Nurturing use of wool by local designers
AWI’s marketing arm The Woolmark Company held a successful workshop for emerging Australian and New Zealand fashion designers in March, to upskill their knowledge of Merino wool and thereby help increase use of the fibre in their collections.
In response to high demand following the successful pilot edition the Incubation Lab workshop held in November last year, The Woolmark Company held another edition of the Incubation Lab in Sydney in March, specifically tailored for aspiring designers from Australia and New Zealand.
The Incubation Lab workshop is a vital new platform from The Woolmark Company connecting up-and-coming fashion creatives with the versatility of Australian Merino wool. Through a comprehensive program featuring educational sessions and insights from industry leaders, participants gain valuable market knowledge and resources to enhance their design capabilities with wool.
Designers that attended the Incubation Lab workshop held in March in Sydney. Pictured standing from the left: Caroline Reznik, Eugene Leung of INJURY, Jillian Boustred, Henry Cousins of Charlton, Courtney Zheng, Ally May Carey of Tres Studios, Rory William Docherty, Liandra Gaykamangu of Liandra, Angelica Kilkolly, and Clementine Hurley, Business Development Manager – Fashion and Product for Australia and New Zealand at The Woolmark Company. Seated from the left are Tarek Kourhani of KOURH, Dan Tse of INJURY, Alvi Chung of SPEED, Ruby Pedder, and Xixi Wu of Xi Wu Studio.
“By providing in-depth information and inspiration about the properties and benefits of Merino wool. The Woolmark Company encourages the designers to use the fibre in their designs as they progress through their professional lives,” said Clementine Hurley, Business Development Manager – Fashion and Product for Australia and New Zealand at The Woolmark Company.
“The initiative further cements The Woolmark Company’s commitment to nurturing up-and-coming talent and propelling the future of the fashion industry in the region with a focus on wool.”
Attendees of the Incubation Lab workshop examining wool fabrics and garments.
Attracting a diverse group of participating designers, the workshop in March covered key topics including sustainability practices, circularity, traceability, global legislation, product innovation, brand marketing, social media storytelling and fashion forecasting.
The workshop enabled attendees to engage with experts from The Woolmark Company. In addition, Los Angeles-based designer Zoe Latta – co-founder and director of clothing brand Eckhaus Latta – provided via video link insights into the role of wool in their business. From sharing her industry background to advice on business development and insights into the US market, Zoe’s valuable expertise envisioned a future where ingenuity drives the evolution of the industry.
The next edition of the Incubation Lab is planned for October.
This article appeared in the June 2024 edition of AWI’s Beyond the Bale magazine. Reproduction of the article is encouraged.
