We’ve been huge fans of her work for years, and more recently the rest of the Australian design world has caught on, with a feature article in this month’s Vogue Living profiling her as a ‘designer to know’, and The Design Files  covering the launch of her Silver Linings range in 2015. Last week she participated in the second  DEN Fair, an experimental trade fair that focuses on the best in emerging and established local design. Things are really ramping up!

Amongst all of this activity, Elise took time to chat with us about herself, her work and her journey from BATD to Cakebread & Silver Linings:

Elise Cakebread is a textile-based artist and designer working across both printed and constructed textiles. Her work is driven by experimentation and exploration within traditional textile processes and techniques. Her work focuses on the tensions created by the unusual or unexpected contrasts that emerge between materials, forms, colours, textures and scale. Through these methods she explores ideas of materiality, tactility, craft, disposability and the ornamental. These explorations across both her visual and design practices culminate as sculptural work, decorative objects, and accessories.

(Image: Portrait of Elise Cakebread, Photography by Michael Quinlan)

What is your current role?

I am a designer and artist working under my own label Cakebread.
Cakebread was officially established in early 2014. Under this label I work on a whole range of projects, from commissions & installations to soft furnishings and jewelry collections.
Some of my projects include commissions for Dulux, Space in Richmond, Hotel Hotel in Canberra and installations for Craft Victoria and at the former Dagmar Rousset store in Collingwood.

In May 2015 I launched my first soft furnishings collection – Silver Linings.

(Image: Silver Linings Collection, Photography by Matthew Stanton)

Tell me a little bit about your background – how did you come to textiles and where has it led you?

I originally studied a Bachelor of Creative Arts, dabbling in art history, drawing and theatre studies, whilst also doing a fair bit of travel. I even had a stint interning at a glove atelier in France – and it was during this time in France that I decided what I really wanted to do was design and make beautiful things.

I knew that my design skills weren’t at the level I wanted or needed them to be (I had no idea how to use a computer for anything) and so I came back home and enrolled in BA Textile Design.

After Studying I freelanced as a commercial textile designer whilst working on my own creative projects and after being offered some large commissions decided to take the plunge and launch my own business.

(Image: Silver Linings Collection, Photography by Matthew Stanton)

How do you define your style?

My style is driven by a love of the tactile, the colourful and the frivolous!
Layers of yarn, luscious fabrics, unexpected details and an innovative approach to textile techniques are all integral to the Cakebread aesthetic.

What are the rewards of your job/work?

The biggest reward of working for myself and running my own label definitely has to be the complete creative freedom! Although commercial considerations do need to be taken into account at certain points, I’ve made a conscious decision to let my initial design process be as uncluttered by ideas of the market, trends and commercial viability as possible. I let myself follow creative whims and experiment. Surprisingly it is often the pieces that I think are going to be too ‘out there’ that end up being the most popular.

Also having an idea for a piece of work or product and then being able to fully commit to realizing it – even if that’s a process that takes a long time – is really satisfying.

How do you stay inspired?
My main source of inspiration comes from the materials that I work with. I love to play around with combinations of fibres and yarns, to explore the unique properties that they each have to offer. I spend a lot of time researching and experimenting with traditional textile techniques, developing skills and then seeing how they can be re-interpreted or developed upon. There’s nothing quite like leafing through a book on embroidery techniques of the 1800s and having an idea about how you can apply an old technique in a completely new way!
So even though I can suffer from serious burnout – especially when I’m in production mode – I try to stay inspired by taking the time to play with different materials or research new ideas in an unstructured way.
Holidays and time away form the constant pressure to be making something helps too!

(Image: Silver Linings Collection, Photography by Michael Quinlan)

What was your career dream or goal when you graduated? Have your expectations changed?

Before starting the BA Textile Design my aim was to gain the skills I needed to start my own design business. However after I finished the course my ambitions had changed and I just planned to put that idea on the back burner and get a full-time position working for a commercial company. This didn’t quite go as expected. Instead a series of freelance work and commissions came my way and happily for me I’ve wound up fulfilling my original aim.

What do you find most exciting about the industry today?

