Fashion First

A unique new wool knit fabric has become for Brisbane designer Pina Fiorenza what basic jersey was for Chanel - an unexpected success. Well-known in Queensland fashion circles for her bridal collections, Fiorenza was recently approached by the Creative Industries Skills Council to use a new pedestrian fabric in her eveningwear collections. Developed after many years of research by Australian wool growers, the wool jersey knit fabric - dubbed Micron Knit - is made from microfibres of merino sheep wool yet achieves the "drape-ability" previously only achieved by more classic fabrics such as crepe de chine or soft velvet. Having received federal funding for the initiative, Fiorenza debuted the collection during a wool parade in Brisbane late last month.