RMIT's mid-year send off

Recent weeks have seen the 2006 graduates of RMIT University's mid-year intake celebrating completion of a two-year diploma of textile clothing and footwear, with a dazzling catwalk event.
Dubbed 'Behind the Seams' and hosted in the cool surrounds of Sydney Road bar Don't Tell Tom - a stone's throw from RMIT's Brunswick campus - the evening featured a fashion parade and exhibition showcasing a broad range of creations from graduating students.
Comprising artwork, projects and industry-based exercises as well as the finished garments, each body of work illustrated the distinctive style and character of its designer; and according to graduate Alexis Flint the range represented was phenomenal.
"The parades included everything from the very alternative to the very conservative, ranging from casual streetwear to businesswear. Some of the stuff was pretty 'out there'," she confirmed.
"I put some designs for cocktail dresses in but there were also jackets and co-ordinates. It was pretty much a culmination of everything the students had worked on during their time on the course, both in school and in their own time."
Flint has already been snapped up by Melbourne distributor Icon Clothing and is now working as a production assistant across a host of well-known jeans labels including Lee, Wranglers, Riders, Mustang and Weekenders.
Much of the job involves liaising with offshore manufacturers, for which the RMIT's strong global component and broad based skill-building components have stood her in good stead.
"This is pretty much my dream job. I've always wanted to be behind the scenes and while it would be great to design my own label one day I'm really enjoying the production assistant role for Icon; it covers everything, from design to production to sales and marketing."
Other RMIT graduates had gone on to solid industry placements, with two of Flint's co-graduates clinching roles at Melbourne women's fashion company The Ark, where they were currently building their patternmaking and sampling skills, she confirmed.