Teddy McRitchie is a rising star of the Australian design and fashion world and one of Paper on Skin’s youngest finalists. Teddy was just eighteen when he conceived and created Stop and Smell the Roses.
The garment is a tribute to the elderly people in Teddy’s life, including Fay, his 95-year-old great-grandmother. Fay takes time to simply stop and smell the roses, both literally and figuratively. Her wisdom is to encourage others to slow down and to take life one step at a time.
The shape of the dress mimics a tree trunk, representing Teddy’s keen interest in exploring genealogy and his family tree. The red in the roses refers to Teddy’s late grandfather Roy’s time as a chief flight attendant for Qantas.
Teddy has been winning awards for wearable art since 2015 when he created a papier mâché garment for a wearable art show on Norfolk Island, where he and his family were living at the time. Since moving back to Noosa in 2018 Teddy’s designs have been shown across the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Perth and Sydney. Most recently he debuted a collection at the 2022 Brisbane Fashion Festival as part of the Hancock Prospecting Next Gen Show.
Materials: Italian Crepe Paper (dress), floral roses are created from card.
Teddy McRitchie on INSTAGRAM