Student Runway 2013 Submission

This year I had three outfits selected as apart of Perth Fashion Festival's Student Runway this year including Two in Eco Fashion and One in Menswear. Here are my submissions along with a little bit of information on each look...

ECO FASHION 1

“Walk as One” black dress

“Everything has value, no matter how old or broken up, everything has a soul, an identity, behind everything there is a story, a story with a continuation”

-Sustainable Designer Naomi Maaravi

I feel it is important to up-cycle in a way that celebrates the origins of the garment, promoting the story of sustainability.

The dress was created using the components of two pairs of men’s trousers. By draping the pre-shaped panels, my design was created by how these shapes fitted in to each other as well as how they could be used around the body. My dress is made up of two components; a slim fitting dress and an open front skirt which together create a classic silhouette with contemporary detail. The outfit shows the design journey by continuing the language of the original garment, utilising the original finishings and showing the construction.   

ECO FASHION 2

“A Life in Wool” Rusted outfit

Coming from a sheep farming background and currently studying fashion, I feel as if I am between two extremes. The thing that intrigues me more than anything, however, is the unmistakable link farm and fashion has to one another; the production of fiber for clothes. I find in many cases people don’t understand the importance, the history and the lifestyle of wool production. On the flip side, many farmers don’t understand where their product goes. It is not ignorance, but a huge difference in what is ultimately the same industry. I have decided to try to create the understanding that is ultimately missing, by looking at a number of key signifiers from the farm, and translating them into contemporary fashion.

The shearing shed stands as an iconic representation of Australia, a building in which poems have been inspired, stories shared and life shown at its most raw; where stress is high, work is hard and anything can happen. The shearing shed is the heart of the Australian sheep farm, whatever the heart may be enduring.

My work is an encapsulation of the character of the shearing shed in an expression of the workmanship, ideologies, lifestyle and culture of the Australian sheep farm. The garments are inspired by the architecture, the work clothes and the human value of the shed to create a level of sensibility toward and celebration of culture of the Australian wool producer.

The outfit is comprised of a ‘classic’ shirt with darts, hand-finishings and rust imprints of found objects and is matched with a pair of hand rusted, cotton/silk pants. On top of this is a hand felted, seamless wool singlet. The outfit is accessorised with a hand rusted and felted wool hat with recycled hardware elements which have been used in the shearing process.

RTW MEN’S

"[And] Long, Hot Days" 

In a nation that ‘rides on the sheep’s back’, the shearing shed is an iconic representation of Australia’s journey. It represents the ideologies, the workmanship and the vigour that is the Australian sheep farmer. The shearing shed is a place for tending to sheep but also a place for people. It is from this one building where poems have been inspired, stories shared and a lifestyle shown at its most raw; where stress is high, work is hard and anything can happen. For me it is the heart of the farm- whatever that heart may be enduring. My menswear design is inspired by these elements investigating the architecture, work clothes and human element of the Australian Shearing Shed.  

This menswear design is made from 100% wool fabric and designed to be a comfortable suit alternative for the harsh Australian climate. The outfit is comprised of a sleeveless jacket and adjustable pair of trousers with an incorporated belt feature. The singlet is a nuno felt, seamless design created by felting the natural wool fibre over loose weave woollen fabric. The outfit is accessorised with farm objects including sheep tags and hardware used in the shearing process.