The internet! I still get a thrill out of the fact that someone on the other side of the world might be looking at my work and that I can discover theirs. The design community is so global now. There is a sense that anything can happen, anyone anywhere can come across your work – that can lead to all sorts of opportunities and collaborations, its so exciting.

 If I was to give you a piece of fabric what would you do with it? Quick! (We would like to acknowledge Courtney King for this great question!)

Shred it up, turn it in to yarn and knit something with it!

What are you looking forward to?
I’m currently in the process of designing a new range and learning lots of new techniques. I’m looking forward to seeing how it all comes together.
I’m also dreaming about my next overseas adventure – I went to Japan for the first time earlier this year and I can’t wait to go back.

Join the followers of Cakebread  – www.elisecakebread.com

The post BATD Alumni: Elise Cakebread appeared first on RMIT.

The WIL Studio in third year offers students a direct ‘real world’ experience in preparation for working life and career development as a textile designer. This project aims to highlight the significance of having a record of relevant practice or experiences to assist graduates in securing ongoing employment after graduation – most commonly within the freelance design market.

Small groups of 4-6 designers were partnered with a WIL sponsor to develop a freelance project, responding to a live industry brief. Project teams individually researched and presented design solutions to the industry client – much like a working freelance studio – successful designs were then commercialised for a range of product outcomes and are now available in the Australian market.

The Design To Print WIL Studio gave the students the opportunity to design unique wallpapers that will be available for purchase on the Design To Print custom wallpaper shop.

Image: ‘Altitude’ by Ooi Ken Liew for DTP Custom Wallpaper

9 final year students participated in the project, working over a 5-week period with weekly meetings and reviews to develop the final artwork and submissions. Gianni Favaro and Mick Kass from Design To Print were on hand throughout the entire process to provide feedback, technical advice and aid in the design direction when needed. The first iteration of designs were also showcased at the VIVID (Vibrant Visions in Design) Competition in July 2015, with Marieke Bruins’ ‘Ombre’ design selected for the key panels in the exhibition stand.

Image: Marieke Bruins’ ‘Ombre’ for DTP Custom Wallpaper at VIVID – image courtesy VIVID

Image: ‘Ombre’by Marieke Bruins for DTP Custom Wallpaper

Managing Director of Design To Print, Gianni Favaro explains, “It was a totally invigorating experience to be amongst such enthusiastic and talented young people with a passion to create and who are not afraid to explore their imagination. The creative future is assured as technological advances are made from design to print, pardon the pun, and creative young people such as the ones that Mick and I had the pleasure of working with will continue to have inspiration and the support from institutions such as RMIT.”

As part of the WIL studio project, the students license their design work for a period of time, with a commission paid for every sale of their work on the site. Currently on www.dtopshop.com.au, each of the students is profiled alongside their wallpaper designs, with the intention of this being an ongoing program, with new students having this exciting opportunity available to them each year.

Image: #1 by Daisy Watt for DTP Custom Wallpaper

When asked about the importance of programs such as this in supporting the next generation of designers, Claire Beale, Program Manager for BATD,  says, “It goes without saying that it is of primary importance that emerging textile designers have every opportunity to work with the industry on live projects. The Design To Print Custom Wallpaper project engages students with the wider market comprising home renovators, decorators and designers, enabling them to bring their highly creative design ideas to a myriad of applications.”

Claire goes on to explain, “From the perspective of the program, projects that showcase the skills of textile designers to a broad customer base are a great way to inform the public about just what it is we can do to enhance your life and demonstrate to the design profession the potential for collaboration and innovation in a commercial sector.”

Congratulations to our emerging designers, and thanks to Design to Print for another successful collaboration. Check out the full collection of designs - buy now! – on the DTP webshop

The post Industry Partners (WIL Studio): Design to Print Custom Wallpaper appeared first on RMIT.

Image: Dee Varel

1. What is your current role?

I’m currently working as a Knitwear Designer for a Turkish Yarn Company, Ormo in İstanbul. I design knitwear collections for Nako (their in-house label) as well as international client based projects and trade shows.

