Based on the novel by Donna Tartt, ‘The Secret History’ seeks to bring to clothing a clean and uncomplicated modernist aesthetic. At the heart of the collection is a desire to produce quality sustainable fashion garments combined with a philosophy of effortless style. Materials such as organic indigo twill denim and true red organic cottons make for a convincing case that sustainable clothing can embody style. These wardrobe essentials speak to a woman who is at ease in her own skin, with a subtle feminine sensibility, a day-to-night attitude and a desire for comfort. Strong silhouettes in breathable fabrics perfect for the Australian climate – linen/cotton canvas, cotton twill, silk cotton – define the range.

PHOTOGRAPHY Sophie Richards

MAKE-UP Emma-Louise Diamond

HAIR Monique White

MODEL Jessie Nash

The 2012 graduate collection, ‘Metamorphosis’ is about the notion of transition, and the journey from the conception of youth to the blossom of maturity. My designs are based on my own fantasy story, ‘My journey begins when..’ based on eccentric dreams that I had. A young innocent queen enters to the other world through an old abandoned chamber and explores a whole new adventure where she meets her first love. The tragic ending to her love pushes her to the next level of  womanhood. Overall, the collection of the garments are decent, simple, but manipulated with shapes and details to make it look interesting.

PHOTOGRAPHY Shuwei Zhang

MODEL Gabrielle Harland

My graduate collection ‘Wearing Paintings’ was inspired by the tradition of West African wax print cloth and its complicated, colonial history of status, irony and Western ideals. Using watercolours for the initial design and painting of my prints, and incorporating relevant shapes and bold colours, I aimed to reference and explore these traditions in the textiles of my collection while combining them with modern lines and 1920’s men’s sportswear elements.

All pictures

Model: Maya O’Connor

Hair: NONE

Makeup: Jasmine Hunt

Photographer: Rono Kahumbu Turner

In my graduate collection “Candy Coated Voodoo” I explored the world of all things creepy and spooky, and gave it a sickly sweet twist. Embracing my love of the wicked and weird I developed numerous textile prints, along with laser cut leather details to produce a colourful and quirky collection. I love the juxtaposition of something that would normally be considered scary, such as spiders and skulls, done in a candy coated colour scheme yielding something that is fun, and a little bit crazy.

PHOTOGRAPHER Rachel Aust

MODEL Brit Brockhurst

HAIR & MAKEUP Taylor Kimler

My collection plucks random ideas from the past and delivers them in a romantic and innocent way.  I was inspired by The Life Aquatic, Bananas in Pyjamas, André Courrèges, and images of masculinity and seaside life from the 1960s.  In fact, I wanted to look back solely at the 60s and only take the sweet things.  We live in an imperfect world, but we don’t necessarily have to dress with that in mind.  The overall effect is rather odd, but creates a world that empathises with people that do not fit into our own.

This Transeasonal 2013/2014 collection recognizes our human need to ethereally perceive our surroundings, and challenges this notion by exploring the African Landscape through the eyes of its true inhabitants. How a way of life that is all about survival, fear, escape and blood-shed can be ethereally blurred into a majestic landscape of elegance and beauty.

Paige Thorley Designs seek to dress the modern woman in a classic, elegant manner with intricate and subtle detailing being its point of difference.

For this graduate collection I looked into the idea of escapism from a positive perspective. Everyday we use methods of escapism – such as luxury, the touch of soft fabric and the use of character and expression, to escape a little from reality. My collection shows this through a very feminine approach, with soft colours, beading and a focus on the waist, but still holds onto some of the fun that the term “escape” can hold in a daily setting.

MODEL Zoe Penman @Dallys

HAIR & MAKEUP Natasha Dearden

PHOTOGRAPHY Rachel Aust

A Second Skin revolves around the idea that reality and misrepresentation are ambiguous and dependent on the perceptions of the observer.

The way people perceive themselves and the world can distort and pervert their sense of what is­ real. A “second skin” – donned to conceal reality – became a theme in the collection, leading to a visual translation of contrasts and depiction of voyeuristic revelation.

A Second Skin is practical but feminine; conceptual yet wearable; translucent yet concealing. ­

PHOTOGRAPHY Sophie Richards

HAIR & MAKEUP Emma Louise (emmalouisemakeup.com.au)

** “Through a Lens Darkly” by Madhuban Mitra and Manas Bhattacharya