).

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FAQs

I live outside of Australia - do you ship internationally?

Absolutely! Shipping costs start at $30, and are calculated by weight and destination country.

For our Kiwi friends in New Zealand, standard shipping costs from $20 and is calculated on weight.

Unfortunately, we do not offer exchanges, returns or refunds for international orders.

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We sure do! Simply select the 'Pick Up' option at checkout and we'll let you know once your order is packed and ready for you to pick up.

Click & Collect orders can be picked up at our Newtown shopfront located at:
188 King St,
Newtown NSW 2042

I'm not sure which size to order.

We totally get it - shopping online can be super tricky! That's why we've put together a couple of resources to help make your shopping experience just that much easier.

You can check out our Sizing page for our general sizing information as well as our Model Size Guide that'll hopefully give you a reference point.

We also provide garment measurements for each product on its product listing page - we recommend going old school, grabbing a tape measure and comparing a similar garment you have at home to the one you're planning to purchase!

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Then you can securely package the item(s) you're returning and pop them in the post to us at:

188 King St

Newtown NSW 2042

Australia

Please note - for exchanges you will need to cover the cost of shipping the exchange back out to you.

Are there any items that can't be refunded or exchanged?

Items purchased on sale and international orders cannot be refunded or exchanged.

Due to our hygiene safety policy, we are unable to offer refunds and exchanges on Face Masks and Earrings unless faulty.

Can I return an item if it's faulty?

Yes - if an item is faulty, we'll be happy to provide a refund, exchange, or repair. Please keep in mind this will be assessed on a case by case basis.

Please remember that much of the fabric we use is deadstock, remnant and end of roll fabric diverted from landfill and may have unique variations or imperfections that just add to the charm!