Artista — Autumn 2016

In Interior Design

the hot hot heat & MORE!

HIT THE ZENITH

2016

THE ART OF CLASS

Sweet Little Lies

AUTUMN

ex-miner strikING fashion gold

ARTISTA MAGAZINE Produced by the Australian Institute of Creative Design

Where creative people become creative professionals.

Gold Coast Campus 14/475 Scottsdale Drv, Varsity Lakes. Q 4227 07 5593 8335 admin@aicdedu.com.au Brisbane Campus 29 Amelia St, Fortitude Valley. Q 4006 07 3854 1395 brisbane@aicdedu.com.au

WWW.AICD.EDU.AU

v

Editor’s Letter

I

t’s a privileged position I find myself in. Watching the birth of a new generation of talented creative professionals. Hearing their stories first-hand.

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THE ART OF CLASS

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Seeing their passion and being able to shine a

brief spotlight on them to inspire other young creatives

as they eagerly join the long line of future graduates here at the Australian Institute of Creative Design.

Colleges like this one offer such a valuable platform for tomorrow’s creative professionals. My own journey to where I am now—finally enjoying a deeply satisfying

creative career—was long and extremely challenging. By

stark contrast, most students here seem to find their feet so quickly, and step out so surely, enjoying such a straight

and solid path that their studies and trainers here have

EX-MINER STRIKING 22 FASHION GOLD

helped them discover.

The number of impressive student stories I hear and worldclass work I see increases every single day. I’m constantly surprised at the sheer volume of real greatness that has grown and bloomed in our classrooms and beyond.

PHOTOGRAPHY’S 28 EARLY RISERS

Of course, it would be terribly amiss of me to celebrate the students and ignore the fact that we have some absolutely incredible trainers here too. Not only are many of them

top-tier industry members in their own right, bringing to

the table an unmistakable flood of experience and skill, but

HIT the ZENITH 36

also their commitment and care often goes well above and beyond to bring unique, remarkable opportunities and full support to their students whenever possible.

It might sound like I’m gushing a little too much. Perhaps I am. But it’s not a matter of bias. I’ve seen a lot in the

THE HOT HOT HEAT 48

creative world, and what I see here makes me genuinely proud to be a part of it.

Matt C. MATT CUMMING, DIGITAL MANAGER, AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF CREATIVE DESIGN

& MOdReE! insi

make-up

First Pirates, then Kong, and now... australian institute of creative design students were given exciting opportunities on-set of two recent blockbuster movies ...and now a third has been confirmed!

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T

hanks to some of our remarkable industry connections and the known quality of our specialst makeup students, the Australian Institute of Creative Design has

had a very exciting 18 months.

Last year, a team of lucky students joined our head of specialist makeup, Danielle Fredericks, as a secret on-set makeup crew for Pirates of the Carribean. Then this year Danielle took yet another fortunate group to work on-set for a week of filming the upcoming Kong blockbuster.

“This was an absolutely incredible experience. Not only did I get to assist key artists with prosthetic makeup application, I also had the opportunity to go out on-set and see the magic in action!”

JORDAN JOHANNESSEN, GRADUATE

And now it has been confirmed that a select group of our students will be offered a similar incredible experience on a THIRD blockbuster movie. We can’t reveal what it is yet, but it’s going to be HUGE, and we’re extremely excited, so stay tuned!

“The quality of makeup coming out of the Australian Institute of Creative Design is obscenely good.”

MATT LEASEGANG, PHOTOGRAPHER

LOVE TO LEARN SPECIALIST MAKEUP? CHECK OUT OUR COURSES ONLINE AT WWW.AICD.EDU.AU/MAKEUP AUTUMN 2016

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fashion styling

Sweet Little Lies

A talent for subtle storytelling goes a long way in the world of styling and photography. Here we feature some great moments created by the Australian Institute of Creative Design’s 2015 fashion styling students.

LOVE A CAREER IN STYLING? CHECK OUT THE COURSES AT WWW.AICD.EDU.AU/STYLING

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Interior design

THE ART OF CLASS In Interior Design

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Recently we caught up with 2015 Student of the Year, Rose Sorkheh, for a chat about her journey to a promising interior design career...

INTERVIEW BY MATT CUMMING PHOTOS/DESIGNS BY ROSE SORKHEH

Tell me about your overall learning experience at the Australian Institute of Creative Design — what was that like for you?

I want to go back to AICD, I miss it so much. It was

great — great students and great teachers. I learned a lot in a short amount of time and it felt like we were a family — we all helped each other and

learned even more from that. Britt Ayling (the head

teacher of interior design) helped and supported me a lot and I’m very thankful for that.

Did you have any challenges along the way?

Ohhh yes I did! English is my second language and

that in self was a challenge. When we had presenta-

tions I was full of stress but I believed I had done my best and that would give me the confidence to speak about my design and get good results.

I was planning to move to Melbourne, so I decided

to go for a holiday first. I went to the USA and then

Iran, where I come from — it was so much fun. I love traveling and seeing different places.

Has interior design always been something you wanted to do, and what sparked that desire?

bank and I could not exit Iran... It’s a long story but it

I remember I was only 9 years old and I designed a

However things got sorted out — my bank found out

floor to ceiling joinery unit for my bedroom. I hated the ordinary 3 door wardrobe in my bedroom and I wanted something unique so I drew what I wanted

that it was all a mistake and I was able to come back to Australia.

I was 2 projects behind. Each project normally takes

That’s where I started. I could see my imagination

only 3.5 weeks.

come to life and that was the best feeling.

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took a month and I was so behind with my projects.

on a piece of paper and gave it to my mum. The next day she told me someone was getting it built for me.

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But I got into trouble due to a mistake made by my

about 4 weeks each, but I got both of them done in

“I love simple designs. Simplicity frees your mind and never dates.”

Yes, I was told you caught up, did some exceptionally good work, and then went on to be awarded student of the year. How did that feel to achieve so much?

I love what I do and didn’t feel that I was under pressure to get all of it done in a short amount of time, and I also got to know myself better. Now I know

designers and work internationally. I’ve been working at Dreamtime for 3 months now and I have gained so much experience already.

How are you finding it — both culturally and with language challenges? Is it hard, or are people more interested in the quality of work than anything else?

that I’m capable of more and I love new challenges. It

Well my English is not that bad haha, but you know

that I was the student of the year... I felt like I was

don’t even know where Iran is and they only know

feels good to be who you want to be and when I hear

some people can be difficult to deal with. People

going to fly… Unfortunately I can’t design wings!

it’s somewhere in the middle east and they think

And what are your plans for the future now?

When I graduated from AICD I moved back to Sydney and started my own freelance interior

design business, Calia Interiors. I wanted to gain

more experience so I applied for interior designer

positions. I found Dreamtime Australia Design and I

really wanted to be a part of their team. I got the job and I’m very proud to be there. They are world class

it’s all about war. Iran is a beautiful country with

beautiful nature, full of love, art, culture and great

artists. You have to see the ancient architecture! It’s

amazing, but I just can’t explain that to every person who asks me where I come from.

I’ve been very lucky to meet people who were open to learn more about different cultures and cared about the quality of my work at the same time.

To me it doesn’t matter who comes from where —

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what counts is who they are what they’re capable of!

Does Iran offer the same sort of opportunities for learning and working as an interior designer, or is that something that has worked out well for you being here in Australia?

Yes they do, but finding work is a lot harder in Iran.

It’s got a population of [over] 77,000,000 so you can imagine!

I liked the Leonardo da Vinci quote you shared on Facebook: “Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication”. Is that something you aim for in your design work?

Yes, I love simple designs. Simplicity frees your mind and never dates.

So true. It’s something I strive for too in my design work too and it can be surprisingly difficult to do well sometimes. Do you have any other goals with your work?

Well I’ve got a long way to go but my goal is to inspire people.

Looking at some of your work I think that you’re probably already achieving that to some extent?

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Yes, when I hear positive comments on my work from people around me I know I’m on the right path, but I want my work to “wow” people so, as I said, I’ve got a long way to go.

Is interior design your only creative outlet, or do you do other things as well?

I love photography. It’s one of my hobbies. I also love fashion and fashion design. Sometimes I sketch my dream dresses and casual wear hoping that I will

find someone to get it made for me, haha. I’ve done

a bit of modeling too but now I don’t have time for it anymore :D

Yes I imagine you’re pretty busy with your new career! ... So, finally, is there anything else you’d like to share?

I’d just like to thank AICD for providing such professional service and being a very supportive and friendly team.

TO SEE MORE OF ROSE SORKHEH’S WORK, CHECK OUT CALIAINTERIORS.WEEBLY.COM FOR OPTIONS & INFORMATION ABOUT LEARNING INTERIOR DESIGN, VISIT WWW.AICD.EDU.AU/INTERIOR

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make-up

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SOME EXTRAORDINARY MAKEUP WORK BY UBER-.

TALENTED GRADUATE, JENNA-LEE TREMBATH-LOVALL..

