Collection Notes: CAMILLA x Roeqiya Fris

What do you get when you fuse a Dutch-Egyptian artist with an Australian luxury ready-to-wear label?

Ask Roeqiya Fris, the latest artist to be invited by Camilla Franks to bring her own artistic expression to iconic Australian fashion house, CAMILLA.

The collaboration unveils in the aperture between two distinctly narratively driven collections from CAMILLA; ‘WONDERKIND’–inspired by Franks’ travels through the Netherlands and Belgium, and ‘House of The Sun’– generated by her travels through Egypt. It is Fris’ Dutch-Egyptian heritage that innately informs her art, proffering a perfect fusion throughout these collections.

The artist’s paintings portray and emphasise diversity, female friendships and sisterhood. There is no stronger embodiment of the CAMILLA woman than these depictions as they are the very reason why the collaboration makes so much sense. Having first met in Amsterdam, Camilla and Roeqiya instantly clicked, bonding over a mutual obsession with art, colour, and avant-garde creativity. The collaboration feels natural, exuding harmony and balance in the clothing; Roeqiya’s unique aesthetic blends wonderfully with CAMILLA’s unmistakable silhouettes to create truly, one-of-a-kind, wearable artworks.

Based in The Netherlands, Fris is the coalescence of two undeniable cultural hubs of art and textiles; a unique and diverse cultural background informed by Arab culture, worldly travel, and nature guides the artist’s impressions. Her father profoundly influenced Fris’ creative sensibilities through his deep belief in cultural education. Growing up she was steeped in arts, culture, and music, allowing Fris to gain kudos through her admiration and appreciation for artistic expression. Consequently, she is specifically drawn to the use of colour observed on family outings to museums, concerts, and art exhibits. To this day, colour remains a key identifier of Fris’ work, and a driving force behind her world view.

Fris’ artistic process begins with black and white sketches, establishing outlines and shadows that eventually become saturated in bold hues executed with ink, markers, and gouache to enliven atmospheric scenes with breathtaking splashes of colour. There is a strong cultural undercurrent to the artist’s work–scenes depicting bustling bazaars and lavish souq tableaus are commonly animated by Fris. These scenes emblazon the newly arrived CAMILLA garments with pieces titled ‘Roeqiya’s Realm’, ‘Sister Sunset’, and ‘Midnight Muses’ all championing Egyptian-inspired landscapes.

Available in limited quantities, discover CAMILLA’s latest Artist Collaboration with Roeqiya Fris online at The Forme.