Vic is the designer behind the homewares label Bind | Fold.  Vic uses traditional techniques and natural indigo to dye her small range of bedding and kitchen textiles available through Etsy.  In her spare time, she knits – A lot!  Vic has very generously offered RMIT fashion and textiles students 15% off any workshop bookings – valid until the end of February 2017.  Students can register on the website Bind | Fold using the code ILOVERMIT.  Students will need to present their student card at the start of workshops.

Photo by Annette O’Brien for The Design Files.

We asked Vic to answer a few questions about why she decided to embark on a three year BA textile design degree at RMIT.

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

I’ve always been interested in visual arts, and studied photography at SCA just out of high school in the late 90’s.  I didn’t pursue a creative career and ended up working in IT until 2010 – when I finished work to start a family.  It was when I was at home with a newborn that I really returned to being creative.  I taught myself how to sew and knit, and wanted to design my own printed textiles, but somehow started out dyeing fabric first!  One thing led to another and I started my own label called Bind | Fold where I work mostly with natural indigo to create homewares and accessories using different surface design techniques.

What led you to study textile design at RMIT?

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting a few past students and their work was always incredibly impressive, so I knew I had to come to RMIT and do the BATD myself.  Ever since I heard I could get a degree in knitting it’s been on my mind, and with my son now at school, I thought “why not?”

What is your career dream or goal when you graduate?

It’s really hard to say!  There are just so many things I am interested in.  I’d love to design over the top knitwear, as well as everyday knitwear, but I quite like the idea of working in costume design too!  I’m also quite keen to see the Australian textile industry return to manufacturing at home too, so working with companies to get that happening would be interesting, and no doubt rewarding.

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

I think textile design has the potential to change lives, both on a personal and a social level.  We (as designers) have a responsibility to seek out and / or establish ethical supply chains that work within the planet’s finite resources.  Understanding where a fabric has come from; where it was grown etc., is in my mind, a really important step towards the sustainable and ethical production of all textiles.

Feature Image: Portrait photo by Sean Fennessy for The Design Files 

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Textile Designer Edith Barrett – all images courtesy the designer

Previously featured on the blog whilst still a student for her Pinkey Square collaborations and other extra curricular activities, Edith has certainly carved out a niche for herself in the couple of years since she officially joined the Australian textile and fashion industry.  Joining the team at Longina Phillips in Sydney soon after graduating in 2013, Edith has managed to balance her individual creative practice with the demands of working in one of the industry’s most prolific and high profile studios.

Edith very kindly took time out from an increasingly busy schedule to share her story with us:

Fossick by Edith Barrett

Textile designer, Illustrator and fossicker. Stirred by all things botanical and Australian. Sydney based, with one toe in Hobart and the other in Melbourne.

What is your current role? 

I am currently a Textile Designer at Sydney print design studio, Longina Phillips. I have also been working on some personal design projects outside of work also including a new range of silk headscarves, Fossick. A project that developed from collecting and sketching in the Blue Mountains and Sydney surrounds to create little wearable head museums!

‘King Protea and All His Friends’ – a design from the Fossick collection by Edith Barrett – image courtesy the designer

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

I have had an interest in the natural world, collecting and drawing specimens from when I was a little tacker. Excited by the new life and purpose illustrations have when transferred to fabric I studied Textile Design at RMIT in Melbourne, majoring in screen printed textiles. I travelled to Estonia for a study exchange where I completed hands-on field studies  at the EKA Art Academy. Secluded in an unfamiliar and exciting new world, I had more time and greater freedom to explore my own style there. Post- graduation I moved to Sydney to work at Longina Phillips and relished weekend opportunities to scout the abundance of new flora for me around Sydney.

What does a typical working day involve?

Part one, a bike ride to work, painting/drawing/designing textile prints at Longina, a ride home. Part two, a night of drawing and pottering on personal projects at home with jazz in my ears and mint slice in easy reach!

Edith at work – image courtesy the designer

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

A huge point of inspiration for me is the intrepid paintings and etchings commissioned by explorers and naturalists way back in the day. I have always been drawn to cabinets of curiosities and the more scientific side of botanical illustrations – The life work and dedication of Margeret Flockton, Marianne North and the vast collections of Albertus Seba. I also admire people that are still alive! The work of Sydney artist Caitlin Shearer, banksia veteran Celia Rosser and Russian designer Lesia Paramonova.

