RMIT fashion students are succeeding whoever they find themselves however is this because of the industry leading course or because of the type of individual that such a program attracts?
With RMIT ranking #1 in Asia Pacific for Fashion Business and twelfth in the world for Art and Design it is no wonder current students and alumni feature heavily across all areas of Melbourne Fashion Week (M/FW) each year.
This year students featured heavily in the Student Collections Runway show with 20 of 40 students selected to show off their work at The Lume Melbourne being members of the RMIT School Of Design.
A number of students also had the opportunity to feature works in other shows including the Volvo Electric Runway and Our Unknown by the Emerging Artists Collective.
This years Emerging Artists Collective (EAC) runway was their biggest yet with 16 emerging designers being featured in the show. Founded in 2021 EAC’s goal is to support up-and-coming Models and Designers by allowing them to exhibit their work to a wider audience.
‘Our Unknown’ by EAC and M/FW was held at the Bourke Street Courtyard on Wednesday 23rd October and was sold out almost as soon as tickets became available.
Interstellar is the brainchild of Stella Reardon, who after experimenting with up-cycling old clothes and and pieces of fabric whilst in Melbourne’s 2021 lockdown found a new appreciation in Fashion Design.
Her new collection draws from the “aesthetic movement of the late 18th century” which is balanced with a much more modern goal of utilising “zero-waste pattern techniques in order to address an ever-pressing issue in fashion”.
Stella attributed most of her opportunities in the industry to connections developed on social media and at shows put on by groups like EAC. “EAC originally reached out to me to be apart of their first runway show in 2023” she said.
These shows are vital for up and coming artists, “from fittings, to styling models for the runway, everything is important for a good show”. Shows like that put on by EAC offer an incredible opportunity for designers and models alike to develop an understanding on how runways work
Not to discount the impact that university had had on her journey Stella elaborated that the “conceptual thinking and skills needed for good design, researching concepts for projects and testing of ideas has all been helped hugely by RMIT”.
Looking forwards Stella is looking to incorporate tailoring in her collections, “I am so proud of what I made this year, but I think it can be levelled up with the use of some more technical skills, in combination with the organic styles I have made so far”.
Being asked to supply accessories for runway shows is a huge opportunity for jewellers, allowing stylists and brands to be exposed to your work on the main stage.
Marlows Studio founder Billie Dever has been working as a jeweller since 2020 and after having work featured in EAC’s 2023 MFW runway had the opportunity to have her work featured in the Volvo Electric Runway on Wednesday.
Karinda Mutabazi styled a number of designers at the show and reached out in order to use Marlows Studio jewellery alongside Chris Ran Lin’s Designs.
“I had the pleasure of working with Korinda, she reached out to me to feature my jewellery on the runway, which was very exciting!” She said.
Billie studies Fashion Enterprise at RMIT’s Brunswick campus alongside working on Marlows Studio. “it’s been immensely helpful” she says. “Everything I’m learning in my subjects is applicable to my current work and future goals”.
Para?
Looking forwards however there are always more projects in the works “I'm keeping the
details under wraps for now though” she said.
Melbourne Fashion Week runs from October 21 to October 27.
