Rob Mianiscalco has always had a “fascination with the macabre.” The designer behind the label Claude Maus loves to incorporate dark themes into his work, which would explain why lot of his collections and runway shows have a good healthy dose of gothic and medieval styling. 

Mianiscalco is a visual and graphic artist turned fashion designer, who established his label in 1999. Collaborating with an associate he produced art installations and customised clothing which had an emphasis on the deconstruction of sportswear, branding and a play on logos.

Today, the work of Flemish painters Bruegel and Bosch, as well as cartoon characters, fairy tales and the usual troupes of rock and heavy metal form the narrative for his recent collections. Claude Maus pits pop-culture against stories of the underworld and the struggle between good and evil.

Influences aside, his collections are simple yet edgy and very easy to wear. Part of the label’s appeal is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously and it certainly doesn’t follow trends.

Stockists: Fat4 in Melbourne and Sydney.