New kids on the block

Meet the fresh-faced fashion graduates who are already taking the industry by storm.

It’s not often one is lucky enough to embark on an around the world trip, soaking up the lush, green fields of Scotland and strutting down New York’s renowned fifth avenue, but one fateful Friday night, we were taken on an international feast for the senses.

No, I’m not documenting an episode of The Amazing Race; I’m talking about the 2011 QUT Fashion Graduate Parade. Making their catwalk debuts, 23 budding young designers put everything on the line, revealing their 6-piece collections in the runway extravaganza, 6ix. 

With collections of up to three years in the making, the heat was really on for these designers as they revealed their collections in a full-scale production.

culture was lucky enough to head backstage before catching all the action from the front row.

Having done this one too many times, we’d prepared ourselves to walk into a scene reminiscent of a Lover sample sale, where trying to get interviews is harder than snapping up the Serpent Lace Dress in a size 8, however we were surprisingly greeted by a sea of calm… and a glass of champagne.

 Backstage a fashion show is chaotic at the best of times, but when it’s a show featuring 23 different designers that’s been three years in the making, the heat is really on… or so we thought. The young designers were cool, calm and collected as they bustled backstage splitting their focus between their models, show directors, stylists and media. 

Following hot on the heels of last year’s graduates whose designs have adorned the pages of glossies from New York to Italy, these pioneering young professionals are already making names for themselves, showing their collections in established fashion weeks around the country and working for design houses including Cue.

Having already cracked their way into this merciless industry these young guns are definitely ones to watch, whose names we expect to be popping up in lights all about town.

 Keep your eyes peeled in our February//March issue for more hot goss on these gunning graduates.

6IX: Graduate Fashion Show 2011
Queensland University of Technology

Words // Phoebe Parsons
Images // Michael Greves