2. Tell me a little bit about your background – how did you come to textiles and where has it led you?

I always had an interest in fashion. I was one of those kids who liked to wear costumes as day wear. During High school I started working in an Op shop on the weekends which eventually lead me to studying Textile Design.

I started with a Diploma of Studio Arts and Textile Design where I discovered my passion for knitting then later continuing onto the BATD and majoring in Knitwear. Whilst studying I went on a trip to Turkey and just fell in love with İstanbul. İn my final year of BATD I did an internship with a Turkish designer in İstanbul which lead me to moving there after completing my studies.

Image: Dee Varel in the Nako studio- image courtesy Dee Varel

3. How do you define your style?

Living in Turkey has had a huge impact on my design outlook but I think I would describe my own style as eclectic, sometimes bold sometimes minimal but always with attention to detail. I feel that my style is always evolving by my surroundings, from the places I visit to the cultures that I come in contact with. Regarding knitwear I’m most inspired by knit structures themselves and how a technique can form, manipulate and evolve the structure of a garment.

4. What does a typical working day involve?

I design knitwear collections for adults, Infants and children so a usual day starts with a good cup of coffee (as a true Melbournian). If I am in a research stage a day can consist of speaking to knitters, going to galleries, following fashion houses, blogs and designers for inspiration and trends. I do lots of hand drawing whilst in the design process and adding details and trims to the finished garments once they are knitted. Lastly being in the studio or on location on photoshoot days.

Image: Dee’s infants and womenswear designs for Nako – image courtesy Nako / Dee Varel

5. What are the rewards of your job?

I have been lucky enough to travel and participate in couple of European Trade shows. H+H Cologne, Germany  (Craft Fair) and Pitti Filati in Florence, İtaly (Knitwear fair). Travel is such a great source of inspiration and knowledge,  and its really been a career highlight to exhibit at the Pitti Filati trade show.

Image: Nako designs at Pitti Filati – image courtesy Nako / Dee Varel

The plus of working in Turkey is I have direct contact with the factory and the people who produce my designs. The company I work for have a factory an hour out of Istanbul where there is a team of women who are our hand knitters. I get to communicate with them one on one which is such an advantage for me. I also get to see every stage of the yarn as its all made from scratch in the factory. Its nice to be a part of the whole process.

6.What are you looking forward to?

Im looking forward to advancing my knitwear skills and doing more personal projects. Who knows – maybe another European city!

To see a little more of Dee’s work, check out their website: Nako

The post BATD Alumni: Dee Varel appeared first on RMIT.

The BATD program has strong and valued relationships with our Industry Partners and we work closely with them to ensure that graduates have relevant skills when entering the workforce. We have had the pleasure of working with Australian bed linen company Linen House over a series of years on an Industry brief within the course ‘Textile Design Studio – Space’.

The project offers our second year students their first opportunity to work on a commercial homewares project that also has the potential to provide work experience and see their winning designs go into production.

Image: Linen House Textile designers Emily Treganowan and Liz McCracken guide our students through the Linen House showroom.

Students are briefed to research, explore and refine textile design concepts for commercial bed linen story and the defined Linen House brand. During the project they visit the Linen House studios and showroom and are briefed by designer mentors to consider commercial trends, take account of the Linen House market and brand while being creative with their own developing style and design handwriting.

Image:  RMIT lecturer Jacqui Baxter (left) and Linen House Textile Design Manager Sue Morris (right)  guide students through their concepts.

The project is a great introduction to working as a textile designer within the commercial studio environment as students must manage and negotiate set deadlines and interaction with a number of lecturers and industry mentors. They also need to direct the project as a whole to complete an entire bed story that considers colour management, styling and production specifications across a series of finished product outcomes.

