You may remember us announcing a special film from Rachel Burke and fashion labels EAT.ME.DO and Squint that’s showing as part of this year’s Melbourne Fashion Festival. Well, your peepers are in for a treat today – we’ve just received a trailer from the team at Nicefilm.co that might make your heart beat a little faster. It’s not all frilly frocks, though – as the designers explain below, there’s something a bit eerie brewing under the surface.

What we can expect from Lore of Three? Lara Ivachev (EAT.ME.DO): This film is unlike anything we’ve created before. It takes the viewer on a journey through a magical world, and has a spooky current running through. It has many layers and showcases our collections, which are inspired by our own origins and folklore. These collections are something we hold very close to our heart, and the film really brings our own personal stories to life.

What was involved in making the film? LI: It was truly a journey – we really threw ourselves in the deep end. Unlike an event, exhibition or launch, this process was completely new to us, and involved far more work and costs than we originally anticipated. 

There was a huge amount of research that went into prepping, including diving into the origins of our own folklore and fairytales, and finding filming locations and logistics. The whole film was shot outdoors in order to keep everyone safe and healthy – most of it was shot in my backyard where I built various sets in the weeks leading up to the shoot date, including a giant bonfire and maypole.

Many of the other locations were all close by and were discovered on mornings walks with Zoe, our photographer, during lockdown. We were super-lucky in regards to COVID-19 restrictions as borders opened a week before Rachel was due to fly down from Brisbane for the filming weekend. Everything kind of fell into place in regards to restrictions, borders and masks, which we’re so grateful for.  

What references did you draw on to inspire the film? Ellie Vallely (SQUINT):We knew from the get-go that a maypole would be a central feature of whatever we did. We loved the idea of a fairytale that had a dark undertone, and to us the image of a maypole has this beautiful sense of foreboding. The maypole is a part of the Pagan Beltane festival and it’s thought that during Beltane, the veil to the Otherworld is thinned and spirits can pass through – this inspired the journey our main characters go on. We decided to curate different customs, folklore and traditions from each of our cultures. With our distinct heritages being so rich in tradition, we wanted Lore of Three to feel like a fantasy place not tethered to one particular ritual. 

What’s the most interesting thing you've learnt about your own cultural folklore? Rachel Burke: I loved learning about the stories of strange mythical creatures, monsters and gods that are supposed to live, or have lived, within the terrain of Malta. Many of these creatures seem to be tied to superstitions and warnings, which definitely resonates with me as my mum and grandma are both very wary and encourage us to wear our 'evil eye' jewellery to ward off ill-intentions.

In my research I became interested in Malta's Gozo island (where my pop was from). There are some amazing stories that suggest it could be connected to the lost city of Atlantis, and that it was home to the Greek goddess Calypso! When I was little, I was obsessed with Atlantis, and it would have blown my mind to think that my heritage could be connected to it in any small way (legend or not).

EV: Having grown up in Scotland, I’ve been lucky to be part of some of the celebrations we reference in Lore of Three. However, after researching Scotland’s folklore and festivals, I realised how many things I haven’t explored! Every little town has a wee custom or celebration totally unique to that place, with so many funny oddities and characters. I really enjoyed learning about these traditions and all the humour and heart in them. It’s been really nice to feel connected to home while not being able to visit.

LI: For this project, I dug out all my old Russian fairytale books and began reading, researching and referencing. I had so many ideas I wanted to bring to life that it was hard to contain my excitement. However, it soon became clear that all the folk stories I heard as a child were extremely dark and grim, which wasn’t something I necessarily realised when I was younger.

One of the most well known stories from my childhood is about about an old witch who lives in a chicken-legged cabin in the woods. We were always told as children not to go wandering in the woods otherwise Baba Yaga would get us. Now I know how terrifying the evil lady was – she cooked children in her cauldron and ground their bones in her mortar and pestle. Grim! With Lore of Three, I chose to bring to light the more vibrant and joyous touches of my Russian culture through colour, patterns and elaborate headpieces.

This is your second time working as a trio. What makes your collaborations work so well? RB: Both of our collaborations have been like one long and ongoing creative conversation. I think the fact that we keep in touch very regularly (sometimes daily!) to just chip away at our goal, means that we’re always moving forward. We also work really well together because, despite operating in our own distinct styles, we’re often drawn to similar aesthetics and inspiration sources, which means when someone presents an idea, everyone is usually very excited and keen to explore it further. 

This makes for a really fun and encouraging space to create in, particularly when independent designers often work alone – having other creatives to bounce ideas off is really refreshing! What I also love about our trio is that we’re rebelling against the stereotype of competitive designers. Instead, we understand that we can use our mutual appreciation for similar things to create something special, something that we wouldn't have been able to achieve without each other. I think what I'm really saying is... GIRL POWER!

Nab your ticket to the Lore of Three screening over here.