Mother of Hoopla

As long time partner of Damien Hirst, Maia Norman's artistic impulses are figured to be somewhat precured. Nevertheless, in its fourth season, her "Mother of Pearl" fashion label seems to follow its own creative thread, becoming more of a means to express Norman's personal imaginative proclivities, distancing itself from what we might presume.




Featuring intense, science inspired prints by Turner prize winning artist, Keith Tyson, Mother of Pearl's a/w 2011 line emphasizes minimalist sportswear harmony in maximilized styling. As a woman on the move; surfing, moto cross riding and road tripping, Maia Norman focuses on durable, high performance fabrics in a fashion forward silhouette for both style and practicality that complements the vibrant print-work. With dysfunctional angles, balancing dramatically between rigid and loose, Norman's designs fight the conventional sportswear idiosyncrasies with drama that, somehow, does not lessen the wearability.

Seemingly, Norman's creativity chases the frantic pace of her bustling lifestyle, guided by the anarchic thematics of her punk rooted youth. "I'm in perpetual motion," she says. "If I can run for a taxi, I will. The worst kind of day, for me, is being stuck indoors on the computer. It makes me want to throw open the door and roll down a wet, grassy hill." God, she'd HATE me.