Maximalism was never meant to be about having a lot of stuff, it’s all about being yourself and forgetting what everyone else tells you you should be. Peach Berserk’s renowned maximalist Kingi Carpenter gives a peek into what the world looks like through her eyes.
There have been many times when I’ve heard people of all ages tell me how much they wish they had been more true to themselves. There has always been this stigma of following trends and blending in with the crowd. We are only human and wish for acceptance from other humans, it’s a natural survival need but let’s not think about surviving and focus on thriving. Whether you genuinely like the minimal sleek look or find yourself growing a collection, what truly matters is how happy you feel from the things you surround yourself with and the paths you lead. You might think those two don’t intertwine but Kingi Carpenter gives some great insights on how the maximalist mindset makes for a more creative life.
During our long awaited reading week I hopped into a pickup truck Uber and listened to a chill country music playlist the whole ride over to Peach Berserk on Queen Street West. When I got there I met with the famous Kingi Carpenter while she finished printing some designs for her next project. Having already seen some photos online I was ready to see her full collection but the photos do not do it justice, in person it’s so much more extravagant! Every wall is a different theme covered in paint by numbers all collected and found in thrift stores by Kingi herself. It was really interesting to see the duplicates and to realize everything is made by different unknown people. The ceiling even has a big mural and vintage velvet couches, chairs, and display hair dryer seat all were printed with silk screens. Kingi’s gallery/studio was a complete representation of herself and what inspires her.
Kingi says that “no one becomes a maximalist, you are born one and it just shows more as you grow”. She was always someone who enjoyed making things and began by making dresses from pillowcases. Being able to make things has no limit and can extend to making a business, making a family, making friends, or making a home. In a maximalist mindset you always see every part of your life as something to create. While studying art at OCAD she had her A-HA! moment of becoming a silk screen clothing designer. When she became a silk screen teacher she got the idea to start her own classes.
She started her brand Peach Berserk in April of 1987, the year she turned 25. From there it grew to having her own store in the fashion district on Queen Street W. After 20 years of having the landmark store she wanted a change and moved to a new home where she still taught and sold pieces until a horrible fire in October of 2019 destroyed everything. She had to start over again and opened her current studio/gallery a month before the pandemic began in 2020. Now Peach Berserk is open to silkscreen classes and parties. Kingi is a representation of never giving up on your dreams. To always be true to yourself and never let someone tell you what “normal” is or what measures success.
Being yourself does not mean you have to be either a maximalist or a minimalist; you are free to be something in between. Minimalists are seen to be more calm and serene but boring with no personality while maximalists are thought to be loud and extravagant but materialistic. There’s a big misconception that maximalism is just a fancy word for a hoarder. Kingi clears that idea by stating “the difference between a hoarder and a maximalist is you collect with intention and only keep the things you actually like”. A maximalist enjoys being surrounded by the things that reflect their inner world. Whichever you feel gives you more power is up to you but when you physically live among everything that represents you it's easier to find your brand.
Maybe while reading this you’ve had this lingering thought in the back of your head that you’re tired of white on white. You want something more… YOU, but how do you do it without a big budget or without falling into over consumerism. Kingi talks about how “maximalism can co-exist with sustainability when you buy used things, most maximalists don't buy new and appreciate things”
Appreciating things because people made them is different from appreciating it for simply existing. You can breathe life into anything and make it your own. You can even upcycle old pieces that otherwise would have ended up in a landfill.
Fashion today is very much inspired by the past but it doesn’t mean we need to buy new pieces that look like old pieces. Kingi mentions how we live in a time where we have the freedom to wear ANYTHING. There may be Instagram trends that tell you what you should be wearing, but if we were to cut that out and you choose what to wear the choices are limitless. “You can easily wear something made in the 1970’s and no one would know. The only way they could tell is if they paid very close attention to the stitching of the piece”.
In a maximalist mindset you can see the creativity that this life has to offer. I know not everyone will love an extremely decorative life but no matter what path you take, remember you are free to be who you wish and practice appreciating what already exists. Take time to reflect on who you are and who you want to become.
As Kingi said to me on my way out of her maximized world “Be yourself, everyone else is taken”.
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