Wild dreams, ground-breaking concepts, joy unbridled, all bounded by sustainable practices; the Melbourne Fashion Festival’s graduate show is a forecast of future fashion.
Words and photos: Reannon Smith (Scroll to meet her)
Ten talented design graduates at the height of their creativity, unapologetic and beyond commercial restraints; little wonder the National Graduate Showcase is a highlight of the Melbourne Fashion Festival’s programme.
This year’s line-up was exceptional. Alexander Enticknap, Abha Gupta, Kit Looi (Moon), Leanne Yansin Choi, Jessica Virk, Lina Yu, Samuel De Raadt, Yuxi Liu, Cuiting Wu and William Tjong presented a balance of wearable and artistic clothing with extremely strong attention to tailoring and detail.
Concepts were often influenced by sentimentality, memory and heritage, powerful narratives visually evident, particularly in Cuiting Wu’s I Wonder Who’s Knitting For Me and Leanne Yansin Choi’s Copy, Fold, Hold: What’s in the Suitcase? Both collections borrowed from cherished childhood family memories and moments spent with their mothers and grandmothers around clothing.
Collections by Alexander Enticknap and Kit Looi (Moon) shed light on slow, sustainable production, reducing waste and regulation of ecological footprints, key processes that prioritise clothing that is functional, durable, made to last a lifetime.
William Tjong’s military inspired designs recalled the daily act of dressing, while also challenging gender norms with the juxtaposition of military uniform archetypes with delicate silk flags.
Graduates challenged conservative views, persuaded us to embrace a slower, more thoughtful consumption of fashion. But they did it lightly, with humour and often, joy. Backstage, models played around, while on the runway, performances punctuated the showcase with interpretive-style dancing muddled into the walks, a joyous celebration of the students destined to shape fashion’s future.
Meet the Voxfrocker – Reannon Smith
