Amy Lautogo
Amy Lautogo is the founder of Infamy Apparel, a revolutionary fashion house dedicated to fat body advocacy and body sovereignty through the medium of fashion.
Amy has built her practise around the prioritising of queer indigenous fat bodies. Believing that you can create a new narrative for fat lovers of high fashion where they can see and imagine themselves in this space. Amy has a love of Haute Couture techniques which allow stories to be told through fabric manipulation adding a deeper meaning to all custom garments.
What does leadership look like to you?
Amy: Leadership means being the first through the door but always keeping it open behind you. About speaking your communities’ names every time you can. It’s always striving to do the best that you can to tell your story and contribute in a positive way for people. It’s holding space and then stepping back when necessary. Leadership is a fluid, malleable thing. One size doesn’t fit all and a good pair of listening ears goes a long way.
How does your community show up in your practice?
Amy: My practice centres my community. Examining and redesigning how the fat body exists with fabric, gravity and tension haunts my dreams! Designing the next thing, the new look to breach the gates of fatphobia and gate keeping is my fuel and divesting from the established rules/tropes of the fashion industry (which are heavily rooted in white supremacy) is a constant challenge to myself. Decolonising the body is about setting aside the limitations of the colonial construct – a journey I take with my community every time I create something