With three monetary awards and work placements on offer by Linen House, ten students were initially shortlisted this year by Sue Morris:

Maria Dare – Tropical Summer

Nina Thirion – Floral Polaraid

Nicole Westmorland – Breakfast in Bed

Lou Lou Kitching – Tropical Dream

Lily Suwitra – Tropical Hybrid

Jade Kentish Barnes – Round + Round

Supinthorn Saengasukyen – Tropical Wonderland

Carol Joy Pirie – Tropical Slumber

Gabi Draffen – Lightness

Eliza Raddatz – Homage

Congratulations to the three overall winners:

Image: First prize Nina Thirion ‘Floral Polaroid’

Image: Second prize Lily Suwitra ‘Tropical Hybrid’

Image: Third prize Nicole Westmorland ‘Breakfast in Bed’

For more information on Linen House, visit their website

http://www.linenhouse.com.au/

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Great Lengths is the (pun intended) title of both the collective, and their first exhibition, open to the public from Wednesday 9th – Saturday 12th December, at  OkLa @ The Compound Interest, 15-25 Keele St, Collingwood.

Let’s start with their own introduction:

We are a collective of emerging textile designers, graduates of the BA Textile Design program at RMIT Melbourne, showcasing selected works across print, knit, weave and experimental textiles.

 Explore with us a celebration of artisanship and the diverse application of textile practice and design. Our work spans fashion, homewares, emerging technologies, the theatrical and the conceptual.

Great Lengths is a measure of our collaborative effort, our hard work and determination. We go to great lengths to produce works of quality, beauty and integrity.

Here’s all the key info to help you discover them in person, and online:

Location

OkLa @ The Compound Interest,

15-25 Keele St, Collingwood, 3066, VIC, Australia

Exhibition times

Wednesday 9th December, 10.00am – 4.00pm.

Thursday 10th and Friday 11th December, 10.00am – 6.00pm.

Saturday 12th December, 12.00pm – 5.00pm.

For more details, images of works in progress and the bigger story, follow them on Instagram  and Facebook 

You can also follow their individual profiles in our Graduates 2015 page here on the blog.

The post BATD Alumni: Great Lengths Collective appeared first on RMIT.

Back in semester 1, second year BATD students commenced Fusion where we were very lucky to have Banita Leong from Tranzbiz as well as Five P Venture – an Indian based initiative that supports handloom weaving and traditional textile skills – partner with the project.

This was a fashion brief with a challenging twist that had students designing textile concepts for the Indian market. The aim being to develop a themed contemporary collection of fabric, swatches and paper based textile designs for the traditional saree, choli and petticoat silhouette. In designing the textiles students considered artisan production techniques such as handloom weaving, blockprint and embroidery with the intent that the concepts could be offered to Indian SME’s for translation and interpretation.

Banita Leong with BATD students Ruby, Gabi, Pip, Maddy and Tegan demonstrating different saree drapes and styles.

During the project briefing with Five P creative director Banita Leong, students were educated about the traditions of the saree, its timeless elegance and versatility. Banita enthusiastically related how a model of social entrepreneurship can fit within the fashion and textile industry. Including the role textile designers can play in this model through opportunities to collaborate with artisans and heritage techniques. Within this context the project raised issues for the students on ethical design practice including designing for craft techniques, the welfare of the artisans and the representation of heritage skills in the fashion market.

Based in Tamil Nadu, India, the Five P concept aims to empower the heritage skills and traditional craft systems of villagers to help them achieve economic self-reliance and prosperity. Five P believes that a contemporary approach to design will appeal to a new generation who has not been exposed to handloom products – enabling them to discover the cloths unique identity and expression.

Five P partnered with RMIT BATD students to explore a juxtaposition of global and Indian trends, they are interested in how students Australian/Western skills, style and approach translates to designing textiles and garment styling for traditional Indian artisan techniques and dress silhouettes.

The project ran for 8 weeks and as part of the final submission in June, students presented their concepts to Banita and a panel of Industry judges including Georgia Chapman and Marijke Arkley. 8 students were shortlisted and 3 monetary prizes awarded as part of the Open House event last week. Congratulations to Gabriela Draffen, Jade Kentish-Barnes and Maria Dare.

First prize was awarded to Gabi Draffen for ‘Colour Block’

Second prize was awarded to Jade Kentish Barnes for ‘Postal Service’

Third prize was awarded to Maria Dare for ‘The Art of Deception’

The Fusion student design outcomes are presently in India and have been shown to a variety of SME handloom societies and organisations. This designer-artisan exchange with Five P allows craftspeople to access and interpret a range of contemporary concepts and a rare opportunity for our students to see their textile designs translated into weave, print and embroidery.

