The deadline has passed, the frocks are fitted and now all that’s left to deal with are the nerves.
Thomastown creative design student Errick Kim is one of five emerging talents at the Kangan Institute who are about to wow the catwalks of haute-couture at Melbourne’s Spring Fashion Week, which starts next month.
The students were chosen after presenting designs for three outfits on paper to Fashion Week judges several months ago.
Yesterday, the sewing machines were silenced and all last-minute tucks and flounces completed as the winning designs were taken off the drawing boards and put on to flesh in readiness for the show.
“I was excited to present my work, but I didn’t think I’d be chosen,” Kim says.
“Most of the comments made were criticisms, like ‘How are you going to make this happen, explain how this will work?’
“You’ve got to prepare and know your designs and they must be professionally presented.”
Kim says dealing positively with criticism is the best way to learn.
“It’s a hard industry and a lot more hard work than you think.”
Kim should know; it’s his second stint at the demanding fashion and design course.
He left to work in sales with Myer in Sydney, returning to fashion distributor Voyager Solo in Melbourne before recommitting to the course again. “Work opened up my eyes,” Kim says. “Especially working in a production area. I used to only think about design, nothing about production.
“It was through learning about quality assurance and production that I learned what a garment needs to look very, very good.
“Now it’s all about the quality of the fitting and finishing, and the overall look.”
Kim has been making wedding and evening dresses for private clients throughout his course.
He can’t afford a studio or shopfront just yet so relies on a Facebook page to showcase his work.
His sister, Allanah, is his model and the Vietnamese community his support base.
Kim’s creations will feature at the show’s opening night at North Melbourne Town Hall on Saturday, August 30. The World Designer Runway will also feature pieces by Versace, Galliano, Dolce & Gabbana, Yves Saint Laurent and Sheikha Hub.
Kim’s creations and those of his colleagues from the Melbourne School of Fashion, Box Hill Institute, Kangan Institute and Whitehouse Institute of Design will also be displayed at MSFW: Emerging at Runway 1 at 6.30pm, Saturday, September 6.
More details: www.thatsmelbourne.com.au/msfw
