An Australian fashion graduate is set to join the star company of Stella McCartney, Roberto Cavalli and Collette Dinnigan.
Discount department store Target has revealed it is set to offer one talented fashion graduate $25,000 and the opportunity to create a ‘Designers for Target’ collection.
The retailer, a presenting partner of the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival (VAMFF) 2014 National Graduate Showcase, today confirmed that it has extended its pledge to the winner of the award.
In a first for the program, Target managing director Stuart Machin said the successful graduate and winner of the accolade will now also receive a $25,000 grant towards furthering their career. The winner will also be offered the opportunity to create a ‘Designers for Target’ collection to be sold in stores nationally.
“We have a great history of successful partnerships with some of the world’s most celebrated fashion designers and as we relaunch this program with some very exciting upcoming announcements over the next few weeks and months, it presents an amazing opportunity for one of our graduates to be amongst those names,” Machin said.
The ‘Designers for Target’ program has previously seen the retailer work with world renowned designers such as Stella McCartney, Roberto Cavalli and Collette Dinnigan.
“Our history of working with designers of this calibre puts us in a great position to really help the future fashion designers in this country.”
The 12 National Graduate Finalists were announced this week as part of the event with students from across Victoria, NSW and Queensland included in this year’s shortlist.
The 2014 National Graduate Showcase finalists include: Anna-Marie Gruber, University of Technology Sydney, Chin Hau Tay, RMIT, Edwina Sinclair, Queensland University of Technology, Gabrielle Brown, RMIT, Juliette Booth, RMIT, Lillian Chan, University of Technology Sydney, Molly Younger, RMIT, Roxane Chan, University of Technology Sydney, Tan Thanh Trieu, RMIT, Victoria Thaniotis, RMIT, Wing Chiang, University of Technology Sydney and Yan Wang, RMIT.
The finalists were selected by a panel of industry judges including: VAMFF CEO Graeme Lewsey, Christine designer and owner Christine Barro; National Gallery Victoria curator Katie Somerville, runway stylist Kate Gaskin, and two team members from Target’s senior leadership team.
The recipient of the collaboration and grant opportunity will be selected by a combination of panel judges and a public online vote at target.com.au.
Commenting on the coup, Lewsey said the grant and opportunity to work with Target will help set up a long term career for the winning finalist.
“The festival welcomes the grant and additional support Target is providing through this program. Such a commitment will launch a career in ways graduates could only dream of and we are so proud that we can be a part of this.”
The National Graduate Showcase collections will be revealed on the runway as part of the VAMFF program on Saturday 22 March at 7pm.