DO YOURSELF A HUGE FAVOUR AND CHECK OUT MORE OF. HER INCREDIBLE WORK AT WWW.THEKREETURES.COM. AUTUMN 2016

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fashion business

EX-MINER STRIKING FASHION GOLD After digging deep with his “no matter what” attitude, Nikke Horrigan has successfully launched his own label & is starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

INTERVIEW BY MATT CUMMING FEATURING DESIGNS BY NIKKE HORRIGAN

B

efore finding his feet in fashion, Nikke Horrigan was almost literally a jack of all trades: boiler-mak-

ing, plumbing, tiling, trainee aircraft technician in the Navy and, finally, underground mining. Then he packed it all in, flew half way across the world and began an entirely

something more... I wanted to see the world a little too and I thought the navy would

give me that, but I had a lot of trouble with it because I didn’t like getting told what to do and how to dress.

Then after mining for a few years I decided

new trade...

that I can’t do a fashion business part-time,

“From the very start I was pushed in that

quit mining after my last project.”

trade direction because my old man was a

blue-collar worker, but I really wanted to do something different — I felt like there was

it has to be a full-time gig. So I decided to

FROM TOE-DIPPING TO TAKING THE PLUNGE It’s a classic case of ‘leap and the net will appear’. After dabbling with the idea for a while, Nikke realised he had to simply jump in and make it happen, regardless of the obstacles. It may have been a mixture of blind faith and bulldozer, but it’s definitely starting to pay off.

“On the side I always wanted to do fashion

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and what-not.

Working in the mining industry you might be working for a few months on one job

then have a few months break, so I found a

gap between where I flew over to China and found a factory.... It’s really funny because

the guy who owns the factory is an Australian and we went to the same school in Ipswich. So I’d struggled all the way over the

other side of the world only to find someone from the same school as me [laughs].

I didn’t know what I was doing — literally

walking the streets, banging on people’s factory doors. I thought that people would be able to speak English — that’s how naïve I was.

Then I met a Chinese girl who was able to

help me because she studied in America, and

she texted me the different questions I wanted to know, like “how much is a minimum or-

because it’s something that I really enjoyed

der?”, in Chinese. So I’d walk up to a factory

a year ago. I was sort of on and off with it

nod and I’d work it out that way.”

and I was sort of doing it part time maybe NIKKE HORRIGAN

— making a few samples, selling a few hats

and point at the mobile phone, and they’d

“I didn’t know what I was doing — literally walking the streets, banging on people’s factory doors.

I thought that people would be able to speak English — that’s how naïve I was.”

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EMBRACING CREATIVITY, IGNORING THE NAYSAYERS & GETTING THE RIGHT GUIDANCE

Design’s Fashion Mentoring Program, has built

Perhaps there’s something in the idea of

“The funny thing is that I’m working from

‘destiny’ after all, because despite being endlessly dragged around David Jones, Myer and numerous other clothing stores in his youth, Nikke actually fell for the creative allure of fashion rather than hating the sight of coat-hangers and clothes racks as some young boys may have done under similar circumstances. He ended up getting happily lost in the clothing isles rather than sitting sulkily, Nintendo in hand, waiting for the ‘torturous tedium’ to end.

Labeled the ‘pretty boy’ of mining thanks to his natural perfectionist attention to style, this tenacious 27-year old has gone on to push well beyond the bounds of his stereotypical blue-collar community upbringing and, with help from the Australian Institute of Creative

a remarkably solid brand in just a few short months.

because there’s no-one really in my family who’s into fashion design. I didn’t want

to go directly through the whole fashion

home at my parents’, yet my old boy doesn’t even know what I do.

It’s sad because I’m literally in the same

house, starting a business, and you’d really like to share something with him but they don’t understand — well, my dad doesn’t

because he’s old-school. I guess if you told him it’d be just a burden because he’d al-

ways put doubt in you and I never want to

get that sort of vibe. So I told him ‘dad, I’m doing something but don’t worry, I won’t

tell you because you wouldn’t understand, so I’m just gonna leave it’. And he’s like

‘alright then because I probably would be stressing out about it anyway’. [laughs] So I sought out the mentoring program

[diploma] program because I’m not very academic. I get bored pretty quickly. I’m

more of a hands-on sort of person. I just

needed someone to guide me and help me

so I decided to do the mentoring program which helped a lot.

Meeting Grace (the Fashion Business

trainer) and going through the motions

with her was great because she’s already

been through it and can look at it all with

hindsight and help me get through it. It’s a really good relationship.

Previously, I’ve had issues when it came to

things like how many pieces to have in your first collection or how not to procrastinate too much and make quick decisions and

move on to the next thing. Things like that are very vital in a business.”

Success with a simple focus There’s something magical about just doing one thing really well. Some of the most famous businesses have indeed started with just one thing, done it really well and got known for that — then they have a platform to do whatever the hell they want within the expectations set around that brand.

Nikke’s t-shirts and overall branding are no exception to that rule. And since he’s just been going with the flow of what seems right to him he has, knowingly or not, constructed the bones of a brand that already feels like a perfect cultural fit.

“It really came down to who I am, because in Australia it’s

pretty hot and I’ve always been really casual when it came

to fashion. I always had the staple t-shirt and rockin some jeans since I was young. My choice with the shirt was be-

cause, growing up, I’ve always had the tendency to nit-pick and always wanted really good t-shirts, but it was always hard to find because of your body type and what-not.

So I thought I’m going to really just nail this — really concentrate on staples and continue doing that. That was my

whole aim to just concentrate on things like the fitting and

quality of the shirt and go from there — use that as a base.”

“You’ve got brands like Ralph Lauren who started with ties, and Calvin Klein — they’ve all had their hero pieces, and for me, my hero piece is my t-shirts. I think that I’ll really concentrate on them and make them as cool as possible.”

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WHEN HANDS-ON REALLY PAYS OFF Nikke’s clear combination of confidence, focus and drive for perfection says a lot about the future of this young label, but it’s not just a bag of good intentions. He’s been pounding the pavement already — both literally and digitally-speaking — taking a very hands-on approach to promotion, just like he’s done with everything else, but this time also taking a smart approach to building influential relationships in social media circles.

“I’ve been using Instagram and other social media platforms, and reaching out to key

people that are fashion-forward — like my friend down in Sydney who is a fashion

stylist/blogger. He actually was a stylist on the X-Factor and Beauty & The Geek, and has done styling with Jules Sebastian.

So I think that’s what I’ve been doing —

trying to pinpoint key people that are fashion-forward because growing up in my cir-

cle of friends in Ipswich, it’s very blue-collar, 26

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so to be a fashion designer is a bit like out

of the circle and people just don’t really get it around here, so that can be really hard.

That’s another reason why I jumped on the mentoring program because I needed to be around like-minded people. Going to that

school allowed me to be a part of something and that helped.

With the promoting side of things, obvi-

ously it’s still hard — I’m not going to lie

— because you have try and generate that

content and get people involved. It’s a long process and I think that’s the only way to

mines and save the money, then bail and do something that I love.

With the mentoring program it’s given me

another platform, as in a confidence knowing I have Grace and the team from the

college that are supportive — it gives you a

kind of safety net and reassurance knowing you’re on the right path, that this is what

you should be doing. Before that it was like

a black room — you’re continually working without any one saying anything about it, so it’s been good.”

do it — to be organic. Word of mouth is go-

SMALL STEPS TOWARDS THE BIG PICTURE

people are going to hear about it and hope-

When you meet someone like Nikke, you

ing to be the strength of the brand because

fully buy, then realise the same thing as the other buyers and it continues from there.

just know he’s going to make it work, because he’s not only a consistently hands-on,

I’ve always wanted to have an identity and

do-what-needs-to-be-done type guy (there’s

do things my way and I’d do what ever it

of us miss!), but also something of a visionary

whole family encouraged me to work in the

create a cultural community out of it.

take life seriously, so I’ve had this mind to

real value in that blue-collar attitude that many

takes to get there, no matter what. So my

— choosing to take a simple product and

“I’ve had this mind to do things my way and I’d do what ever it takes to get there, no matter what.”

And that, mixed with a humble ability to know his own limitations and find experienced people to help where it’s needed, is

relate to certain things is really cool.

I feel like a lot of designers or labels have

an unbeatable combination.

an idea of what they want to be but they

“I really want it to become a recognised

boutique store. I’ve cruised through those

Australian brand. I don’t like to just call it

fashion, I prefer to call it a lifestyle brand because I like to design for lifestyle. Like Ralph

Lauren — he has hit the mark when it comes

to lifestyle and everyone wants to be a part of that. I want to build a community like that

within Australia, then eventually as time goes on I hope that I could do it internationally

and create an international lifestyle brand.

fall down the set lines of getting into a

“I don’t really want to have to beg to be in

a shop. I think just being myself and doing things my way — it might shoot me in the

foot, but I feel like I can do that, so I’m just going to go for it.”

boutique stores since I was young and all

Yeah I think it was Bloomingdales or

looking the same. They don’t stand out.

them because they wanted to take his Polo

these brands are just lined up in the rack

So for me, I’m the brand, and I’m going to do

everything I can to get out there in people’s fac-

es and be in control. Because I feel that if I’m in a boutique store at this stage, I’m not going to get the sort of exposure I really want.”