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Sans Souci is an exploration of Australiana by six emerging artists from intersecting craft backgrounds at Little Woods Gallery in Collingwood from Nov 6^th – 30th

Inspired by kitschy souvenirs of the past and Australian icons, the works by artists Edith Rewa Barrett, Loredana Camarata, Megan McNeill, Stephanie Rushworth, Esther Sandler and Tara Whalley span a range of overlapping disciplines including illustration, textiles, ceramics and craft.

Capturing ideas of memento and nostalgia, as well as celebrating the flora and fauna of our country,

Sans Souci investigates the idea of the souvenir as a cultural artifact, both beautiful and cringe-worthy.

Join the FACEBOOK EVENT:

WHEN:

Opening night: 6pm – 8pm on 6^th November with drinks provided by Two Birds Brewing

Exhibition runs until November 30^th

Gallery is open Mon-Tues, Thurs-Sat, 11-4pm

WHERE:

Little Woods Gallery
1 Langridge St, Collingwood VIC

FURTHER ARTIST INFO:

Edith Rewa Barrett – http://edithrewa.com/

Loredana Camarata – http://loredanacamarata.com/

Megan McNeill – http://www.meganmcneill.com/

Stephanie Rushworth – http://www.stephanieelicia.com/

Esther Sandler – http://www.esthersandler.com/

Tara Whalley – http://www.tarawhalley.com/

The post BATD Alumni – Sans Souci appeared first on RMIT.

Come and see our student’s work translated into a short film on the big screen at ACMI Lightwell & the Outdoor screen in Federation Square, Melbourne, from today (yes, right now!) 27 October 2015 – until 1^st November 2015 when the exhibition closes and Bowie leaves town….

“Channeling David Bowie – 1970’s Glam” showcases a selection of work from our Year 2 Digital Textile Design and the Marketplace course. This short film captures their responses to the David Bowie is exhibition, where textile designs were developed for printed fashion outcomes.

Image: Space Thing by Georgina Matthews

The inspiration taken from the exhibition was as varied as the prints our students created:

(My) “designs are inspired by the bold, intriguing, unusual and iconic costume make-up worn by Bowie.”

“I was particularly interested with the ‘Space Oddity’ section of the exhibition… drawing inspiration from technical aircraft drawings/bold geometrics/optical illusions/images of the galaxy.”

“’Rebel Rebel’ is inspired by David Bowie’s bold colours and patterns used in his iconic costumes. Time to put on  your red shoes and let the ‘Jean Jeanie’ out of her bottle!” 

Image: “GEO Glam” by Lou Lou Kitching

’GEO-glam’ is a clash of geometric colour and line. Inspired by the individual style of David Bowie and abstract art, GEO-glam prints are strong, bold and ooze confidence.” Lou Lou Kitching

Image: ‘Turn and Face the Strange’ by Nina Thirion

‘Inspired by David Bowie, my textile designs ask viewers to ‘turn and face the strange’, providing a juxtaposition of weird whimsical, Memphis inspired, playful, prints for fashion.” – Nina Thirion

Image: ‘Ziggy Stardust and his cosmic link’ – by Maria Dare

“Ziggy Stardust and his cosmic link to the mysticisms of the universe inspire a collection of vivacious and outlandish fashion prints, celebrating Bowie’s liberation of out-of-this-world self- expression.” – Maria Dare

Image: “A Seamless Dialogue” – by Stephanie Broadbent-Smith

‘A Seamless Dialogue’ explores the visual element of the song ‘Space Oddity’; the range is created entirely from a single hand drawn line, creating line illustrations that reference the many stages of David Bowie’s career.” – Stephanie Broadbent-Smith

Take the opportunity to see textile designs writ large and live on the big screen at ACMI only for the next few days, or if you miss out, get a second chance by coming along to our Open House event next week to see more of the work of these talented design students in the BATD studios.

The post Recent Work: ACMI x BATD – Channeling David Bowie – 1970’s Glam appeared first on RMIT.

