Andie Wheeler
Interview • Aug 10, 2020 by Scott Marlin
“Designing came first as a way to make some pocket money but my main drive was to be a filmmaker.”
Coachella, Burning Man and Bonnaroo may be on hold this year, but for Andie Wheeler there are still plenty of reasons to dress up and get weird.
At Flash Punk we’ve long admired the founder of Sydney’s handmade festival apparel label, Nevada Clothing. Andie Wheeler’s got style and a formidable work ethic. Scrolling through her Insta-feed, it’s hard not to be inspired by her fresh visual musings on pop culture themes.
The pandemic may have changed Andie’s plans for 2020, but she’s as committed as ever to creating otherworldly hip novelty outfits and dressing the coolest kids at the party. Even if the parties this year are a little bit smaller than usual.
Flash Punk recently sat down with Andie for a candid conversation about photography and design.
What came first for you, designing or photography?
Designing came first as a way to make some pocket money but my main drive was to be a filmmaker, cinematographer and photographer. So I went to University to study that and had market stalls on the side.
Are you still pursuing your filmmaking passion?
Yeh, I’d still love to get into filmmaking. My dream is to make video clips and fashion films. I used to make a fashion film during every photoshoot, but then it got too hard juggling all my cameras and editing everything at the end. I plan to start getting back into filming to get my portfolio together later this year.
Do you design clothing with the final shoot in mind, or do you plan your shoot themes around your clothing designs?
First, I come up with a shoot concept, theme and location, and then I make clothes to fit in with that. One example, last year I found a retro Go-Kart track north of Sydney, and so I made a few racing and Nascar themed outfits specifically for the shoot!
“I think living in Sydney and being surrounded by modern buildings makes me yearn for that retro Americana vibe.”
How do you pack your camera bag for a typical shoot?
I bring three cameras on every shoot. My Canon 35mm is my main camera. Then I pack my Instax Wide and my Polaroid One-Step. The Instax camera takes really detailed shots and isn’t that expensive. The Polaroid One-Step is a remake of one of the ’90s Polaroid models and takes the coolest vintage pictures, but sometimes the photos come out unclear or with wild colours.
What’s your weirdest must-have item on a shoot?
My weirdest must-have item on a shoot is my portable light that I got off my dad. I think it’s meant for outdoors or camping. I attached some pink cellophane to it, and I use it on 90 percent of my shoots to light the models, or I’ll set it up in the background and project it on a wall or use it to light objects.
The intrepid Andie Wheeler on set.
How do you coach your models to rock those crazy fabulous outfits?
I always make really wild clothes, and I think that’s one of the reasons models are excited to shoot with me. I always ask the model’s opinion in styling each look. I’ve got to know if they’re comfortable in certain outfits before they step in front of the camera.
What are your thoughts on working with analog film—is it a fad or here to stay?
I think film is here to stay. When I was in high school, I started noticing how many of the people around me, editorials and brand campaigns were editing their digital photos to look like film. Film has such a cool interesting vibe and it makes the colours pop.
I love working with film because it makes me take my time when shooting each pose. Each shot ultimately costs like $1 or $2, so I have to make each one count. Another thing I like about film is that the scans usually come out pretty close to how I want them to look. I love that I don’t need to do much editing when I get the photos back.
“Lots of people have been saying I need to focus on loungewear and things people can wear in the pandemic, but it’s just not me.”
Have you dabbled in digital photography? Will we ever see an all-digital Nevada Clothing campaign?
I used to shoot digital all the time but something about it made me become so picky with each shot. I would spend hours editing them. I shot some digital photos earlier this year because we used a projector for cool backdrops, and I didn’t know how film would pick up the details.
Some recurring themes in your work are bowling alleys, cowboy boots, motorcycles, seedy motels and the American west. What about these things keep you coming back?
I love nostalgia and American road trip vibes. I’ve always loved it, and I think living in Sydney and being surrounded by modern buildings makes me yearn for that retro Americana vibe. I’m obsessed with old motels. I think it’s the neon signs, retro architecture and kitsch interiors that I love and want to use in my shoots.
Festival culture is a huge part of the Nevada brand. With the pandemic, it’ll be some time before people are able to gather again. Have recent events changed your approach to design and photography?
I’ve been working on a collection for nearly a year now and had to pause that because I really don’t know when festivals and big events will resume. It sucks, because I’ve spent so much money on materials and got so excited to promote it at Coachella.
Lots of people have been saying I need to focus on loungewear and things people can wear in the pandemic, but it’s just not me. I think I’m still going to create crazy novelty outfits for people to rock at their home photo shoots or in small gatherings with friends. It’s always fun to dress up and take fun photos at home and pretend you’re at a festival.
Who are your top must-watch creators right now?
My favourite creators are LA-based photographer-stylists Peggy and Casie Wendel. My dream is to work with Ainsley Hutchence from Sticks and Stones Agency—she’s an icon and I love her vibe.
As for musical artists, who are you listening to these days?
I pretty much only listen to Lana Del Rey. She’s a huge inspiration to me, and her music gets me in that retro LA mindset when creating new pieces and planning photo shoots. Her latest album Norman Fucking Rockwell! is something everyone needs to listen to!
About Andie Wheeler
Andie Wheeler is a Sydney-based photographer, stylist, and the founder of handmade festival apparel label Nevada Clothing. Follow Nevada Clothing on Instagram @nevada.clothing and shop the most recent collection at NevadaClothing.co. For more more of Andie’s photography, check out mrburnscasino.wixsite.com and @mrburnscasino .
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