Adore unique and sustainable clothes? QUT fashion students are opening a pop-up store in Brisbane’s Wintergarden centre to sell ‘slow fashion’ that they have lovingly created out of recycled and repurposed materials.
Fashion lovers will need to get in quick though.
The Capsule Collective store will be open for just three days from Friday, November 1, in Shop G08 on the Wintergarden’s ground level.
Around 250 garments and accessories will be on sale, all designed and made by 43 second-year students as part of their studies for a fashion studio unit this semester.
Unit coordinator Madeline Taylor said the young designers were challenged to come up with a ‘capsule collection’ of four pieces for the shop.
“They have to design and make their collection, develop a sustainability plan, and help fit out and staff the pop-up store – all in one semester,” she said.
“A minimum of 75 per cent of each collection has to be crafted from upcycled or recycled textiles, so the project really does challenge them to think about the whole life cycle of each piece.
“It also gives them the opportunity to test how their brands go in the market. They all do a shift in the shop and they get to see how people respond to their designs.”
Dr Taylor said items on sale would range from cute $2 buttons to an intricate $1000 jacket.
“The students have created a lot of t-shirts and bags and bucket hats – because those are all so on-trend at the moment – but there will also be skirts and jackets and evening wear,” she said.
April Want is one of the fashion students taking part in the project.
“My collection is retrospectively inspired by the ’60s and ’70s,” she said.
“The ‘DadGirl ringer tee' (pictured right) and 'Dad Plaid Blouse' (top of page) both revive this era, while aiming to subvert, challenge and contemporise the gendered expectations of the time.
“I enjoy retrospective fashion – exploring, critiquing, and reimagining the past in a contemporary context.
“My goal is to further derive inspiration from the past and pursue a career in costume design.”
Fashion student Kirsty Chan has created dancewear under her label FabuLEOS as her contribution to the boutique.
Her 'Illusion' collection features the Asymmetry Leotard (below centre), the Off Duty Shirt (below right), the Uneven Skirt and the Shoe Bag (below left).
“My brand ethos is to design dancewear that paves the way for a more sustainable dance industry,” Kirsty said.
“In my collection, I have repurposed old/damaged dance tights and materials from discarded dance shoes. I also used recycled nylon fibres and reclaimed fabrics from The Nest.
“The fashion industry has led us to an environmental crisis. We've come to a point where sustainability should be an integral part of every designer's work.
“The pop-up shop will be a display of the creative and innovative ways that our cohort devised to build a healthier relationship between fashion and the environment.”
The Capsule Collective project has been supported by The Nest, a secondhand haberdashery social enterprise at Brendale that provides students with access to a variety of reclaimed materials.
“The partnership with The Nest has allowed us to dive deep into the concept of up-cycled production,” said student Ruby Cowan, creator of the RHUBSTAR label.
“It has truly amplified our ability to experiment and think critically about how we can design in a way that reduces environmental impact.”
Dr Taylor said the pop-up store project gave the students valuable experience in designing, making and marketing their own garments – and could also have very tangible outcomes for their careers.
“We’ve done this for four years now and we have amazing success each year with students selling their work,” she said.
“We’ve also had people come into the pop-up and love particular collections so much that they say we’ll stock you in our store.”
An industry-only opening night on October 31 will also give the students the chance to network with Brisbane fashion scene identities.
The Capsule Collective store will be open Friday, November 1 (9am to 9pm), Saturday, November 2 (9am to 5pm), and Sunday, November 3 (10am to 4pm) at the Wintergarden in the Queen Street Mall, in Shop G08 on the ground level, next to Sheike.
Main image at top: Saxon Want wearing Opposite Ends, designed by April Want.
QUT Media contacts:
- Mechelle McMahon, media@qut.edu.au
- After hours, 0407 585 901 or media@qut.edu.au
