Epping Secondary College students have tried their hand at creating sustainable fashion.
Students used screen-printing technologies to transform a collection of op-shop sourced garments into cutting edge fashion.
The students worked alongside professional models, a photographer and stylist to create a photographic record of their individual printed garments. The images were then curated for a school wide exhibition, where the students showcased their work to friends and family.
One of the students, Jordan, said the experience gave her a glimpse into the world of fashion, while learning about sustainability and how it can feed into the circular economy.
“It’s been an eye-opening experience unlike any I’ve personally been involved with,” she said.
“Taking something that has been pre-loved and giving it a new lease of life has been a lot of fun.”
Another student, Dylan said the program provided him with the opportunity to express his ideas and learn new skills.
“It’s been a great outlet for us to express our own individual style, while learning about sustainability and how it can be applied to the fashion industry,” he said.
The program was delivered by The Smith Family in partnership with Footscray’s Spacecraft studios.
Smith Family program coordinator Karen Russel said this year’s participants have been in awe of the program.
“We’ve received excellent feedback from students, teachers and even parents contacting us about Spacecraft’s inclusive support enabling students to move from ideation and vision through learning new screen printing and fashion techniques in creating three separate pieces over the course of the program,” she said.
The program is one of 13 new initiatives delivered by The Smith Family for Victorian students this year.
The programs aim to help disadvantaged children growing up in environments of financial stress who often have limited access to opportunities and resources, including creative enrichment programs.
