In Conversation with Sydney’s Rising Techno DJ, Chloe Skewes-Weir

From Sydney's underground dancefloors to the decks, Chloe Skewes-Weir is part of a new generation shaping the city's techno culture. A DJ and passionate advocate for the scene, Chloe finds inspiration in the intersection of music, fashion and the freedom of self-expression.

Moving between playful Y2K nostalgia, industrial silhouettes and futuristic cyberpunk influences, her personal style reflects the same experimental spirit that draws her to techno.

For LILIVANT, Chloe curates a selection of her favourite pieces, from statement accessories to after-dark essentials. We caught up with her to talk about Sydney's underground, the power of community and the relationship between what we wear and the music that moves us.

You've been immersed in Sydney's techno scene for years now, first as a DJ and now as one of the people building a new platform for it. Looking back, what was it about techno that kept pulling you back? What did you find there that you couldn't find anywhere else?

I started playing gigs in late 2023, but I've loved electronic music since my early teens. I grew up listening to artists like Armin van Buuren, Tiësto and even a bit of Melbourne bounce. Music is also in my DNA (thanks dad).

Techno felt like the natural evolution of my music taste because I was craving something beyond the mainstream. I fell in love with its rolling energy and scope to experiment. I also admire and respect the history of techno. I feel so privileged that what I get to experience and learn today is a testament to the resistance and heart of many marginalised communities protesting against the mainstream.

I'm also quite introverted, so discovering Sydney's underground techno scene felt like finding a place where I genuinely belonged. It offered a more intimate and welcoming environment than larger festivals, and as a woman, I felt much safer to dance and just be felt incredibly safe. The sense of acceptance and encouragement within the community is unlike anything I've experienced before. It's a space where people are respected and free to be themselves. This is why I feel so passionately about contributing back to the community.

What makes Sydney's techno scene so special in contrast to other heartlands, like Berlin or London?

I think Sydney's techno scene is alive and thriving, as best it can be in a challenging environment. It's easy for people to say the scene is dead, but if you know where to look, there are incredible pockets of life.

I also think that underground scenes often thrive when there's resistance. You can see it historically in places like Berlin, and more recently in countries like Ukraine and Georgia. Sydney has experienced its own resistance of sorts. The lockout era and cost of living challenges have undermined our nightlife over the past decade, well predating my involvement in the scene.

Because of that, the people who are here, genuinely care. Whether you're an artist, promoter, volunteer or raver, people show up because they love the music and want to be part of something bigger. That passion creates a really welcoming and supportive culture, and I think that's what makes Sydney's scene so special. You don't do it for the money, its just for the love of it. This helps preserve the community centred experience.

Fashion has always been intertwined with underground music scenes as a part of the language. What role does fashion play as part of expression in the techno scene?

Fashion has always been another form of self-expression within underground music culture. For a lot of people, what they wear is an extension of how they experience the music and how they choose to express themselves, it's a sort of dialogue between art forms.

One of the things I love most about the techno scene is that there aren't really any rules. People are free to experiment, challenge expectations and show up exactly as they are. That freedom creates such an inspiring environment where individuality is celebrated. I've always considered fashion as a reaction to our experience with culture. This means that what people wear to raves is a reaction to their own experience with techno. I really hope that people feel like they can show up just as they are, more freely than they can in their everyday life.

From your perspective, what makes a fashion brand feel genuinely part of a scene rather than simply borrowing from it?

Diversity. Diversity on what a brand offers, because this allows the individual to lean into their creativity to put an outfit together that they truly love and feel comfortable in. Bringing your authentic creative choices to light, through what you wear, is most inspiring. Personally, when I've been at parties and seen people wearing cool, interesting pieces, up-cycled clothes, or wearing pieces unconventionally, it sparks inspiration in me. As the experience of techno is a crucible for artistic creativity (in audio, visual, fashion mediums), it's only natural that it drives creativity in fashion.

What are your favourite designers featured on LILIVANT and why?

I'm loving Tatichu's clothing right now. All of their pieces are really flattering and fun. The 'raw stars' bodysuit is my favorite and its definitely going to get a workout as we head into summer festival season.

As for accessories, I'm loving the chunky silver, gothic inspired pieces from Berlin-based KETTME. They're the perfect accent for an all black outfit, and I love wearing my beatrix chainmail necklace when I'm going for a darker, grungy look for warehouse parties. It's the perfect statement piece. As my style moves between more fun Y2K looks, especially for day parties, and futuristic/cyberpunk looks (especially with bleached brows) for techno raves that run until sunrise. I love that Lilivant stocks brands that cover all these aesthetics.