Part of my marketing strategy is to get out

Nikke has a clear understanding that whilst

story, so I’ll be at the markets every week-

just people buying my clothes, but meeting

Brook’s Brothers, but Ralph Lauren denied emblem off the ties and he was like “no deal”, then within 6 months they came

back to him with an offer which he took. So I’m just going to hold out and do my thing.

There are so many ups and downs that it’s

crazy. But it’s a beautiful thing at the same time.”

and about, meet people and tell them my

it might seem glamorous to jostle amongst some famous labels, it can be counter-pro-

You’ll find Nikke and his first-class tees

end. I’ve found that very rewarding — not

ductive ultimately. Those bigger brands cer-

at the Young Designer Fashion Markets

tainly didn’t become bigger brands by hiding

in Southbank, on the first Sunday of

people and being able to converse and

amongst all their competitors.

every month.

TO SEE NIKKE’S COLLECTION, VISIT WWW.NIKKEHORRIGAN.COM LOVE TO LAUNCH YOUR OWN LABEL? CHECK OUT THE FASHION MENTORING PROGRAM ONLINE AT WWW.AICD.EDU.AU/FASHION/MENTORING AUTUMN 2016

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PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO BY CALEM WRIGHT

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PICTURED ABOVE: CALEM WRIGHT. INTERVIEW BY MATT CUMMING

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ome people spend half a lifetime hating a dead-end job only to discover they can make a living in the creative world later on. But at only 17, two talented young photographers — Ruskin Brown and Calem Wright — are already set to embark on a professional career doing what they love. So we took a moment to dig into how they got here, their learning experience and how they feel about what lies ahead.

How do you feel at this point knowing

Do you see yourselves doing the sort of

you’ve had at the college, do you feel that

that you could potentially be doing this

photography you’re doing now for the

you’ve got confidence now to go out and

sort of stuff for the rest of your lives?

rest of your lives or do you have some

do whatever gets thrown at you?

Ruskin: It’s quite exciting actually. I’m

always thinking of what I’ll be doing in 10 years or so.

Calem: It’s great to be able to do it young,

idea of where it might head from here?

Ruskin: Yeah I feel like I could mix it up

much covered everything to do with the

phy as long as I’m with a camera.

I’d be pretty confident to go and do those

and be happy with any type of photogra-

not a late start… Mum made a perfect

Calem: I’ve always wanted to do surf pho-

you forget all the stuff you learnt back in

throughout my career, but I’m pretty sure

example, she was like ‘If you start late,

school’ — so you’re pretty much re-doing

school again, but since we’re doing it now, we’re young, and we’re learning all of it now so we’ll have better knowledge.

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Calem: Yeah, I believe so. We’ve pretty

tography and I was hoping that I’d do it

I’ll branch off into other stuff like studio work — which I don’t mind either.

So with the variety of experiences that

studio, portraits and all the genres. So things.

Can you tell me a little about some of your favourite experiences at the college?

Ruskin: I definitely enjoy going on shoots and learning things that you wouldn’t

think of if you had gone out and done it by yourself. Going on shoots gives you

more understanding of how it all works.

I was like “that’s cool”. I spoke with them

\\\ “The one good thing about photography is that it transcends age and gender. Once the students start working together on a project it doesn’t even come into consideration whether they’re 17 or 47 years of age.

It depends on that student’s passion.”

“it’s just a hobby”, so I thought I might

Maureen: The one good thing about

Calem: I used to just surf and then I

remember one time I was out surfing and I saw a couple of guys with go-pros and

about it, what they’re doing and they said give it a shot. I started shooting with a

go-pro and I loved it. I preferred that to surfing and eventually I upgraded to a

DSLR and [water-proof] housing. Since

then I’ve been so stoked every time I go out — it’s always different.

How have you enjoyed the whole course

photography is that it transcends age and gender. Once the students start working

together on a project it doesn’t even come

into consideration whether they’re 17 or 47 years of age. It depends on that student’s

passion. I think contemporary photography

is taking on an amazing direction and these

overall?

boys will see a lot happen in their lives.

Ruskin: It’s definitely been worthwhile. I

a lot of detail with all the different genres,

left school to do this and I’d much prefer

Where we’re lucky is that we go into quite

all the different styles, and shoots to map

all those, so as Calem said, his love is going

to be underwater and surf photography, but he can still do a studio shoot. Ruskin’s love is fashion and portraiture, but he can still do an underwater shoot now from what

we’ve learned in class. In today’s world, a

photographer has to have a broad variety

of content and that content has to be a lot more creative, otherwise they’re not going

to book you. A normal person can’t pick up

this because I wasn’t interested in the general school subjects.

Maureen Trainor (photography trainer):

Calem came to us one day a week while he

was still at school and while some would be concerned with only doing one day a week, he fitted in perfectly with high-achieve-

ment work. All his results were credits and distinctions.

Calem: I was thinking about leaving

school to do the course full-time but I

was at the end of grade 11 and thought

‘I might as well stay and finish’. I would

have loved to have done this course fulltime though.

Most of the other photographic students in your year are quite a bit older. Being quite young, how has it been learning with the older students?

Calem: It’s good to get involved with

different ages and get to understand their humour and personalities.

Are there things that you’ve learned from these older students?

Ruskin: They definitely have experience

and obviously because they’re older they know a bit more.

PICTURED ABOVE: STUDENTS WITH CANON COLLECTIVE // RUSKIN BROWN DURING UNDERWATER SHOOT

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PHOTO BY RUSKIN BROWN

PHOTO BY CALEM WRIGHT

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their iPhone and take those sorts of photos.

So by having a diverse portfolio with a

diverse range of images — they might not

pay you to shoot a shot, but it will certainly make you stand out and make them want

to book you because you can be innovative and creative. I think that’s the way with photography now — having something

that’s completely different and being able to be what one of our teachers used to call a

“G.P.” — a general photographer — so that he could shoot every genre and yet he still had his little niche. When that niche was quiet he could shoot in any other style.

Any outstanding moments in the course?

Ruskin: Canon Collective.

Calem: Yeah, the underwater shoot was pretty fun. Greg Sullivan and his team

came. They brought Canon 5GSRs and all these different models and the housings and we got to use them.

Maureen: Playing with the big boys and

the big gear was definitely a highlight. The

milk-bath shoots have been pretty good too.

We also had a 2 day camp up at Bestbrook and had a chance to shoot star shots and

landscapes. We found some old corrugated sheds and lit them up with car headlights, with a long exposure to get the stars in. It

experimenting.

Do you have any personal heroes?

Ruskin: Well, not really photography [per se], but the creative side of photography.

Because I wasn’t interested in photogra-

Calem: Since I started, when I was shoot-

phy while I was at school. I started getting

this guy called Willem [Ungermann] — he

school in Byron — they had a darkroom

ing with Go-Pros, I’ve always followed

interested when I moved to a public

was probably one of my first inspirations

and I was completely in love with it.

in surf photography. He does quite similar stuff to what I do, but editing wise there’s always something new and different, and

Can you tell us about the non-digital experience?

I’ve always respected him. He used to host

Ruskin: I love the anticipation of when

the younger people and let them see his

developed is just the best feeling because

beach days where he’d meet up with all

equipment, do giveaways, and even share a few secret locations of beaches where he’d shoot. I went to a few of those.

Did those sorts of experiences influence your decision to want to do photography or had you already decided you wanted to be a photographer before that?

Calem: Beforehand I knew what I wanted to do, but after seeing his photos and oth-

er surf photographers, that inspired me to go out and do the same.

Just being out there [in the ocean] is

spectacular. You never know what the day might bring. You’d be out there and see

a pod of dolphins or something like that,

the sunrises, the different shapes and co-

you take a roll of photos — getting it

you’re waiting all that time to see what

they’re like and when you get a good or

interesting photo it’s the best feeling. And then it’s pretty much like Photoshop in

the darkroom where you can manipulate

that image. I’d like to make a darkroom at home one day.

Do you have a preference between shooting digital and film?

Ruskin: If I’m going to take photos on

film I take test shots on my digital first

because you can take a million photos on

the digital [and it doesn’t matter]. When-

ever I go digital I always take film as well

— it’s pretty much even because I love the diversity of both.

lours — it’s just spectacular. Being able to

Calem: It’s all digital for me these days.

What influences your work?

it’s really like is awesome.

tend to do it much anymore.

Ruskin: I just love when I take a photo

Are you more into the art of photography

was beautiful.

and it looks really good, and I just want to take more photos because I love looking at images that are appealing to me… I definitely love experimenting with dif-

ferent cameras — I also shoot with film, which is really different as well.