How do you stay inspired?

I am constantly inspired, its more having the time to get all my bits and pieces out of my head and into something real. Physical place is what inspires me the most, and a change in scene or a landscape full of new treats to draw always gets my pen twitching!

What are you looking forward to?

There are lots of exciting collaborations on the way. I am teaming up with an talented bunch of textile designers mostly RMIT graduates also, for an exhibition called Sans Souci – An abstract and humorous reimagining of classic travel souvenirs & iconic Australian products. I am also looking forward to a project with emerging label Collie Park Design, Club of Odd Volumes and to finalizing the installation some Australiana wallpapers I have designed. And then…more explorations prints, scarves, and hopefully, some time to work on building The Bush Museum.

For more information on Edith’s adventures, and to purchase from her collections, check out her website: www.edithrewa.com or find her on Instagram

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Sophie is the 2014 recipient of a Cotton Australia Final Year Textiles Undergraduate Project Sponsorship award.

Cotton Australia are the peak body for the Australian Cotton Industry, and their scholarships offer support to students undertaking a final year project relating to the cotton industry. This scholarship has been enabled by the Cotton Catchments Communities Co-operative Research Centre’s Legacy Fund.
Sophie shares with us the details of her award:
“…Cotton Australia offer scholarships to help support fashion and textile students undergoing their final year of study, I applied and was very pleased to be offered a scholarship. My application included a proposal of what I intended to do and how it might benefit the Australian cotton industry, as well as a CV, academic records and the project brief.

Image: Sophie Murphy – screen printed swatch concepts

My application was for the Country Road project producing a series of paper croquis and screen printed swatches for Summer 14/15.

Image: Sophie Murphy – digitally printed swatches for Country Road

Image: Sophie Murphy – Paper croquis concepts for Country Road

The scholarship awarded is up to $3500 paid in three installments, $1000 paid on acceptance of the scholarship, $1500 on completion of the project (receiving a credit or above) and the final $1000 after attending a relevant industry event for example the CSIRO Field to Fabric Course.

This scholarship is going to be a huge help in completing my final project allowing me to take time off work and pay for materials. I highly recommend that future students and current 2^nd year students look into applying next year…”

Congratulations Sophie!

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Image: Sharnee Thorpe

Image: Sharnee’s Knitted jumper for Romance was Born winter 2012

 

Image: Sharnee’s hand drawing and painting

Image: Sharnee’s print designed at Karolina York studio for Rebecca Minkoff, New York fashion week, spring 2014

Image: Print designed at Karolina York studio for Bec and Bridge

Image: Print design for Jamie Fame winter 2014

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For those of you not already aware of the activities of our students in the BA Textile Society, do we have news for you!

This weekend, the lovely ladies at Harvest Textiles have generously given us their space for the BA Textile Society Pop Up shop. Open Saturday 31 August and Sunday 1 September from 10am to 4pm at 512 Lygon Street, East Brunswick.

Image: knitted TV socks by Eileen Braybrook

Image: Mini Succulent clay pots by Alana Costanzo & Camilla Rogers

 Come and support final year RMIT Bachelor of Arts (Textile Design) students in raising funds for the end of year degree show – bri*col*lage – at NO VACANCY Gallery, QV from 5 to 15 December.

Image: Coiled rope bowls by Manna Ly

Image: hand printed tea towels by Pinkey Square

Image: hand printed tote bags by Nina Sepahpour

The pop up shop features hand made textile items by BA textile society members from bags & pencil cases to tea towels, jewellery, stationery, accessories, art prints and wall pieces. There will also be plenty of textile-ees on hand to chat and show the wares across the two days.

Image: hand printed & woven backpack by For Patterns Sake!

Image: knitted and hand printed purses by For Patterns Sake!

Image: hand printed cushion covers by Camilla Rogers

PRESS CONTACT: Lyndall Watson, BA Textile Society E: batextilesociety@gmail.com

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Tanya had a taste of the commercial world whilst still studying, taking a year out in 2011 to undertake a colour and trim design assistant role as part of the cooperative program at GM Holden Colour & Trim. Not content to rest on her laurels, in her final year Tanya took on two additional internships with Megan Park and Ink & Spindle, rounding up her experience at H.A.G. (Maxwell & Williams) at the end of the year. 

