Alex Perry: Inspired by beauty
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Name: Alex Perry
Company/organisation: Alex Perry Residential
Position: Creative director
City of residence: Sydney
No. of years in the industry: 20 years in the fashion and design industry
A household name in fashion, Alex Perry's garments have graced the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Miranda Kerr and Natalie Portman. He has now turned his creative eye to a new medium, building design, with the launch this year of Alex Perry Residential. Brisbane entertainment precinct Fortitude Valley will be the site of the first of nine residential ventures, and construction is due to begin next year. The building, in partnership with Chrome Property Group, will be located at 959 Anne Street, with apartments priced from $350,000 to $970,00. Nine Alex Perry Residential buildings will roll out across Australia through to 2021, with a Sydney apartment development to follow Brisbane.
What sparked your initial interest in property/building design?
My family used to go visiting friends and relatives a lot when I was a child. I used to sit in their houses and re-design the rooms in my head. When you’ve got an opinion on fashion it’s not a big stretch to evolve that skill into other areas of design.
What was the first property you bought?
My marital home in Sydney
So far, who or what has been your biggest influence in your life or career?
Beautiful cities are my ultimate inspiration. I love Paris, Athens, Barcelona and New York. The culture of a city is created by a combination of the architecture, the food, the fashion, the art, the geography, the history and the attitude of the people. When I visit a city I immerse myself into all of these elements.
If you had a $500,000 to invest in property right now, where would you invest it?
Alex Perry Residential in Fortitude Valley. A one-bedroom apartment starts from $350,000.
How do you think Brisbane rates in terms of style and creativity compared with Melbourne and Sydney?
When I think of Brisbane I think "eternal summer", both in terms of the weather and the style of the city, which is fresh, vital, positive and exuberant.
What buildings in Australia (or overseas) do you consider icons of great building design?
The Acropolis (Athens)
The Élysée Palace (Paris)
The Sydney Opera House
What are some of the biggest mistakes people make when designing their home or apartment?
They follow trends that date too quickly.
How does designing an apartment building differ to designing clothes? Are there many similarities?
Good design, whether it’s for the home or the body, is about the classics. Start with a neutral palette in a classical silhouette made from the best materials you can afford. Once you have the basic structure in place, you can overlay with accessories and fun items that can be updated and evolved.
What are you reading at the moment?
The works of author David Sedaris
What are you listening to at the moment?
DJ Sveta creates iPods for me of my favourite re-mixes of music from the 1980s and 1990s.