I’m still trying to figure out exactly

what type of photography to specialise in, but I’d rather know [how to shoot] everything. Although, I do have types

of photography I enjoy more, which is

fashion, portraits and architecture. But [at this stage] I’m just really excited to keep

capture that and showing everyone what

or the editorial side of it?

Ruskin: I like the art of it. I come from a Steiner school in Mullumbimby, so I was quite creative in that sense.

Has that schooling influenced your approach to photography?

I’ve tried film — it’s good fun but I don’t

Technical favourites?

Calem: When I’m out there shooting in

the water it can get difficult at times be-

cause it’s always changing light — there’s cloud and there’ll be a sunny day, then it

goes behind clouds and gets really dark — usually because I don’t have the controls on my [underwater] housing to change

\\\ “Each time the student exhibits, the more and more confidence they get, the better the bio and artist statement, and the better the quality of images.

It’s a beautiful discovering road...”

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lens because I found that it’s easier for me

— you can just walk forward and back [to

frame the shot] to an extent. Depth of field wise I like a low aperture, and a nice out

of focus background sometimes — in some scenes it works and in others not so well.

How much is post-production a big part of your work?

apertures and shutter speeds, so I have to go off what it looks like when I rock up.

So I’ll change all my settings beforehand, then put it in the housing and go out. So if it changes I have to hope for the best

really. I might have a low shutter speed,

maybe 400ISO, and f-stops maybe set at

5.6, then I’d shoot underwater and go up

into the land so you get nice lights coming through, like my turtle shot [above].

Ruskin: I shoot with a standard 30mm

lens, which on a cropped sensor camera is like a 50mm. It’s not wide but it’s not

zoomed at all. I like to work with just one

PHOTO BY CALEM WRIGHT

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Ruskin: Photoshop definitely helps. In a good photo, sometimes it needs some-

thing cropped out or fixed up, but I don’t

like to photoshop big-time — I just get the contrast right and crop a bit, then dodge and burn a little. I don’t mess with it too much as I still want the image to be the one I took.

Tell me about the shots for your upcoming exhibition…

Ruskin: I went fully portrait for this next exhibition, only because I had a strong

feeling about my portrait photos. I found

that in all my recent photos, the ones that were the best were all portraits.

Calem: I’m big on surf photography

because it’s one of my main areas, so it’ll be quite similar to the first exhibition set

— the same shapes, leading lines etc. I go for the leading lines particularly because it just goes well with any colours. I had this one photo — it was just a wall of

water, the wave, and you can just see all the lines and it makes the image — es-

pecially if it’s in black and white it goes really well.

How do you feel about this upcoming exhibition?

Calem: Yeah, I feel confident. I’ve been

in other exhibitions before so I feel a bit more confident now as I know what to do… and I’m pretty excited.

Ruskin: Really excited because I’m a bit more organised. The first one was the

hard one — choosing photos and printing

PHOTO BY RUSKIN BROWN

“...for photographers to be able to come out and say you’ve had 3 or 4 exhibitions, it’s a really big thing.” was all a bit rushed at the last minute.

Is sharing a big motivation?

Calem: Definitely. When I’m out there [in

the ocean] I can’t really see the screen because it’s bright, so when I get home and chuck in my SD card into my computer I just get so excited to see what I got.

Having done 3 exhibitions already, what’s that experience like?

Calem: The very first one I was pretty nervous because I didn’t know what

to expect. I was happy with my photos

and the printing was great, but when I

got there I was pretty nervous, shaking.

People are looking at your photos and you don’t know what they’re saying — if they say “it’s crap” or stuff like that [laughs]

you get pretty tensed up. But once you

beautiful discovering road because for pho-

good afterwards. After having feedback it

you’ve had 3 or 4 exhibitions, it’s a really

get some positive feedback you feel quite motivated me to keep producing more.

Can you see a progression in confidence?

Calem: You’ve been through it before so you know what to expect and are more relaxed.

Maureen: The first exhibition was so

intimidating and a lot of the students were

terrified, but once the people start mingling and talking about their work, by the end of the night they’re so excited they’ve achieved their first exhibition. Each time the student

exhibits, the more and more confidence they get, the better the bio and artist statement, and the better the quality of images. It’s a

tographers to be able to come out and say big thing.

It’s such a differentiator between the millions of would-be “photographers” out there and real professionals, do you feel like those experiences have helped you step into that?

Calem: Yeah. I love the fact that you

can see your own photos up on the wall,

with people looking at them as well. The atmosphere — everything about it — is pretty cool.

LOVE TO KICK-START A CAREER IN PHOTOGRAPHY? CHECK OUT WWW. AICD.EDU.AU/PHOTOGRAPHY AUTUMN 2016

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fashion design

Hit The Zenith Photography: Gavin James \\ Makeup/Styling: Lauren de Luca \\ Models: Jazmin Cash & Morgan Nelson

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You’d think it was rare for a young designer to start at the top, but Australian Institute of Creative Design students prove us wrong... again... with ZENITH, a super-chic high fashion collection

by Emily Simpson.

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E

mily is a talented young graduate from the Australian Institute of Creative Design who completed the Advanced Diploma of Fashion and Textiles Merchandising. She’s already been head-hunted by RAW Brisbane, interned at

Mercedes Benz Fashion Festival and scored other desirable jobs in the industry, and is pretty adamant that the college is a great place for anyone wanting to learn the ins and outs of the fashion industry. (Yeah, we think so too, but shhhh, that’d be bragging!).

“The course itself provided us students with the real life skills and knowledge needed to sur-

vive in the fashion industry. The first twelve months was focused on learning the fundamentals; visual merchandising, fashion buying, marketing, design, production cycles, pattern

making, sewing and much more, and then in the last six months we were able to design and produce our own capsule collection, allowing us to find our own creative identity.”

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“Through attending AICD, I have had the opportunity to intern at Mercedes Benz Fashion Festival Brisbane, have interned with a Brisbane designer for their new-season launch,

and also got the opportunity to intern for a fashion wholesales agency, all of which have

further developed my understanding of the industry, and also helped me build contacts. I

was also lucky enough to showcase my capsule collection at the Graduate Runway, where

Brisbane industry representatives saw my collection and contacted me about further work.”

“The trainers at AICD have many years of experience in the fashion industry, and genuinely care about the students at the college. They are so supportive and really work hard to

make sure the content learnt is relevant to the fast-changing fashion scene. By the end of the course you will miss them just as much as the students you become friends with.”

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“The course itself provided us students with the real life skills and knowledge needed to survive in the fashion industry.�

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REconomy THOUGHT-PROVOKING INSIGHTS BY Kym Robinson, Interior Design Student, Australian Institute of Creative Design.

Each day 3.5 million tons of waste are created. By 2025 it is estimated that this figure will almost have doubled.

One solution is Reuse, Reduce, Recycle, from which an independent economy has already grown.

Waste dumps are being used for Landfill Mining as sources of

secondary resources. Consumer goods are given new purpose

after use (Upcycling). The brand Freitag, for example, has been

successfully producing bags from lorry tarpaulins for a long time already.

Another characteristic of REconomy is Re-Commerce, in which used objects, such as mobiles, are bought, reconditioned and reintroduced onto the market.

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textile design

Introducing...

SONYA ROMEO, INTERIOR & SURFACE DESIGNER

I

started studying interior design

that I grew up on and all of the designs link back to my grand-

back in 2005, then went off into

mother’s property there… So it’s a really emotional collection.

the industry and discovered I

loved fabrics. So I thought I would hone in on the textiles industry and set off on a path to learn a lot more about that...

That was the first collection I put together and I really didn’t know what to do with it or how to get it manufactured. I absolutely love patchwork fabrics and that industry is really big in America (and gaining momentum here in Australia), so through some artists in America I got in touch with some patchworking mills and presented

I wanted to have my own fabrics, so researched where I could learn

the collection to them to see if they would be interested in man-

textile design in more depth. I contacted a lot of universities but

ufacturing it. But, a long story short, that didn’t happen. So then

came across the Australian Institute of Creative Design and decided to

I thought about how I could manufacture this myself and, more

study here.

importantly, how I could keep all of the business, design and man-

From that I ended up teaching that course and eventually came on as a trainer in interior design, plus I assisted in writing the surface design course.

During that time I started designing my own textile collections. I really wanted to put a collection together for my grandmother. Unfortunately she now has dementia, so I’ve kind of missed the mark there.

But that first collection was called “McAlister Street” — a reflection of my childhood and how I grew up in Townsville. That was the street

ufacturing in Australia. From there I researched digital printing and dye sublimation, and had the collection digitally printed. The benefit of that is that you can print on demand and don’t have to keep a lot of stock.

I now have an agent down in Sydney who took on the collection and has been distributing it throughout Australia. Recently we had around 240 metres specified for The Marriot on the Gold Coast, which is really exciting.