Image: Yolanda Zarins – courtesy Chris Phelps Photography

Yolanda graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts in Textile Design from RMIT, and now runs a small textile studio in Hobart, Tasmania. “I am the happiest on bush wanderings, bursting with admiration for my surroundings and full of ideas. Many of my textiles pay homage to the natural landscape in Tasmania, fragments of which often live in my imagination for months, before translating onto cloth. I delight in glimpses and memories of a wild land finding a final home indoors, becoming part of an interior environment.”

We caught up with her for a quick chat just after the launch of her limited edition collection for VIVID:

Image: VIVID design exhibition – courtesy VIVID + Elleni Toumpas Photography

Image: VIVID design exhibition – courtesy VIVID + Elleni Toumpas Photography

What is your current role?

Owner of my very small business, Yolanda Zarins Designs.  I started working for myself in April, 2015 after working in arts production and graphic design for two years and making small runs of my own work in spare time.  I still work as a contractor as a graphic designer for organisations and private clients, but now get to spend the bulk of my time printing, dyeing and making fabrics from beautiful materials for sale online, at markets, custom orders and for local retailers.

Tell me a little bit about your background – how did you come to textiles and where has it led you?

I came into textiles knowing very little about what it was.  I completed high school in Tasmania, and at the time, there were no textile courses at school or folio courses to help with university entry.  One of my art teachers in grade 12 suggested that I look into textile design as most of my artistic output  was based on pattern and fabric.  I was really excited when I researched what a textile designer did (because I had no idea!), and that something that felt so normal and fun to me had the potential to be a career!  I am really fortunate how naturally the whole journey progressed, and it is incredible how much I have learned, enjoyed and discovered considering how naïve I was about it all.

How do you define your style?

Free spirited and authentic.  My style is very much defined by what I am capable of doing with the space and equipment I have. My set up is very lo-fi with a print table, sewing machine and dye buckets.  Having restrictions has allowed me to develop my style thoughtfully and slowly, creating unique, one of a kind and limited edition fabrics and products.

Image: Yolanda Zarins process in progress – Chris Phelps Photography

What does a typical working day involve?

This is my first year of running my business, and every day, week and month is different and often challenging.  A typical day in the studio involves an early start, emailing, scheduling meetings, ordering raw materials, keeping up with my production timelines to stock retailers, markets and online orders, book keeping and promoting my work.  At the moment, it’s all run by me, so there is a lot of admin, which I actually don’t mind.  I have learned a lot about small business and how things are going to work for me in the coming years. It would be nice to have more time to experiment and draw, though!  My aim is to employ someone to help with admin and sewing in a few years time so I can have more time to develop designs and new ideas.

What are the rewards of your job/work?

Even though this year so far has been a lot of work , I find it easy to stay motivated because I have enjoyed it so much.  The best thing so far has been customers being really excited to buy my work, commenting about how different it is and being interested in how something has been made.  Being able to say ‘yes’ and having time to undertake unique projects and opportunities (custom orders, exhibiting in a trade show) is really uplifting and makes me feel like I am moving in the right direction.

Are there particular artists or designers you admire? What is it about them that you admire?

Working for a local community arts organisation, Kickstart Arts, for the past 2 years, I have met many talented artists who work with communities to make people happier, increase their literacy, improve their health and invite them to share their unique and beautiful stories.  The artists I got to meet and work with during this time were from dance, theatre, music, film making and visual arts backgrounds, and all brought something different to working with people from different backgrounds, many of who had never made art before. There is a lot to admire about artists working with communities, but I especially love that they have an approach that art is for everyone and that each person has something to offer creatively.  Being from a design background, where participation can sometimes be exclusive, this was really refreshing, and made me think about my work , and life, really differently.

Image: ‘Knocklofty’ by Yolanda Zarins – Chris Phelps Photography

How do you stay inspired?

Getting out and about on bush walks is refreshing and inspiring in developing new prints.  My most recent collection, ‘Knocklofty’, is named after a bush reserve 10 minutes drive from my home.  Prints and colours in the collection were drawn from landscape, mood and plant details I observed in the area. My favourite print in this collection, ‘Trail’ is based on meandering through the reserve tracks.

What did you take out of your Textile Design training?

