The Electrolux Fashion Apprentice competition, which launched online today, is open to all aspiring fashion designers nationwide and will see the winner undertake a six-month, paid apprenticeship with Perry and his team in his Sydney-based studio.
The competition, to be promoted on Arena during the Project Runway TV series for which Perry is also a mentor, will run through to September 26, with the winner to be announced in October and start work before February 2012.
Perry said there may also be the oppportunity for the winning apprentice to stay on as part of his permanent team once the six-month term is over.
“The winner will accompany me and my team during our day-to-day duties, such as assisting with the development of dresses, sourcing fabrics, meeting clients and preparing for and working backstage at my fashion shows. It’s a possibility that this position becomes ongoing, but this is subject to performance, ability to integrate into the existing team, and, of course, the commercial reality at the time as to whether the business can sustain an extra team member following the apprenticeship period,” he said.
This is the first partnership of this kind for Perry, who recently dabbled in real estate with a range of Alex Perry branded apartments in Queensland, and he said he will be looking for someone who is, “passionate, has a strong work ethic and shows great initiative” to take on board.
“Things have become more difficult in recent years in fashion, and I’m at a stage in my career where I have the industry experience and knowledge to really be able to nurture and help kick- start a young designer’s career in this highly competitive industry,” he said.
Daniela Aroche