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My original business was called Lee&Allan, but over the past two

Sunbrella 5-year warranty. But it means we have to buy it in bulk —

years I have merged with a couple of friends, one of which also stud-

they won’t just set up a loom for a metre of woven fabric.

ied at the Australian Institute of Creative Design. So I now have two business partners and we formed a company called Three Beaches (because there’s three of us and we live on the Gold Coast). We’ve branched out into designing and manufacturing outdoor fabric.

We’ve collaborated with Sunbrella, an outdoor fabric manufacturer — they’re actually the best in the world — and they mill our collection for us. It came about because we met someone who is high up in the chain for Sunbrella. It was a little bit like fate. A conversation led to emails and telephone calls, then we were put in touch with their mill and design studio and the relationship grew from there.

It’s actually a woven product, not digitally printed. I’ve tried lots of different surface design techniques — trying to find out what is suitable for different applications. And I’ve known from early on in my business that there’s a big gap in the outdoor fabric market. But what I found out along the way is that you can’t digitally print or dye-sublimate outdoor fabric. Well, you can, but it won’t last. It fades really quickly.

So what we’re doing is high-end — all of the fabric carries the

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Sunbrella are a major sponsor for the Indesign tradeshow down in Melbourne. They have a really big stand each year, and this year our collection of fabrics will be the main focus of that — it’ll be the official launch of that collection.

So that’s been really, really exciting and it’s been received really well in the industry, even though it’s early days in a long process. We’ve been working with Sunbrella for nearly two years now, and the first shipment only just arrived earlier this year.

In terms of the design side of things we’re also working on some really great projects right now, such as the iconic pub that was used in the “Australia” film, called The Grandview Hotel. They’re going to be using our fabrics in the new areas being designed for that pub, so that’s exciting too.

VIEW SONYA’S COLLECTION AT WWW.THREEBEACHES.COM.AU LOVE TO LAUNCH INTO YOUR OWN CAREER IN SURFACE/TEXTILE DESIGN? CHECK OUT THE VISUAL ARTS DIPLOMA AT WWW.AICD.EDU.AU/ARTS

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fashion styling

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HOT HOT HEAT the

Chilled by the Autumn air, we decided to warm our minds with a post-summer, silent snapchat-style peek back at some of the sizzling looks our 2015 styling students created. ...Ouch!

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fashion design

Fire & Fearlessness

A conversation with remarkable couture fashion designer and Australian Institute of Creative Design graduate, Begitta Stolk.

Photography: Beth Mitchell \\ Gowns & Headpieces: Begitta - Bridal & Couture \\ Hair and Makeup: Kylie’s Professional

“The teachers at my Kindergarten would wait at the gate ‘to see what |Begitta is wearing today’.”

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B

egitta is not only extremely talented, but also damn busy! Designs, events, clients, promotions and nodoubt much more whilst running her flourishing

business, Begitta Couture. It was difficult to nail down 5 minutes with this driven young woman amidst the whirlwind of her creative life, but … thankfully … we got there in the end!

So tell us about when you got started in your career. How old were you and what inspired you to pursue it?

I’ve always been very creative. I would spend hours as a child

drawing and making things and I’ve always loved dressing up.

The teachers at my Kindergarten would wait at the gate “to see

pleted my studies in fashion in Australia in 2008. I then went

on to study in Paris at the prestigious Paris American Academy

and also at London’s Central Saint Martins College of Art. I have since been made finalist in the Qantas Spirit of Youth Awards

and was named Couture Designer of the Year by Weddings and Events of Australia in 2014.

How was your time at the Australian Institute of Creative Design?

Overall it was a wonderful introduction to the industry and the

world of fashion. I loved that it was industry based with a lot of “Real World” education.

what Begitta is wearing today”. I was 9 when I was gifted with

Did you have a particular approach or attitude to learning when

gloves for all my dolls and bears in matching print fabric… You

Passion, strong will and dedication. I always bit off more than

a little pink plastic sewing machine, I created hats, scarves and

could say it all begun from the beginning! I guess I have always been drawn to theatrics and pretty things; it was a natural succession to end up doing it for a living!

Can you talk about the journey — what steps did you take since

you were at the college that you feel helped?

I could chew. For our graduation parade we had to complete

15 looks — I decided to do 5 Avant Garde, 5 Racewear and 5

Couture. I also completed a millinery course to create headpieces for each look and worked on a short film to add DVDs to the

then and what has shaped your career?

gift bags. As most of the class did street or racewear it was quite

Whilst in school I completed an after-hours Fast Track Fashion

nights and being kicked out of the sewing room at 10pm when

Design course during grade 12 and absolutely fell in love with working with fabric as an artistic medium. I have since com-

a lot to take on. In the end it was worth the countless sleepless the AICD staff went home!

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What is the biggest challenge in your career?

Have you ever met someone who had a major impact on your career?

Balancing work and life! When you are so passionate about

I completed my studies in Paris last year. This was something

something it becomes your whole being. The phrase “Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life” is very true

but sometimes I have to unchain myself from the desk or sewing machine and go out! I have the most amazing support around me in both friends and family and that all becomes a very important part when you are constantly running.

The industry can be very intense. I think having grown a lot in years and in experiences you learn to deal with a lot of those

situations that are less than glamorous. You find that many busi-

that has impacted my life and my career more than I could ever understand. The teachers and instructors I worked under have, of course, shaped who I am today. In particularly a woman

named Madame Picco, a couturier hand for Madame Gres for

over 25 years. Gres was a visionary in the areas of draping and couture, she created masterpieces for the likes of Jackie-O and Grace Kelly. Mme Picco told stories that still give me goose-

bumps of excitement to remember, her amazing techniques and teachings will be something I will cherish forever.

nesses and people you work with can be wonderful but there are

And what are your major influences these days?

always do your research.

Anything and everything. I love anything that draws on nostalgia

Were there any real low-points along the way where you were

love to create a story and feeling behind a collection and show

certainly those who are only out for themselves. Best advice is to

unsure you’d be able to “make it”, and how did you move through that time?

I was uprooted from my life from a pretty horrible personal situ-

and memories. I love imagination and enchanting love stories. I the story in the garments, styling and photography.

What has been your biggest career achievement/s?

ation. I ended up going to London for two months to escape and

I have been given so many wonderful opportunities and having

back to the path you are destined for but certainly the hardest

personally. Career wise I would have to say working with Peu-

balance. It is a constant balancing act!

of the new RCZ at the Australian International Motor Show. To

absorb the art and creativity there. Ultimately it all leads you

the chance to study in Paris has been a huge achievement to me

thing about your passion being your work is creating a life/work

geot Car Company, creating a custom dress design for the launch

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ARTISTA

work with such a large and well-known brand has been such

“BE FEARLESS IN THE PURSUIT OF WHAT SETS YOUR SOUL ON FIRE.”

an amazing adventure and an absolute dream come true! Being

Work. Work. Work. Work hard. Work Harder. Don’t stop until you

and Events of Australia) and also being made a finalist for the

what you stand for.

named Bridal Couture Designer of the Year by WEOA (Weddings Qantas Spirit of Youth Awards amongst over 1000s of entrants nationally was certainly an honour.

Can you share a behind-the-scenes story from your career?

Whilst living and studying in Paris I worked backstage at Haute

Couture Fashion Week, It was absolutely phenomenal! The most amazing show I went to was held at The Ritz, Paris. It was so

beautiful and so absolutely inspiring! Having worked in couture it’s easy to appreciate the hours upon hours of work involved to create each gown.

What would your fans be surprised to learn about you?

I love to ski! Snow skiing of course. I have skied since I was 4

and when living in Sydney would do Ski Club and competitions in winter where we would drive 6 hours every weekend during the ski season and then every Christmas we would follow the snow overseas until I was about 20 years old (now work is a

achieve your dreams and never sell yourself short or lose sight of

What other creative outlets do you use to express yourself?

I love beading and hand stitching, I wish I had more time to do

it as a leisurely project. But it’s always wonderful when you can

use a piece you’ve beaded in a couture gown! I also adore painting and love to bake.

Can you tell us about recent/major events?

We just held an incredible event — UNVEILED — a luxury wedding and fashion showcase. It was an incredible night and we

had an amazing show and a huge turnout. The Atelier is an in-

credible movement supporting women in Business and definitely worth a look www.the-atelier.com.au

And finally, do you have a favourite quote/mantra that you live by?

“Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire”.

priority!). There is no denying that I am now obsessed with

Summer whenever I can get one after so many cold seasons, but I do absolutely LOVE the sport!

What advice do you have for today’s young artists?

TO SEE BEGITTA’S COLLECTION, VISIT WWW.BEGITTA.COM LOVE A CAREER IN FASHION? CHECK OUT WWW.AICD.EDU.AU/FASHION

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Interior design

Global Design Trends In Colour & Interiors 2016 Interior Design Trend Report BY Amy James, Diploma Of Interior Design STUDENT

T

he Interior Design industry is constantly changing and conforming in order to keep up with current trends due to the fact that

Pantone Colour of the Year

in a design business there is a high demand for ‘on

The highly influential company Pantone announced not

trend’ products and services.

one but two colours of the year for 2016. Already the

Having knowledge of future and current trends assists to not only keep you up to date in a very versatile and quickly changing industry, but it also can forecast the future and assist with your business success or failure.

