As Melbourne Fashion Week kicks off, experts from RMIT's School of Fashion and Textiles have weighed in on some of the hot topics facing the industry.
FASHION EDUCATION AND JOBS OF THE FUTURE: Professor Robyn Healy
"As the fashion industry is changing, new jobs are emerging. We are rethinking our connection to clothing and its relationship to the planet.
"A growing number of companies are focusing on sustainability with specific roles are opening up and giving graduates a clear vision of how they can work in that area.
"As we consider what the future fashion graduate will be, we are thinking about technology, circular design and sustainable materials, and designing our programs accordingly.
'Fast fashion' might be something you wear for five days, dig into the backyard and soon it is growing / sprouting.
"People are now designing for 3 - 4 lives of a garment.
"We tend to think of technology as removing jobs - ones that we are familiar with now - but it also creates opportunities for new jobs that are still emerging. Fashion graduates will need to be conversant with technology, but as global citizens, they must develop an understanding of its impact on people and the world."
Professor Robyn Healy is Dean of RMIT's School of Fashion and Textiles. Healy sits on the Board of Directors for the Executive Committee for The Australian Fashion Council, which represents the Australian fashion and textile industry. She also holds a position as Chair of IFFTI (International Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes).
FASHION BUSINESS/RETAIL: Dr Stephen Wigley
"Sometime all we read about is how many shops are closing and problems faced by mainstream fashion retailers. But that's only half the story, because behind the scenes the fashion industry is thriving and as successful as ever.
"Consumers are shifting to buying online and that's causing businesses to rethink and rationalise their stores, but the growth of eCommerce is bringing new jobs to the industry and creating new opportunities for smaller brands to grow.
"At the same time, businesses are being innovative in how they use retail, for example in using pop-ups to promote limited-edition lines or brand collaborations. Others are showcasing their sustainability credentials as Country Road did with its new Chadstone store, which opened earlier this month, and a partnership with Australia Post announced this week to deliver their products in sustainable packaging."
Dr. Stephen Wigley is Associate Dean for Fashion Enterprise at RMIT University. He has a background in brand management and marketing for European and US fashion brands like Hugo Boss and Donna Karan, and his research focuses on how fashion businesses reconcile creative and commercial strategies to develop new products, reach out to new customers, and adapt their brands.
FASHION DESIGN: Dr Ricarda Bigolin
"Key shifts in the global fashion and textiles industry highlight the need to take on more sustainable, ethical and socially inclusive ways of working. An example of this is the significant rise of the resale market in fashion, an antidote to the disposable fashion purchased in low priced 'fast fashion' outlets."
"Fashion designers are now asking more questions around how the industry affects the environment, people and economies around them and consider more deeply how their designs will be used and experienced, and what happens to them after they are no longer worn."
"There has been a significant increase in the fashion designers using reclaimed or recycled materials and this is visible in all different markets globally."
"It is no longer viable to only produce well-designed and crafted fashion products, and this is emphasised in the importance of communication in fashion design practice. An example of this is the significant role of social media in communicating brand values and engaging audiences and the way fashion images and photography are becoming just as integral as the products depicted."
Dr. Ricarda Bigolin is a senior lecturer, designer and researcher in Fashion Design and Associate Dean of Fashion and Textiles Design, at RMIT University, Melbourne. She is an expert in Fashion Design and has numerous collaborations and research projects around new directions in fashion design practice, materials, performance and presentation.
MELBOURNE FASHION WEEK: Kiri Delly
"The Australian fashion industry is increasingly developing its own identity, style and story.
"The 'tyranny of distance' experienced by Australian fashion in the past has diminished thanks to digital technology and strong interest from Asian markets looking for something different to the traditional luxury brands of Europe. They are drawn to Australia's attitude and lifestyle.
"Events such as Melbourne Fashion Week provide great opportunities for the diverse fashion industry and related sectors to connect, reflect, present and celebrate.
"They provide platforms for all levels of the sector - from student designers to emerging, independent to established; as well as other related fields such as film, entertainment, beauty and art to consider, discuss and participate in core industry focuses such as diversity, accessibility, sustainability and business.
"With the Victorian Government in the process of a public consultation on its 2020 - 2024 Creative Industries Strategy; fashion can - and does - play a key role - economically, culturally and socially."
Kiri Delly is the Associate Dean - Industry Engagement for the School of Fashion and Textiles at RMIT University. Her previous roles include CEO of the Council of Textile and Fashion Industries of Australia (TFIA) and General Manager at the L'Or al Melbourne Fashion Festival. She has over 17 years' experience assisting and advising textile and fashion businesses.