A very Victorian moment

Boasting purpose-built facilities in the heart of the city, the launch of Whitehouse Institute of Design's Melbourne branch marks a new era in its history, writes Belinda Smart.

So far 2008 has been quite a year for Whitehouse Institute of Design managing director Leanne Whitehouse. The institute not only clinched a deal to host fashion reality TV show Project Runway, it executed the feat at spanking new Melbourne premises.

Aside from its role in a TV moment, the opening of the Melbourne campus' doors at 672 Bourke Street on July 21 doubtless elicited a collective sigh of relief from Victorian and southern state students.

"We were continually being asked when we were opening in Melbourne. As this was part of our long term business plan it seemed a logical progression to link the opening with the timely opportunity to host Project Runway," says Whitehouse.

The establishment of the Melbourne branch as a "flagship" campus - featuring a state-of-the-art fit-out, computer labs, design studios, administration offices and a top notch library - will bring national recognition to the Whitehouse brand as a whole, she adds, readily granting that Melbourne's oft-mooted fashion status has a key role to play in this coming of age.  "A surprising number of Western Australian, Tasmanian and Queensland students prefer Melbourne to Sydney because of its rich cultural and design history. It is the fashion and design capital of Australia."

Clearly the institute has no time for competitive jostling between its two campuses however; all Sydney and Melbourne students will be able to exchange semesters in either city, to the benefit of both. Meanwhile aspiring Melbourne designers will have access to Whitehouse's Bachelor of Design, with specialisations in fashion design, interior design and styling and creative direction, as well as full time or part time attendance options. Successful graduates will also have the opportunity to take up scholarships in Florence, Italy, to study master craftsman programs.

In Whitehouse's view, the new Melbourne facilities will play an important role in one of the biggest current challenges for design educators; the balance between theoretical design and the practical realisation of a design aesthetic.

"The most important skills an aspiring fashion student needs to learn are an ability to understand and discuss historical and cultural influences on fashion and reinvent that knowledge to synthesise with current fashion trends and predicted areas of commercial interest for the industry. These skills need to be equally practised, with expert patternmaking and garment construction skills and traditional drawing and rendering skills." Whitehouse's unique selling point in imparting these skills will be its interdisciplinary approach, she says.

"It differs from other design schools because it sees design as a holistic [fusion] between fashion, interior design and styling. They are intrinsically linked and all feed off each other. Our three-year degree offers core subjects and areas of specialisation in the students' primary area of interest."

Students will also clearly benefit from the fact that the building of the new site necessitated a complete re-think.
"We have had the opportunity to build a purpose-designed space that serves all our needs, whereas Sydney has grown with our needs. We are extremely proud of our new premises, which are located centrally at Melbourne's travel hub, with trains, trams and buses all terminating at Southern Cross Station across the road."

And there's more good news ahead. Early 2009 will see the institute take over the fifth floor of the heritage listed Mail Exchange building on the corner of Bourke and Spencer Streets. At this stage further design classrooms, administration offices and purpose-built runway and exhibition spaces will be added, along with a rooftop garden and BBQ area, boasting a terrace with views over Southern Cross station, the bay and Docklands development.

The institute's boons will not be limited to students however. Local designers will also benefit from its close links to industry, with its premises to be available to local and interstate designers for showings. "We believe this is a win-win for students, designers and retailers because of the business contact flow between all sections of the industry."

No doubt she also hopes the surge of optimism ushered in by the Melbourne opening will be a boost for design educators. At the very least its capacious, freshly decked out premises could perform another much dreamed-of function.

"If I were Premier for a day I would hold a huge lunch for all State and Federal Ministers for Education to discuss the overbearing load of compliance placed on all educators, but especially design educators. After 37 years in design education in both the private and government sectors, [I believe] the compliance issue is killing the creative energy of this industry. Were we permitted to deliver design education with limited compliance there would be more people interested in teaching as a career and students would benefit from the extra financial resources that could be put into libraries, facilities and international exchange programs."

By Belinda Smart