So here are some key trends to consider in 2016...

design world has being influenced by the Rose Quartz Pink and Serenity Blue with the likes of Real Living Magazine and Vogue delving into the pastel colour palette for 2016. This colour trend proves to be both masculine and feminine with the traditional use of blue and pink and this could assist with the trends popularity and longevity of its life.

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Dulux Biofragility Palette

removable or

Every year Dulux releases a series of four trend fore-

spaces the literal

casts for the coming year. For 2016 the palette Biofragil-

use of plant life

ity features calm pastel colours that show similarities to

is not present but

the pantone colours of the year. Biofragility introduces

artworks and acces-

textural and reflective elements to muted tones to help

sories such as cush-

convey and cool and tranquil interior while still having a

ions are present to help

point of interest within the space. Other paint compa-

convey the same effect that

nies are showing selections of the pastel pinks and blues

real plant life does. The longevity

proving that this colour scheme is sure to be dominant

of this micro-trend itself may not be as

within 2016.

long lived as the original concept of sustainability but

interchangeable.

In some interior

is still a strong enough design in itself to interest the

Sustainability – Ethical Consumption Sustainability may seem like something that would not affect the interior design world but as it is becoming a larger issue within today’s society more and more people are beginning to take it into consideration. When ethical consumption is considered the likes of ethically sourced materials and organic products are both examples of conscientious consumer decisions. Products and services are beginning to become judged more from a moral perspective rather than a price based side.

Whether it be upcycling or recycling furniture or homewares, using sustainably sourced timber within your home or even introducing greenery into the space. The ‘Ethical Consumption’ trend has been growing stronger within the design community and will continue to do so into the future.

Beautiful Botanics As discussed above, the sustainable or ethical consumption trend will easily continue into the future as it can easily be elaborated from. The ‘Beautiful Botanics’ trend or ‘Botanics’ trend is an example of a division from the sustainable trend. Through research it has shown that

design world and influence future design trends.

Technology The forever advancing technology within today’s society is no secret but it has taken a while for people to accept it more commonly. The incorporation of technology within the design community is most certainly growing extensively with the likes of the Dulux app allowing people to be able to see a colour on the wall without actually putting in on there. The same goes for some rug and flooring companies that can digitally show you what something will look like without having to commit to it first.

The hospitality industry is also embracing the technology trend with the acceptance of iPad ordering systems and online meal delivery systems. Though this trend may seem convenient it is important to realise that the demand for Interior Designers or actual restaurants and cafés may not be as high as it once was due to the ever improving technology that we use. Though there will always be the minority that do not approve of the introduction of technology into some parts of life, the majority actually do therefore this constantly creates a demand for new developments of technology.

many interiors are starting to revolve around greenery such as palm fronds, cacti, succulents and other plant life. The natural colours that are provided from the plants are used as focal pieces within interiors to help complement colour schemes while they are easily

LOVE A CAREER IN INTERIOR DESIGN? CHECK OUT WWW.AICD.EDU.AU/INTERIOR

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Bold as brass, Pure as silk.

INTERVIEW: MATT CUMMING \\ PHOTOGRAPHY & GARMENTS: KEZIA JOHNSTONE

Kezia Johnstone is a rare creature. Uncluttered.

Clear as a blue winter sky and yet not the slightest bit backwards. An adept one-(wo)man-band — She’s all over social media, naturally expressive as a model, takes great snaps, is successfully using crowdfunding to finish her final collection and already solidifying a serious style that will no doubt be in demand. So it’s no surprise we were keen to find out more...

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First up could you tell me a little about how your course is going — the good, bad and ugly bits! OK, so there might not be too much ugly in a fashion course but anyway...

“[laughs] Sure! So I’ve been studying the Advanced Diploma

of Fashion Design and Tech for a year now... and my goodness

it has gone SO fast it feels like I’ve only done 3 months! But in

the space of a year it blows my mind how far I’ve come and how much I have learnt — from designing fabrics and garments to pattern making, then the completion and final product. Al-

though because we have covered so much in such a small period of time, I don’t feel like I understand everything in depth, but I know that it comes with experience and practice — especially being in the fashion industry!”

Cool, so what have been the most challenging aspects and how did you get through that?

“Definitely the work load! But I have learnt to be SUPER organ-

ised and even just doing little bits of homework and assignments here and there when I have free time makes a huge difference!”

And what about your favourite bits?

“I love that with each design brief we get, it’s an opportunity to be creative and think of a way to express ourselves whilst also

fitting it to a specific brief. It’s a challenge but it’s been a great

learning curve! Also, one of my favourite things I learnt last year was how to create a repeating print/pattern on the computer (so I can design my own fabric). It’s so fun!”

I saw you’ve raised $630 with GoFundMe. Tell me about how you got onto that idea of crowd-funding your costs…

“YES! It’s amazing! Well, I started a blog at keziajoy.wordpress.

com about a year ago and an Instagram page called kezia_designs, and it was just a creative platform to share my thoughts, ideas, inspirations, and creativity! One day after class I was stressing

about how I was going to fund my final collection and one of my teachers mentioned that she knows a girl who has a following

of friends and family and is quite active on social media posting things that she’s made and she recommended that girl to start

a fundraiser on GoFundMe. I initially began thinking “I should

really up my game on social media!” but then realised she was

talking about me! [laughs] So she was right, I started the fund

with a goal of $1,000 and so far have $630 — all thanks to the generous people in my life! I have some great supporters who have really connected with me and my designs.”

That’s so great... And yes I noticed you’re across a fair whack of social media platforms already and are promoting your creativity

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“I really believe in doing what you’re passionate about. And I get really excited thinking about my future in fashion design and starting my own business because it has always been a dream”

in a really natural way. Did you have training and/or a definite goal with this, or is it just something you’ve fallen into in a way?

“[laughs] Yes, well I have always wanted to start an online

business/fashion line and do my own photography. When I was about 18 I figured out how to import women’s clothes from

China and get a website up and running with a little help from my dad (okay maybe a lot of help), but that didn’t last long as I really wasn’t impressed with the quality! I then got more in

touch with my creative DIY self and learnt how to make bow

ties. So, I started an Instagram page and website for that too but that didn’t last long either as I wasn’t really passionate about men’s bow ties. What I really wanted to do was make my own clothes

and sell them! And I didn’t have the knowledge or skills on how to do that so that’s why I am here studying fashion design.”

Awesome, well it sounds like you’re on track to an exciting career already. How do you feel about the prospect of a rewarding lifetime of creativity?

“Well I really believe in doing what you’re passionate about. And I

get really excited thinking about my future in fashion design and starting my own business because it has always been a dream, and if I do what I love it will never be a burden but a blessing.”

And what are your plans now to build that dream business? What are the next steps for you?

“Finish my last 6 months of study! Then work, save, fundraise

and start planning my business and my first official collection, then go from there. My ultimate dream would be to go to

Uganda or a similar less fortunate country and teach the women over there how to sew and then hire them to make my clothes.

It sounds crazy, but I want to do something good with my talents and if I can change one persons life by teaching them and giving them employment then that would be so fulfilling! I heard that if a dream doesn’t scare you it’s not big enough!”

TO SEE KEZIA’S COLLECTION, VISIT KEZIAJOY.WORDPRESS.COM

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Interior design

THE FUTURE OF HOUSING? INTERIOR DESIGN STUDENTS AT THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF CREATIVE DESIGN ARE DIVING DEEP INTO WHAT COULD BE THE FUTURE OF HOUSING — SMALL, SUSTAINABLE, GORGEOUS DWELLINGS.

SHIPPING CONTAINER HOUSE DESIGNS BY INTERIOR DESIGN GRADUATE, RACQUEL WYS

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I

ndeed, there is already a strong

for many Australians despite record low

even a popular TV show about it,

—Kristina Harazim, ABC

global “tiny house” movement (and Tiny House Nation), and it’s certainly

not just an “overseas” trend.

On a local level, Kevin Doodney—the

head of the new Queensland-based Future Housing Taskforce—says that smaller,

smarter properties are key to resolving

affordability and practicality issues. REIQ

president Antonia Mercorella also reports that more Australians are downsizing,

particularly as the number of single-person households continues to increase.

Let’s have a look at why tiny houses like these could be the future of housing for

interest rates.”

“Mortgages have always been greater than you could ever earn, so basically this [a

tiny house] is the first step to mortgage-free housing for first home buyers.”

