Next Generation of Australian Designers
Arguably the most anticipated runway every year at VAMFF is the National Graduate Showcase. A select number of graduate designers are chosen every year to showcase their portfolio. The competition is tough. The recognition is invaluable. Twelve finalists were selected this year. Not surprisingly, in both fashion and style, the next generation of Australian designers wowed!
Amanda Nichols – RMIT
“This collection is #1 of the replica project. The project will continue on to #2 and will be once again be based upon an iconic archival look.”
Ariana Patawaran – UTS
“Kitsch, Please!” is a textile – driven, womenswear collection with a focus on knitwear. I wanted to challenge the possibilities of knitwear, embellishment and both, combined. It was a couture – like approach.
Benjamin Garg – RMIT
Garments in my collection are kinetic and voluminous but moreover, they have audio in it, which can only be experienced while wearing, all these tactilities are part of the geography of Kota Doria (where this fabric come from).
Conor Utri – RMIT
Besides the individual scales for the net dresses, which are laser cut, everything within the collection bears the effects of handwork. Tweeds and Cable knits are actually hand dyed and needle felted whilst ‘mud stained’ and ‘worn through’ garments are hand dyed or bleached to give weather appearances.
Eily Shaddock – QUT
“The prints are actually screenshots of my friends’ Instagram uploads, comments and status’ that have been distorted and morphed in a way that makes them unidentifiable and visually quite overwhelming and chaotic.”
Golnaz Rezaei Daghigh – UTS
“My collection explores gesture and Persian calligraphy through textile design and screen prints which are a consistent and vital focus for my practice. My black and white collection is also a response to, and in support of the current political protest of Persian women, “Girls of Revolution Street”, against compulsory Hijab by taking off their scarf and standing in public, on one hand and, the stereotyped image of women in veil in the West, on the other hand; achieved through the collaboration of a scarf within a garment.”
Hannah Culshaw – UTS
“The AURA collection is an expression of the exploration of shape and placement through considered textiles and dye techniques. The collection is genderless meaning it is open to any individual who appreciates the design.”
Hannah Schoemaker – UTS
“The collection is made mostly of denim, with the only other fabrication being lace as a lining and to create the patterning on the denim.”
Isabella Snelson – UTS
“The collection was sponsored by Australian Wool Innovations and I worked alongside Calcoup Knitwear Company to create some extraordinary jaquard knits. Calcoup works alongside schools to create mass amounts of school jumpers and uniforms, so asking them to create placement, 4 colour jacquards with lurex, florals and colours was such a fun experience and a challenge for both parties! These jacquards were placed alongside knitted metal that I knitted myself.”
Jessica Xie – UTS
“All the fabrics in the collection are hand dyed with natural dyes and some of the wooden pieces are also treated with dye. All of the wooden pieces are joined by either hand sewing or chains and jump rings so they took quite a bit of time to make.”
Ruby Phan – UTS
“I hope that people can take away a different perception of fashion other than defining it as clothes but as sculptural textile art pieces that moves with the body. “
Sarah Hawes – UTS
“Every piece of fabric was custom made through embroidery, knitwear and patchwork. This follows through to my shoes including those crazy platform shoes that were made from layered thongs coated in liquid rubber.”
Images: Lucas Dawson Photography Quotes: sourced from VAMFF