Instagram is a funny place. The kind of medium where a mummy blogger can take off with the same speed and velocity as an artisanal soft serve joint or a homewares store full of stark white linen. It’s democracy, one like at a time.
But even Phil Ferguson, aka Chili Philly, can’t quite believe that Instagram has made him a star. The Melburnian, who regularly posts pictures of himself wearing crocheted hats - most often styled to look like food - launched his account in 2014 and has more than 142,000 followers. Now, he’s mounting his first solo exhibit, Chili Philly: Crochet Social, at the Australian Design Centre in Sydney’s Darlinghurst.
There's also a series of events, including a craft market on February 25 and sessions on topics such as "Crafty Ways with Social Media".
Phil Ferguson - in a pancake hat - at the exhibition. (Australian Design Centre) Source: Australian Design Centre
“I don’t really know what it is that draws people to my work,” he tells SBS. “I started the account as a way to meet people, and so it’s been really cool to see that people have responded so well. But as far exactly why they like it? I don’t know. It’s a bit of fun, I suppose.”
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Ferguson’s account is packed with selfies of him wearing - among other things - fairy bread hats, a crocheted meat dress styled after the one Lady Gaga wore to the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, a hat that looks like a pickle, one that looks like a sausage and a taco hat (one of the most popular, with almost 40,000 likes). His slightly dour expression in most of the photos only adds to the sense of fun - he’s clearly in on the joke with us, and doesn’t take himself too seriously. His creations - which typically depict trendy food items like burgers, macarons and soft serve - are a foil to the sometimes hyper-serious food world, and a welcome one at that.
Since he launched the account, Ferguson has been inundated with offers from corporate brands wanting him to collaborate with them. So far, he’s worked with the likes of Virgin, Ice Break and Diesel, and says the paychecks from big clients allow him to work on passion projects on the side.
Crochet Social will focus on the past two years of Ferguson’s work, and he’s hoping that it will act as a bookend to the work he’s done so far.
“Chili Philly has been a fun ride,” he says, “But I want to be more than a social media persona. I think Chili Philly has run its course in some ways.” But, I ask - will there be more crocheting? “Oh yeah,” he says, “Definitely. But I’m more than a guy in a funny food hat.”
This one? A clever interpretation of a peapod! Source: Australian Design Centre
Some of his crochet creations included full outfits. Source: Australian Design Centre