—Kevin Doodney, Future Housing Taskforce “Rental crisis: it’s now impossible for most

poor families to find a home… A review of

housing rental affordability found that out of the 65,614 properties surveyed only 10 would be available for a person living on Newstart”

—The Guardian

many of the next generation…

AN ECO-FRIENDLY FUTURE

MONEY MATTERS (MAKE FOR BIG CHANGE)

“…we are finally recognising the harmful

“Easy money has caused housing prices to

their carbon footprint by shrinking their

spiral out of control, and all of the things we thought were so important, suddenly

became less so… Think of this as an obvi-

\\\ No mortgage or rent means she has the economic freedom to pursue music and art. She won’t get forced into a career path she doesn’t want.

effects of our fossil-fuel driven economy on the planet. Some [are] looking to shrink homes.”

—John Light, EcoWatch

ous backlash to the banking, mortgage, and

“The size of your house probably has more

glutinous consumption, poor job opportu-

is than anything, because you have to

older generations.”

cooling is what uses most of the energy. So

credit card industry. It’s also a backlash to

to do with how eco-friendly the house

nities, and young people feeling betrayed by

heat and cool that space and heating and

—Thomas Frey, Futurist

having a small space automatically makes

“Home ownership remains out of reach

—Brian Levy, sustainable energy expert

you more eco-friendly.”

THE AWAKENING The Ella Jenkins Story...

Ella Jenkins is a 23-year-old ‘homeowner’.

She built her own house, and it has everything she needs, in only 130 square feet

and it’s built on a trailer frame. Total cost was $16,000 to build, and she constructed it with her father in the driveway of her family’s home.

It was a yearlong DIY project. But no

mortgage or rent means she has the economic freedom to pursue music and art.

She won’t get forced into a career path she doesn’t want.

There’s something there that many of us

can appreciate. Imagine completing your studies and already owning your own

(tiny) house, then launching out on the

career of your dreams without having to worry about paying a massive mortgage (or even rent!) for the next 25 years....

Wow.

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styling TIPS

Winter Styling Tips

BY Susan Haines, Fashion Trainer, AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF CREATIVE DESIGN

WHAT TO BUY

WHAT TO DO

Clothes in whites, light and dark greys, navys,

Layer everything in light weight materials. Its not just about

khaki, taupes and browns.

the big coat this season, its adding warmth via layers.

Look for versatile layering pieces like vests, turtle-

Do belt the layers at the waist. Give your body balance and

necks minus the sleeves, long but lightweight trench

portion (Tip: think thin belts or rope like belts, knotted).

coats and chunky knits.

Wear a cami or very comfortable undergarments this

Silver is the metal of the season, think thin and deli-

season. It is the season to keep them guessing. Am I

cate jewelery pieces around the face and decollate but

wearing a bra? Who knows. Am I wearing what I wore to

thicker, cuff like bangles on the wrists.

bed underneath? Maybe.

Invest in a good quality walking boot that doubles

Do try 3 or 4 different winter leggings on before purchas-

as a going out weekend boot (this will be your winter

ing one. Think about how the leggings are designed. Is the

best friend).

seam large down the side of the leg and does that exaggerate your hip shape? Does the legging have any paneling down the front and does this make you look taller?

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moments on The Journey WITH FASHION GRADUATE, COURTNEY OSBORNE

CREATING THE COLLECTION

“My vision for DE LUXE The Label was to great high end Women’s Ready to Wear

garments. DE LUXE, meaning luxurious

and high end, is exactly the image I was

trying to endorse. The garments could be

described as classic, sophisticated and timeless designed for the modern women with a distinct sense of style.”

THAT SPECIAL MOMENT

“After six months of working on the collec-

tion and everything that goes with it day in day out, it finally all came together for me

while watching the photo shoot take place, looking at everything I had created in a

different light. I felt so proud of what I had created, the feeling was so rewarding and made it all worth it!”

WHAT ABOUT NOW?

“As much as I loved designing and mak-

ing the label I never had any intention of launching my own label right from the

beginning of the course. I just wanted to learn how to do a bit of everything.

So I have been working at Beginning

Boutique for the past few months as Production/Design Assistant — it is a really awesome place to work!”

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LOCAL NEWS

Creative Careers in the Making Battle of the Brushes!

Jodie Taylor former makeup student of ours and also a new trainer for us in specialist makeup, was recently chosen for the Battle of the Brushes at IMATS in Sydney.

This is a really big deal. IMATS is the largest trade show for makeup artists worldwide. It takes place annually in New York, London, Paris and Sydney.

Battle of the Brushes is a competition run at each trade show, entrants come from all over the world and there are literally thousands of students that apply.

Plus, the judges are some of the most famous artists in the world.

Not only did she gain a place in this incredible world-stage opportunity, but she also ranked 3rd place in the Beauty/Fantasy division! Congratulations Jodie!!

Part-Time Fashion Business Course Leads to Visual Merchandising Jobs Students in the Australian Institute of Creative Design’s 2015 Part-Time Fashion Business course were offered VM jobs after doing such a great job completing their in-store Visual Merchandising assignment.

The Associate Buyer at Stock & Supply, Nicholas Carter, said... “The girls have done such a great job, they are welcome to come back each Friday to work on the front windows”.

Another group of students worked on the front windows at Lifeline Fortitude Valley and they too were offered part-time work as Visual Merchandisers. A third group worked at the Akira store, also in Fortitude Valley — it was a privilege for this group to be working at one of Australia’s most famous design house.

The students were asked to find a store to collaborate with, make appointments PICTURED: JORDAN HOOBIN, GEORGIA BRIGHT AND BRONTE KEATING WERE OFFERED JOBS AFTER THIS VM ASSIGNMENT.

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with Store Managers, co-ordinate any props and materials they needed to make a great front window display.

preparing for the luxe life Australian Institute of Creative Design beauty therapy students gain unique experiences with some of Australia’s top spa and skin care providers...

unique wet room offerings. Facilities include a luxurious steam room

DERMALOGICA TRAINING

One Spa also feature a state-of-the-art Lusar room which includes

Dermalogica is a leader in the skin care industry. Their exceptional

and thermal stone room with heated surrounding walls, floor and stone seat. The wet room comprises four overhead showers each set to temperatures of 10–40 degrees celsius to provide varying degrees of refreshment, a heated spa pool to reduce stress and tension and a plunge pool for revitalisation.

steam, aroma-infusion, drench, mist and showers.

products treat a wide variety of skin concerns using top-notch ingre-

Additional excursions included the Moroccan-inspired Hammam

dients and expertly designed technologies. Dermalogica is a favorite

(Bath house) — an invigorating, detoxifying steam experience on the

of spas and dermatologists worldwide.

Gold Coast, and Versace’s Aurora Day Spa.

We find students are more motivated, alert, and subsequently retain a

FUNDRAISING EVENT KINGSCLIFF

greater amount of information for this product knowledge training.

Our full-time diploma students helped by providing pamper stations • The education centre have many resources at their finger tips to enhance the learning environment.

• Our students have the opportunity to use the knowledge taught in their Diploma to experience a Dermalogica’s signature Face Map-

doing mini manicures and Indian Head massage at a ladies night at Kingscliff, during a fundraising event for the Tweed Hospital special care nursery.

STEINER VISIT

ping® skin analysis from one of the Education Team members.

A representative from Steiner ships gave an inspirational talk to the • Students experienced a skin lesson using Dermalogica knowledge and play with product at the interactive Skin Bar®.

DELUXE DAY SPAS

Diploma students. Steiner is the largest and most renowned company that operates spas at sea. Steiner hires massage therapists and Beauty therapists for their onboard luxury cruise ships these cruise ships sail all over the world. With our Diploma students trained at

Students enjoyed time at the Royal Pines One Spa — an Award-win-

an international level this gives our student the advantage when

ning luxury day spa. One Spa provides exclusive services through the

applying for such positions.

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Last year seemed to be full of EPIC moments. But here Is one of our favourites...

“the november issue” parade

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design & styling by students of the australian institute of creative design photos by gavin james gavinjamesphotography.com

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creative careers

The Place Where Creative People

Become Creative Professionals as ONE of australia’s leading creative colleges, the australian institute of creative design is transforming the lives of creative people by offering them a proven pathway for career development.

W

ith over 18 years of consistently delivering remarkable courses (and the results to match!), the Australian Institute of

Creative Design clearly conveys it’s strong heritage in cutting-edge creative education and establishing it’s position as the most desirable and acclaimed creative design college in Australia.

But what is truly exceptional is their personal passion and absolute commitment to providing pathways that lead to career success for their students. Our trainers are successful in their own right and are able to pass

opportunities that many other colleges just can’t offer.

With amazing courses in Arts & Design, Fashion Design, Fashion Business, Styling, Photography, Makeup, Beauty Therapy and Interior Design, there’s just no end to the possibilities!

“

on specific knowledge, network and incredible industry

I have learnt so much and gained so much confidence.

It has been an amazing journey — AICD has given me so many pathways and opportunities.”

