Eighteen student fashion designers presented their capsule collections at the 2015 Curtin Fashion Graduate Show, entitled No. 13.
The students not only created each garment worn in the show, but organised the entire event from ticket sales, venue set up, music, invitations and promotions.
Dr Anne Farren, Head of Fashion Design at Curtin explained No. 13 marked the thirteenth showcase for Curtin University fashion design students.
“For the first time, both Honours and Masters Students presented their work in the show this year alongside the graduating class,” Dr Farren explained.
“Over the years we’ve seen such a variety of design and development come through the Fashion course, and it’s such a rewarding experience each year to see the hard work, knowledge and inspiration behind each piece presented on the runway.”
Recent Telstra Perth Fashion Festival Future Runway winner in the Ready-to-Wear Men’s category, graduating Master of Applied Design and Art student Seth Cray presented his collection, Primary.
“My masters degree collection has been an exploration of integrating high-technology such as machine embroidery, digital printing and computerised knitwear into the design process,” Mr Cray explained.
“Primary was inspired by the idea of one’s very first pencil case, and includes glue sticks, safety scissors, coloured pencils, and erasers, all translated and explored through high-tech fashion and textile machinery.”
Seth has been selected as a participant in the WA-Hyogo Banshu Fashion Textile program for 2016 and will head to Japan to learn how high-end textiles, such as silks, are made first-hand.
Honours student Sheona Cowden presented her collection, Loves Labour Lost.
“My collection examines the relevance of traditional handicrafts in contemporary practice and asks what place do traditional techniques, such as thread work and shoe craftsmanship, have in the world of modern garments,” Ms Cowden explained.
“The resurgence of interest in handmade or ‘authentic’ objects in today’s society has inspired this collection. The use of techniques such as French knitting, embroidery, French knotting, tatting, traditional pattern making, Huarache shoes and weaving enhance meaning and value to my garments.
“The handcrafts used in my garments tell a story, making each piece unique and giving a sense of longevity and value to my collection,” she said.
Sheona has just been offered an internship with Péro, an international brand based in India, working with designer Aneeth Arora.
Lucy Mitchell’s presented collection, Botanic Whims, features machine embroidery and translation of imagery inspired by Monet’s garden.
“The garments are based around memories I have of my childhood in my uncle’s garden. He was a florist and his garden was always full of beautiful flowers,” Ms Mitchell explained.
“As I have grown older the memories of the garden aren’t as clear as they first were, they are more of an impression, which is why I have used the paintings by Monet of his waterlily garden as the visual stimulus for my collection.
“Having such an organic concept it seemed only fitting that I use natural fibres in my collection; primarily silk, linen and wool,” she said.
Other graduating designers that presented in No. 13 include:
- Sheridan Joyce – Forelsket. Earlier this year Ms Joyce was presented as a finalist in the Ecological Green category at the Frankfurt Style Awards in Germany; the only representative from Australia
- Zijing Li (Fiona) – Small Moment
- Tarah Phan – LUNACY
- Georgia Taylor – Intelligent Forms
- Shannon Malone – Artigiano
- Marlie Fialho – Stupa
- Nicola Martin – Shades of Colour
- Vicky Huang – Flowering Crystal
- Emily Tutungis – DEMETER
- Amy Bartelink – Mermaid Machines
- Courtney Makins – Forgotten Perth
- Kate Bolin – Genetic Reconfiguration
- Ainan Deng – Time & Space
- Daphne Diting Wong – Trinities
- Laura Jamieson – Euneirophrenia
No. 13 took place on Saturday 28 November 2015 at Brookfield Place, Perth.
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