In December 2010, Cultures In Between profiled three highly talented graduates of the Fashion Design programme at the The University of Technology, Sydney. In Annika Pol, Bronwyn O’Brien and Jacquelyn Wellington, all three have been advancing their careers with some momentous junctions propelling them into stepping stones of become an Australian fashion designer. Each records a 8 month reflection since December until now:

Bronwyn O’Brien and Jacquelyn Wellington (from left pictured)

BRONWYN O’BRIEN
Over the last 7-8 months I felt that it was very important to push my work and myself and my work out into the wider industry. Given the time, money and dedication that goes into creating a collection for final year it seemed a relevant time to use the collection to help me gain local and international exposure.

I had already been listed as a finalist for the AINYFF (Australians in New York Fashion Foundation) and was able to present my work to a panel of New York based fashion industry professionals such as Malcolm Carfrae and Brana Wolfe. While I wasn’t awarded one of the two prizes, it was an amazing opportunity to have been able to present my work to the panel and to meet the other finalists who were all amazingly talented in their own fashion fields.

Beyond that competition I entered my work into the InStyle style scholarship award for which I was shortlisted, the Australian Wool Fashion Awards (TAWFA) in which I won second place and the Italian fashion competition Mittelmoda in which I came second , receiving the Sistema Moda Italiana award for experimentation and research. Being involved with Mittelmoda was an amazing experience at which I presented my work to a large panel of Italian designers, media, agents and others involved with the Italian and global fashion industries. Being awarded the SMI award was an amazing way to have my work recognized as experimentation and research were two parts of my design process that I felt were very important and influential on my work.

Workwise, before heading to Italy for Mittelmoda I was working with a small fashion sales agency representing labels such as Marnie Skillings and Karla Spetic which was a great introduction back into the local fashion industry, after having been somewhat removed from it during the last year of uni. After Mittelmoda I really felt that it was time I found my way back into the studio and found work as a design assistant. I was lucky enough to be contacted by Ginger & Smart about a design/production assistant role which I then interviewed for and started in as soon as I returned from my Mittelmoda trip. So, currently I am the design and production assistant at the Ginger & Smart team and am learning huge amounts working for an amazing Australian label.

ANNIKA POL
Since graduating I have endeavoured to create new work that continues to explore the dynamic between fashion and art. I have also started to experiment in new mediums, teaching myself how to work with resin and latex.

I recently collaborated on a short film with a team of emerging creatives, creating body props and sculptures working with these new materials. The result is online on my blog- annikapol.blogspot.com

Working with resin has been a real learning curve, it’s fascinating to see how an idea evolves in a different medium. It’s very different to working with cloth and opens up new possibilities which has been really exciting. I think I must be mad, my first attempt was highly ambitious given I have never worked in the medium before!

Aside from this I’m on the job hunt, but in the mean time I have plently of ideas I want to develop to build my portfolio.

JACQUELYN WELLINGTON
At the beginning of this year I got my portfolio together and started applying for masters programs in Europe – my goal is to work in Europe so this is the next step- at the same time as working as a freelance design assistant for Camilla and Marc leading up to fashion week. As part of my masters applications I designed another 6 look collection based on Russian folk clothing, and constructed a piece for that collection for my portfolio.

Jacquelyn preparing her photoshoot for her master programme applications – Photography by Absorb.net.au

In June, I was chosen for the final round of the L’Institut Français de la Mode master fashion design program in Paris, which involved designing accessories for my previous collections, designing and constructing another garment based on the theme given to me, making a short film in which I presented my portfolio and my new garment (a coat) and a telephone interview – all in 2 weeks! The next day they called me to let me know I was accepted, so I’ll be moving to Paris at the end of August. Pierre Bergé is the president of L’Institut Français de la Mode and the patrons include brands like Hermes, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Dior Couture, so I’m extremely excited about the opportunity to be a part of this program and work directly with these amazing French fashion houses!

For further information please contact Cultures In Between: contact@culturesinbetween.net
Video and film production by Chiara Bianchino of Absorb