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Savage Grace....Interview with Mr Ben Mitchell, Melbourne

Monday, July 18, 2011







There’s clatter from the restaurant below as we make our way up the stairs to Mr Ben Mitchell’s door. He resides above a small Asian restaurant down an alleyway that makes me feel like I’m in The Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles.

Inside, a large Prada bag acts like a makeshift lampshade in the lounge room. It sets the tone for his extensive collection.


The apartment is lined with dramatic pieces full of restrained grace. Calvin Klein and Givenchy don one wall, Rick Owens platform shoes find a place on the floor with a pair of Prada brogues, and of course there are fashion magazines everywhere.


Ben made black coffee and I drew him whilst Tom Kalin's Savage Grace played in the background. In these drawings, Ben wears several pieces from Miuccia Prada’s Spring/Summer Collection 2011. The pieces seemed to draw themselves and despite being designed for summer they fit perfectly for winter here in Melbourne.