The RMIT BA course was intense and challenging!  Every project was a stretch of my ability and  I was constantly put out of my comfort zone.  Knowing this, and knowing I graduated is reassuring when I take on a big project or it takes me time to figure something out.

In my final year, I did work experience at three very different companies including Warwick Fabrics, Brintons and Ella Sanders.  This gave me a  good taster of a designers role working in a textile studio for a big company compared to a designer operating a small business.  I am really happy I took advantage of work experience and volunteering as much as I did while I was still studying to see what the industry is really like. It was an invaluable experience for me.

Image: ‘Frond’ tea towel by Yolanda Zarins – Chris Phelps Photography

What was your career dream or goal when you graduated? Have your expectations changed?

I wanted to be free to keep making and being creative when I graduated, so working for myself has been a satisfying step as I get to do that every day. I expected things to progress and move faster than they did. I have a lot of ideas about things to make, but it took me a long to get the confidence to actually make work and put my name to it.  As I go on, I am realising it is a good thing that my business is growing slowly, as there is heaps to learn and adapt to along the way.

What do you find most exciting about the industry today?

Access to information and access to technology.  Designers have all the resources they need at their fingertips, and if they can’t figure something out or afford something they need, it is possible to collaborate and innovate to get a solution.

What role do you think design will play in the future? What are its potentials and its challenges?

While access to information is great, it means that everyone has similar information, so designers need to be more innovative and creative that ever before to be successful and remain unique.  It might be one of the best times to be a designer, but also the most challenging.  I think there is a lot of potential in collaborating and talking with other designers and learning from each others approaches.  My boyfriend studies game design, which I love talking about with him.  It is a fascinating industry to me because of what is being produced by small time, indie studios doing amazing things, such as creating complex algorithms that mimc nature to generate diverse, never ending universes, so they don’t have to employ 300 staff to create artwork and programming for something so detailed.  I think its amazing!

If you could get access to anything in the world, what would it be and how would you change it?

I would want everyone in the world, from all countries to be able to contribute and access information related to technology and design.  So many designers are really protective about how they make things, but I think that is not a good way forward and people should share everything so that design can keep getting more innovative and extraordinary.

Image: ‘Pozo’ by Yolanda Zarins – Chris Phelps Photography

If I was to give you a piece of fabric what would you do with it? Quick! 

I would use it as a chance to play and experiment! I have a lot of fabric in the studio most of the time, but it all gets made into products I need to sell.  I don’t have the luxury of testing new things all the time, making mistakes and happy accidents, but it is the funnest part of the design process.

What are you looking forward to?

I am applying for a grant at the moment to get a sample quantity of my designs printed into yardage by an Australian studio so I can have a go at wholesaling my designs to trade customers for interior decorating and soft furnishings.  A year ago this was a far away dream of mine, but getting time to get stuck into my business and make plans has got me closer to the goal a lot faster than I thought possible.

Thanks Yolanda for taking the time to share with us your insights – we’ll be following future projects with keen interest!

Follow Yolanda’s practice (and of course buy her products online!) via all the links:

Web: Yolandazarins.com

blog:  http://yolandazarins.blogspot.com.au/

instagram: @yolandazarins

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yolandazarinsdesigns

The post BATD Alumni – Yolanda Zarins appeared first on RMIT.

Marie-Lauren shares a little with us about what she’s been up to since, with the recent launch of her own studio – MLR Creative Studio including a feature in Fashion Journal #149:

Image: courtesy MLR Studio 

‘MLR can be described as unconventional simplicity, entangled in a chaotic mash-up of tiny details.’ 

- Marie-Lauren Romano, 2014

What is your current role? 

Owner/Designer of MLR Creative Studio

Marie-Lauren Romano [MLR] is a contemporary creative with an innate passion and appreciation for art and design. The culmination of MLR was born through years of exploring techniques, design principals, mediums and various skillsets. Each piece is unique & handmade, resulting in one-of-a-kind artefacts.  In essence ‘MLR’ is an extension of Marie’s spontaneous approach to creativity, design and surface creation. Marie has an ardent interest in contemporary jewellery, interior styling, fashion and Melbourne’s café culture.

Tell me a little bit about your background – how did you come to textiles and where has it led you?

