‘Act One’ slowly but surely

Merak’s ‘Act One’ campaign is moving forward, and it started in the most natural place: the kitchen. Mrs. Choi welcomed me into Mumchan, moving through her restaurant in one of our newly made hoodies. The 30-second video from the shoot doesn’t just spotlight the garment — it captures a feeling, the way clothing fits into real moments and real lives.

The momentum hasn’t gone unnoticed. Melbourneism, a platform that celebrates the city’s creative pulse, recently reached out and spotlighted Merak on their Instagram. To be recognised alongside other voices shaping culture here in Melbourne is both humbling and energising — a reminder that the story we’re telling resonates beyond our immediate circle.

Next up, we’re stepping into new territory. Bray Taylor, a creator and photographer from Goods Department, approached me with a shared vision. With a long-standing interest in working with chefs and food, Bray joins me tomorrow at the Footscray Market & Coburg North facility for a collaboration that brings together his lens and our storytelling.

Each piece of this campaign is a chapter. Together they’ll form Act One — a body of work that’s not just about clothes, but about lived experience, collaboration, and the worlds we build around them.

Live with merak.

Mrs. Choi in the new Merak hoodie, weaving around her kitchen in the early hours on Little Bourke St

Below: Some stills of me in the new tee and on the right Mrs. Choi in action