Notions of fashion design

A week since showing their collections on the catwalk at the NMA, CIT's fashion graduates have just closed an exhibition of the highlights from the event. Fashionact notions 2008 showed us 11 of Canberra's newest breed of fashion designers. Here are some of my faves...

Above: Beau & Arrow by Tegan Kennedy. Love love love the colours and layering - her whole collection works so well.

Above Left: Sebastian's Sister by Francesca Altenburg. Above Right: Andie, by Andie Meredith

Above, and below left: Kiri by Kiri Davis. Interesting details, femme silhouettes and Bridget Bardot styling.

Above Right: Hunter by Sara Wurcker, lovely hand painted fabrics

Congratulations to all 11 graduating designers, I wish you every success!
Love Nina x

Jaimi Kark: The Interview Collection

Another fashion truimph- a collaboration between emerging designer Jaimi Kark and mentor Susan Taylor of fashion boutique Department of the Exterior - The Interview Collection is currently showing at Craft ACT.

Largely monochromatic, the garments are designed to be interchangeable, to be interpreted by the wearer. Cosy felted wools and fine voiles mix and embrace the wearer through their layers and adjustment mechanisms which act as figurative restraints.

I love the clever interpretations of closures around the body, unexpected, interesting.

Jaimi Kark: The Interview Collection will be on display at Craft ACT until March 20, 2008.

Her collection will be on the racks at Department of the Exterior soon.

Hot Designer: Amy Kerr

Talented young Canberran textiles and jewellery designer Amy Kerr took some time away from her work to tell us about her inspiration and her designs. Her brand new Hizashi label with a collection of unique earrings are already making a small splash on ETSY, take a look below...

"I would describe my personal style as an Australian/Asian hybrid: a unique blend of Australian design and Japanese aesthetic. I believe that this combination works especially well and is very much suited to the contemporary Australian lifestyle."

"The jewellery that I am currently making is a relatively new material and design for me...and I'm still very excited about it!! It has been wonderful to find a material that I can use in conjunction with my patterning. "

"These earrings each feature a segment of an original pattern that I have designed and drawn on by hand. They are lovingly handmade with particular attention to detail, and are miniature artworks in their own right."

"I am inspired by small things on a daily basis...I spot patterns everywhere I even enjoy the textured cardboard on my takeaway coffee cup!

Japan:I have been inspired by the Japanese aesthetic and all things Japanese for many years now (since I started learning the language back in 1995)...and the time that I have spent living in Japan has helped to cement this appeal.

Graphic Design: Having studied graphics for 2.5 years before transferring into Textile Design, I still have a very design based approach to my work. I LOVE typography and many of my original patterns continue to be formed and inspired by letters and lettering, both English and Japanese.

Nicola Cerini: Nicola is a Melbourne based textile designer specialising in gorgeous screen printed fabric made into a variety of handbag ranges, and who successfully runs her own business. She inspired me to make the switch from graphic design to textile design during a week of work experience that I spent with her a few years ago (but I'm not sure if I ever told her that!)

"I have just graduated from the Bachelor of Visual Arts majoring in Textile Design with ANU. I learnt so many valuable lessons during my 5.5 years at uni, but perhaps the most important has been to be guided by my instincts and to be true to myself...it is an amazing feeling to have a degree and be free to follow my own direction. It's really exciting!"

"I'm hoping to get the new etsy store Moyou, for my textiles, up and running soon. As my final year project I hand-dyed (using a traditional Japanese technique called katazome), immersion dyed and screen printed a fabric range in a variety of patterns. I then used my fabric as the inspiration for a handbag collection...designing and manufacturing the range myself.

I am hoping to begin selling these handbags, and then to branch out into further handbag styles, wallets/purses, and other accessories and homewares.The name Moyou is a Japanese word that I love, meaning pattern. It was a word that I seemed to be using in explanation on a daily basis...and it's perfectly suited to my textile ambitions!"

"In the future I would love to be able to start my own business and continue to dye, screen print, design, and make for a living. It would also be wonderful to sojourn in Japan every now and again. I'm very excited about seeing where the future will take me!"

For now though, check out Amy's Hizashi store on ETSY and her Moyou blog.

Fab Fashion: Zilpah Tart

Young Canberran fashion designer Yumi Holder, a new graduate from CIT with a Bachelor in Fashion design has already been making her mark on Canberra's fashion scene. Her fabulous label "Zilpah Tart" featuring some gorgeous handbags debuted at Kingston Markets 3 years ago and is currently stocked at "Ruby and Rogue", Garema place.

Yumi was a finalist in the 2007 Independant Handbag Designer Awards , an international event, in the "Best Student-made bag" category.

Yumi's "New York" handbag in two colourways.

"My style is very feminine and i like to create things that are unique. Something different from what's already out there that can make the wearer feel special and enhance their own individual personality."

"Red Wave" and "Kimono" handbags

"Kyoto saddle" handbag
"I am inspired by anything in my life that catches my eye or makes me think twice. It could be stories, movies, nature or events. "

"Picnic" handbag and "Kyoto" handbag

"Zilpah Tart was my grandmothers maiden name. When she passed away i found a 1940's brooch of a penny farthing of hers, hence I have used a penny farthing in my logo for the label."

"Moon" handbags in 2 colourways
"There were so many valuable things i learned during my studies... But the most valuable was finally being able to refine and find a direction to go in with my design and having a clear idea of exactly what i wanted to do with it. "
The Zilpah Tart 'Dream' summer 08 fashion collection has been selected as 1 of only 12 labels to show at 'Debut', a competition for emerging designers which is a part of Fashion Exposed fashion trade fair in Sydney in March this year. Congratulations and best of luck Yumi.

Until then, Zilpah Tart handbags are available at Ruby and Rouge boutique, Garema Place, Civic.