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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Open Day is fast approaching! (seems like old times…) So it’s time for all prospective students (and those of you just wanting a good sticky beak) to make your plans to visit us on Sunday August 11 at Brunswick (*and now on the City campus for added BATD-ness!)

City campus – B8, level 10, auditorium

2012 graduates Annick & Jess on our Open Day stall – Image courtesy RMIT DSC marketing

Some of the products you may find at the BA Textile Society stall – Image courtesy BA Textile Society

Come and see the BATD studios in full technicolour panoramic vision!

And of course, we can’t resist replaying the fantastic Workroom video produced by the 2012 graduates (credits for the production team below)

Workroom from a + b = c on Vimeo.
Directed, shot, edited & post production sound by Michael Quinlan.
Music by Tim Harvey
Executive Producer Elise Cakebread
Featuring: Meaghan McLeish, Jessica Fitzgerald, Tara Whalley, Sophie Curtain, Edith Barrett

Prospective students & BATD staff at our School’s Experience Day in July getting a preview of Open Day

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Here’s one we prepared earlier … Demonstration Floral Portfolio by Emma Lynas and Jacqui Baxter – floral studies and experimentation with mixed media techniques

The eternal floral textile design style stole the show in studio last semester.  

Student work: Camilla Stirling

Once again we were very fortunate to have Jacqui Baxter with us to share her expertise in botanical painting and ink / watercolour rendering.  Jacqui trained in South Africa and has been working as a textile designer in Melbourne for the past 15 + years.  She has covered pretty much all bases, having worked in apparel and homewares, always with a paintbrush in hand!   

Jacqui Baxter at work in the studio with the second year group

Julianna McKinley, a knit graduate from 2008 who has since gone on to do a course in floristry, joined us at the start of the project to demonstrate how to create posies and buttonholes (both of which have direct relevance to textile design), and generally talked students through how to group flowers and foliage together.  

Julianna (far right) discusses the finer points of floral styling with second year students (L- R)  Lisa, Manna, Amanda and Eileen

Sample Floral arrangement by Julianna McKinley

We discussed the role of symbolism when choosing flowers for special occasions, Julianna mentioned that Kate Middleton was very specific about her bouquet, wanting lily of the valley for trust, and renewed happiness, hyacinth for constancy, and myrtle for tradition (it has been in every royal bride’s bouquet since Queen Victoria married in 1840).

Second years Manna and Camilla putting together an arrangement for study

Second year student Leah at work in the studio – quick sketches and line

Progressive line study – work in progress

The work below shows a selection of pieces from a number of floral portfolios, developed to showcase individual students ability in respect to; technique, creativity, use of colour and experimentation within the floral style.

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Rebound Books – image courtesy RMIT Link Arts & Culture

Magnificent Macrame – image courtesy RMIT Link Arts & Culture

The Clothing Exchange – image courtesy RMIT Link Arts & Culture

The Clothing Exchange 3pm–5pm
Bring unwanted fashion to swap with others in a treasure trove of frocks, knits and accessories. 

Fashion & Textiles Open Studio – image courtesy RMIT Link Arts & Culture

 

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Linda Jackson discusses the evolution of her practice – from hand generated to new adventures in digital print

Demonstrating the details and elements of a scarf design

Linda and workshop participants discuss the evolution of textile printing practice – from hand to digital and beyond

One of the most exciting aspects was that participants had the opportunity to handle work from Linda’s extensive archive.  Usually textile works are carefully conserved in a museum setting, this collection has been put together by Linda to allow for hands on interactions to literally get a feel for the textiles.

DIA Councillor Marie Larkin and others get hands on with the archive

BATD final year students Esther, Megan and Lori discuss the detail and techniques in Linda’s work

Handpainted and dyed dress from Linda’s extensive collection of garments

Detail of one of Linda’s stencil printed garments – Waratahs & Banksia

Opal outfit – hand printed, painted, dyed, felted and stitched

An overview of the collection

 After an inspiring morning’s discussion and demonstration, workshop participants got their hands dirty – returning to hand generated mark making using a range of media and techniques to create croquis concepts for digital translation

BATD students Jodi & Megan at work

DIA Textile Practice Group members Adrienne, Jane, Ute & Dianne enjoyed the creative play – opportunity to experiment

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$25 contact patricia.brien@rmit.edu.au

See the full schedule of workshops here:

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