CHONTAE, GRADUATE

CHECK OUT ALL THE COURSES ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES, AND ONLINE AT WWW.AICD.EDU.AU

believe in your passion create your career succeed at the australian institute of creative design 70

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Art & Design WWW.AICD.EDU.AU/ARTS

Extend your creativity and learn painting and drawing techniques with a range of mediums to enable you to create exciting and unique artworks and designs which can be turned into a range of products.

FULL-TIME

SHORT

WATERCOLOUR TECHNIQUES

DIPLOMA OF VISUAL ARTS (TEXTILE, PRINT & SURFACE DESIGN)

ABSTRACT PAINTING

MIXED MEDIA ARTWORK

ART CLUB

PART-TIME

CONTEMPORARY PAINTING

PORTFOLIO BUILDING WORKSHOP

DIPLOMA OF VISUAL ARTS (TEXTILE, PRINT & SURFACE DESIGN)

DIGITAL FABRIC DESIGN

CERTIFICATE III IN VISUAL ARTS (PAINTING & DRAWING) CERTIFICATE III IN VISUAL ARTS (TEXTILE, PRINT & SURFACE DESIGN)

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DRAWING FUNDAMENTALS FOR BEGINNERS MIXED MEDIA ART PAINTING WITH ACRYLICS TEXTILE DESIGN

Beauty Therapy WWW.AICD.EDU.AU/BEAUTY.

Our Beauty Therapy courses offer intensive training in the beauty and spa industry to give you the skills to work in your chosen area of these exciting and rapidly expanding career pathways.

FULL-TIME

DIPLOMA OF BEAUTY THERAPY

HOT STONE MASSAGE

CERTIFICATE III IN BEAUTY SERVICES

SHORT

INDIAN HEAD MASSAGE

ACRYLIC & GEL NAILS

MANICURE & PEDICURE

FACIALS

MASSAGE

AROMATHERAPY

MICRO-DERMABRASION

BODY ELECTRICS

REFLEXOLOGY MASSAGE

BRAZILIAN WAXING

SPRAY TANNING

DESIGN & APPLY MAKEUP

START YOUR OWN SPA

ELECTROLYSIS

WAXING & TINTING

DIPLOMA OF BEAUTY THERAPY DIPLOMA OF SCREEN AND MEDIA (SPECIALIST MAKE-UP SERVICES) PART-TIME

CERTIFICATE II IN RETAIL COSMETICS CERTIFICATE III IN BEAUTY SERVICES CERTIFICATE III IN MAKE-UP

EYELASH EXTENSIONS HOPI EAR CANDLING

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Fashion Business WWW.AICD.EDU.AU/FASHION/BUSINESS

The fashion industry requires people with skills in the areas of management, marketing, merchandising, sales, buying and more. Business skills are also essential to any fashion designer wanting to start their own label.

FULL-TIME

SHORT

FASHION MARKETING

ADVANCED DIPLOMA OF FASHION & TEXTILES MERCHANDISING

FASHION BUSINESS & MERCHANDISING

START A FASHION BUSINESS WORKSHOP

FASHION BUYING

MENTORING

FASHION JOURNALISM

FASHION BUSINESS MENTORING PROGRAM

PART-TIME

FASHION RETAILING, MARKETING & MERCHANDISING DISTANCE

FASHION BUSINESS & MERCHANDISING

INTRODUCTION TO FASHION BLOGGING START YOUR OWN ONLINE BUSINESS COURSE VISUAL MERCHANDISING

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Fashion Design WWW.AICD.EDU.AU/FASHION.

Fashion design is more than just drawing gorgeous dresses!

Opportunities in the fashion industry lie in many more areas, so we teach you not just how to design, but also every step of the process from creation to marketing, sales and more.

FULL-TIME

PATTERN MAKING

ADVANCED DIPLOMA OF APPLIED FASHION DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY

DISTANCE

ADVANCED DIPLOMA OF FASHION & TEXTILES MERCHANDISING PART-TIME

CERTIFICATE II IN APPLIED FASHION DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY CERTIFICATE III IN DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS (FASHION DESIGN) FASHION DESIGN PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT FASHION RETAILING, MARKETING & MERCHANDISING

FASHION BUSINESS & MERCHANDISING FASHION DESIGN & STYLING SHORT

BEGINNER / INTERMEDIATE SEWING LESSONS DIGITAL FABRIC DESIGN

FASHION ILLUSTRATION & FACES WORKSHOP FASHION JOURNALISM FAST TRACK FASHION DESIGN FOOTWEAR DESIGN HANDBAG DESIGN ILLUSTRATOR & PHOTOSHOP FOR FASHION DESIGN PATTERN MAKING

FASHION BUSINESS & MERCHANDISING

SWIMWEAR DESIGN

FASHION BUYING

TEXTILE DESIGN

FASHION DESIGN & PATTERN-MAKING

MENTORING

FASHION ILLUSTRATION

FASHION BUSINESS MENTORING PROGRAM

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Fashion Styling WWW.AICD.EDU.AU/STYLING

Fashion Styling is an exciting career path. But there is much more to it than being able to put together an outfit! Stylists have to put their hand to a wide range of skills, need a creative flair and eye for design, and must stay up to date with the current fashion trends.

FULL-TIME

FASHION EVENTS

DIPLOMA OF STYLING (FASHION, IMAGE & MEDIA)

FASHION JOURNALISM

PART-TIME

DIPLOMA OF STYLING (FASHION, IMAGE & MEDIA) DISTANCE

STYLING (FASHION, IMAGE & MEDIA) SHORT

FASHION BUYING

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FASHION STYLING HAIR STYLING IMAGE CONSULTING / PERSONAL STYLING INTRODUCTION TO FASHION BLOGGING STYLING FOR THE MEDIA INTRODUCTION TO HAIR STYLING

INTRODUCTION TO PERSONAL STYLING & IMAGE CONSULTANCY STREET STYLE IMAGE & FASHION FLAT LAYS

Interior Design WWW.AICD.EDU.AU/INTERIOR.

Would you love to create dynamic interior environments for residential, commercial and retail spaces? Learn to develop spaces that fufill a purpose, while being asthetically pleasing — putting together design concepts, space layout and flow, lighting, surfaces, fixtures and more...

FULL-TIME

SHORT

ADVANCED DIPLOMA OF INTERIOR DESIGN

COLOUR FOR INTERIOR DESIGN

CERTIFICATE III IN DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS (INTERIOR DECORATION)

COMMERCIAL INTERIORS

CERTIFICATE III IN INTERIOR DECORATION DISTANCE

INTERIOR DESIGN & DECORATION DISTANCE

D.I.Y. HOME RENOVATION DESIGNER DIGITAL FABRIC DESIGN FENG SHUI FOR INTERIOR DESIGNERS

INTERIOR DESIGN & DECORATION LIGHTING FOR INTERIOR DESIGN PERSPECTIVE DRAWING FOR INTERIOR DESIGN TEXTILE DESIGN INTRODUCTION TO INTERIOR DESIGN

FLOOR PLANS FOR INTERIOR DESIGN

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Makeup WWW.AICD.EDU.AU/MAKEUP

Make-up artistry is an amazing career path. You can work in so many areas — weddings, formals, magazines, film & TV, fashion parades and events, photoshoots for catalogues and commercials, and retail cosmetics sales — just to name a few.

FULL-TIME

SHORT

INTRODUCTION TO MAKE-UP

DIPLOMA OF SCREEN AND MEDIA (SPECIALIST MAKE-UP SERVICES)

AIRBRUSH MAKEUP

SPECIAL EFFECTS MAKEUP

PART-TIME

FASHION & BRIDAL MAKE-UP

CERTIFICATE II IN RETAIL COSMETICS

FASHION MAKE-UP & HAIR STYLING

CERTIFICATE III IN MAKE-UP

HAIR STYLING

DIPLOMA OF SCREEN AND MEDIA (SPECIALIST MAKE-UP SERVICES)

MAKE-UP FOR YOU

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EYELASH EXTENSIONS

INTRODUCTION TO HAIR STYLING

Photography WWW.AICD.EDU.AU/PHOTOGRAPHY.

Discover the full scope of commercial, editorial, portraiture and fine art photography.

Enjoy rewarding careers such as sports and action photography, landscapes, nature, architecture, interiors, fashion, glamour, stock imagery and event photography.

FULL-TIME

SHORT

DIPLOMA OF PHOTOGRAPHY & PHOTO IMAGING

FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY & STYLING

PART-TIME

GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR DIGITAL CAMERA

CERTIFICATE III IN DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS (PHOTOGRAPHY) CERTIFICATE IV IN PHOTO IMAGING DIPLOMA OF PHOTOGRAPHY & PHOTO IMAGING

INTERMEDIATE FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

STUDIO LIGHTING TECHNIQUES TRAVEL AND LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOGRAPHY INTENSIVE

NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOSHOP FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

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Check out all the courses at www.aicd.edu.au

Would you love to reach up to 47,805* locals with your product or service?

Visit www.aicd.edu.au/advertising

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