Marie-Lauren is a formally trained textile designer, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (Textile Design) in 2012. Working across multiple mediums and projects she has always been fascinated by the interplay of colour combinations, and the emotion she could create through a unique surface. Recently launching MLR Marie’s current disciplines of focus are silver smithing  (lost wax casting) and mixed media painting (abstract).  The magic of a surface invites Marie, with each blank canvas acting as an endless possibility. Not afraid to push boundaries, Marie trials non-traditional methods and mediums in non-conventional compositions.

Image: courtesy MLR Studio

 

 

 

 

 

 How do you define your style?

MLR was born through years of exploring techniques, design principals, mediums and various skillsets. Marie-Lauren believes each piece is a celebration of texture, angles, balance and beauty of materiality. Each hand-made piece offers qualities of imperfection that are results of an organic design process. Marie-Lauren rarely plans or sketches and enjoys the experimental nature of creating, embracing unpredictable outcomes. Her style is organic, as she loves the sculptural aspect of making jewellery; her desire is for each piece to be viewed as wearable art, taking on an individual life with its wearer.

Image: ‘original’ collection jewellery by MLR Studio – courtesy MLR Studio

What does a typical working day involve?

 A typical working day for Marie-Lauren involves; starting the day with a long- black (no coffee, no workee) and checking her emails. Marie-Lauren engages in numerous commission orders, which require consistent email exchange with her customers.

She has quite a good schedule in terms of exercise, it makes her feel more focused and ready to tackle the rest of her day. Marie-Lauren is a keen yogi, visiting her favourite studio, Hot Yoga Flame at least three to four times a week, she is thankful for her “me” time and believes her practice keeps her centered.

From there Marie-Lauren generally heads to her studio, which is located in West Melbourne. ‘River Studios’ is a facility run by The City of Melbourne’s Creative Spaces team. It’s a beautiful old warehouse that has been converted into two levels of artist spaces (housing approximately 60 multifaceted artists).

Her space is split into a painting and jewellery area with her main day-to-day responsibilities being creating, experimenting and working on new ideas. Marie-Lauren also oversees the social media and branding strategy; undertaking market research, generating insights and implementing a brand message, ensuring she channels the correct message across multiple platforms.

Are there particular artists or designers you admire? What is it about them that you admire?

Karl Fritsch – Marie-Lauren admires Fritsch for his “grotesque yet beautiful” jewellery designs. Lucy Folk – Folk has managed to cultivate a strong brand following, something Marie-Lauren aims to create for MLR. Kim Victoria – Kim has a beautiful aesthetic that is highly recognizable, you can spot and easily identify Kim Victoria pieces. Mark Rothko – Rothko generated deep meaning through his ‘colour fields.’ His use of colour is empowering, stirring emotion in the viewer, which is an element Marie-Lauren hopes to emulate in her colour play pieces.

How do you stay inspired?

Marie-Lauren is an avid user and contributor to multiple social media platforms such as; Pinterest and Instagram. She gets lost in a visual feast of imagery and exciting new projects, which push her to continue working on personal pieces and upcoming collections.

MLR keeps up with local designers and artists, researching Melbourne creatives on a regular basis. Melbourne is a hub of creative juice, there are so many amazing creatives in her own city which she interacts with, and inspire her to continue working on her brand, in moments of doubt.

What did you take out of your Textile Design training?

Marie-Lauren graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Textile Design) in 2011, which has provided her with a refined creative skillset. She strongly believes Textile Design training contributes to her brands unique point of difference, as she understands the interplay between thinking ‘outside-the-box,’ whilst developing, implementing and building formal brand strategies.

“I have always been at my best when given the opportunity to be creative, thriving on the ability to experiment with new ideas and innovative ways of thinking.” – Marie-Lauren Romano, 2015  

Marie-Lauren is looking forward to building a strong brand message, and hopes to have a strong cult following for MLR . She wants to ensure each piece remains one-off and hand-made as her brand is a push against fast fashion and machine generated perfection.

Find out more about Marie-Lauren’s work via her Website www.mlrcreate.com or by following her on instagram  @mlr_creativestudio

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