Welcome to 2020 – an extra wrap of 2019!
Before the semester officially begins, we continue to celebrate the achievements of staff and students across the School in 2019. We recognise the wonderful work of the Masters of Fashion (Design) program; congratulate Kim Clark, on her AUSFF scholarship, and textile design alumnae Cassie Byrnes, on her collaboration with Nike for the Australian Open; and party with Adele Varcoe and Jane Morley at Leigh’s House and Ricarda Bigolin, Chantal Kirby and Laura Gardner on the launch of D&K LOOK BOOK and Mode and Mode issue seven.
*SHOW – Master of Fashion (Design) Graduate Showcase at MPavilion
Thursday 14th November, 6:00 – 9:00pm
The collaborative MPavilion presentation celebrated the 2019 RMIT Master of Fashion (Design) cohort’s mastery of advanced fashion practice. Associate lecturer Blake Barns said: “The eleven designers in showing their graduate collection responded to the unique MPavilion architecture, this year designed by renowned Australian architect Glenn Murcutt AO. The show presented a culturally diverse, critically and aesthetically potent group of RMIT Master of Fashion (Design) graduates, exploring contemporary approaches to materials, the body, environments, people and economies.”
In reflecting on the Masters program and experience of preparing for presentation, Kurt Van Velzen said: “It’s taught me how to set yourself up and hopefully succeed one day as well.”
AUSFF Scholarship 2020 recipient: Kim Clark
Congratulations to Kim Clark, a 2019 Master of Fashion Design graduate, who was awarded one of two Australian Fashion Foundation Scholarships for 2020! The scholarship supports emerging designers with USD$20,000 and a six-month internship at an international company in the US. Born in Vietnam, Kim acknowledged in a Sydney Morning Herald interview that “studying with a language barrier and a family was challenging, but she hoped her collections would be a ‘celebration of the cross culture’ between Australia and Vietnam“. Joining Kim as a recipient for 2020 is Domenic Roylance from UTS.
Also, congratulations to the other RMIT graduates who were chosen as top 10 finalists: Caitlin Mullaly, Danielle Herbert, Geordie Tancheff, Jordyn Smith, Katarina Kristo, and Lucinda Connelley.
Alumni News: Cassie Byrnes, Nike collaboration for Australian Open 2020
Congratulations to Textile Design graduate (’14) Cassie Byrnes for her recent collaboration with Nike for the Australian Open 2020!
In an interview with Oyster, Cassie said that Nike invited her to represent her Australian identity in the designs, going on to describe her inspiration:
“I was fascinated at the time with ‘Gondwana’ — the supercontinent Australia was part of when the world’s current continents were connected… And then to contradict that, I was also drawing on a lot of abstract expressionist art at the time. So, I kind of merged these two inspirations and that’s what created the style of the patterns.”
Leigh’s House
Tuesday 12th November, 5:00 – 7:00pm
Part club, part performance, part fashion show, Leigh’s House was presented by Adele Varcoe & Jane Morley in collaboration with Hannah Berry, Shannon Green, Betty Liu and RMIT Bachelor of Fashion (Design) students.
Adele Varcoe said: “Drawing from the history, work and life of Leigh Bowery, we created 100 costumes that used the jumpsuit/onesie archetype as a basis to explore new methods and materials to make things for bodies. The costumes, worn by the audience entered a club to dance with local breakdancers and a choir. The anonymity that came with the head to toe costumes invited people to let go and perhaps adopt another persona/character or feel more like themselves.”
Images: Angela Armstrong
D&K LOOK BOOK 2019 and Mode and Mode issue seven
Last December, D&K, Mode and Mode and Surpllus presented a special Melbourne launch party celebration and performance of D&K LOOK BOOK 2019 and Mode and Mode issue seven at Colour Nightclub on December 11. The event presented a performance of the two publications and the limited-edition ‘covers’ created by D&K (Ricarda Bigolin and Chantal Kirby) following the recent launches in Amsterdam and London in November.
Waa Weelum Growings
It’s the end of Luk (eel) Season. It feels cooler, with the days and nights becoming equal in length. Starchy roots of water plants die down. It is the time to burn scrub and tussock grasses to help fertilise the plants.
The UN has declared 2020 the International Year of Plant Health, understanding that ‘protecting plants is protecting life’. Thanks to the care of the garden team and recent rain, our planters pods and beds are bursting with marigold blooms, Swiss chard and an abundance of chillies.
On a recent walk around campus, we also spotted a birds nest made partly from textiles scraps; fitting material use for birds that call our fashion campus home! It was a discovery that made us appreciate the resourcefulness of our wildlife.
Let us know if you notice any wildlife and plant discoveries on campus. Wishing everyone a great start to the semester!