Image: Cashmere Petal Pastiche courtesy H.A.G. (Maxwell & Williams)

During her short time in the studio, she developed a hand painted range for the Maxwell & Williams Cashmere collection –  ‘Petal Pastiche’ – which is now in production. After her internship, Tanya moved to Sydney to take up a role at Korda Design. Talk about going places!

Thanks Tanya for taking the time out to talk with us!

Image Tanya D’Souza 2012 : Tanya’s handpainted artwork –  Petal Pastiche for H.A.G.

What is your current role?

At the start of the year I moved to Sydney to accept a role with a custom rugs and carpet design studio working full time as a design consultant. My role includes designing carpets and rugs (of course!) but I’m also heavily involved in project management, marketing and business development.

How do you define your style?

This might sound bizarre but I don’t think I have a signature style. When designing for clients you have to let go of what you want and focus purely on their aesthetic. But if I were to be given free reign to design anything…I think it would involve a lot of indigo and saffron hues and more likely than not a hint of Indian motif and pattern design.
What does a typical working day involve?

One of the main reasons I took this job was because there was never going to be a typical day and that’s exactly how it is. My week often includes, plenty of emails, generating design work and meticulous spec sheets, meetings with clients (latte’s and lunches are all part of the job!), coordinating logistics, installations, marketing and business development
What are the rewards of your job/work?

So far its been a huge learning experience but I’ve quite naturally slipped into the consultancy and client facing nature of the role and I love that I get to take projects through from the concept stage right through to installation of the product in the space.

Working mainly with architects and interior designers is quite inspiring and it’s great when people from different design disciplines work together and achieve such great project outcomes. I also have fabulous colleagues and directors who are a heap of fun to work with but also very motivating and inspiring from a professional perspective.

How do you stay inspired?

The Internet is a necessary evil when it comes to staying inspired. I can’t go past a good blog, designer interview or my daily dose of ‘pinteresting’! When I’m out and about I more often than not (much to the surprise of city folk) stop in the middle of a street to take a quick iPhone photo of an interesting texture, colour or bit of graffiti text I might come across!

What did you take out of your Textile Design training?

I owe majority of my professional success to my textile design training and RMIT Textile Design (proud plug!). Apart from learning technical textile design skills, the course has developed within me a sense of professional discipline. Whether it be mundane things like file management or more nerve racking things like presentation skills, I often find myself reflecting back to how I did things at uni to help me stay sane, organized and efficient at work. 

Find Tanya at Korda Design or the studio blog
Follow Maxwell & Williams on Facebook
 

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Image: The Young Ones project work by Claire Norris

Monday’s studio class was used to build on existing skills learnt in first year to create a series of repeat patterns for either print (digital or screen) or structure.  In Tuesday’s workshop new techniques were delivered and applied to a range of textile swatches, print, knit and weave.

Image: Jenny Ellery on exchange from the Glasgow School of Art developed a fantastic range of kids prints for the independent market. Best of luck with your studies back home Jenny, we will miss you!!

Image: Callum McKay designing for the artistic parent, printed street wear for cool kids.

Image: Shiver me timbers, Emily Chandler channels her inner pirate to develop fantastic playful knits for kids

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Image: Amy Yu makes the most of the fashion illustration (for kids) workshop to generate templates for her knit swatches and hand painted artwork.

Image: Laura Bateman worked with a nostalgic theme and winter pallete, warm knits for little boys.

Image: Sarah Chan is proving to be a master printer, fantastic techniques and attention to detail evident in her range of final swatches.

Image: Lauren Tausend works with a palette inspired by ‘hundreds and thousands’, super sweet for little girls.

Image: Sophie Lew brings Frankenstein into the world of weave, hand woven swatches for kids apparel

The post Recent work – the Young Ones appeared first on RMIT.

 

Alumni Emma Sheehy

 

Part of Emma’s 2011 graduation folio – ‘In Pursuit of a Trail’. Image: Emma Sheehy

What do you find most exciting about the industry today?

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Trevor Oxley (Araluen Artist) & Karan Jones (BATD student)

Emma Lynas, Santa, Lara Hynes (Araluen Art program manager), Luise Adams

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