07 February 2013

Global design challenge pushes fashion boundaries

RMIT University fashion students have collaborated live with students in England to produce a range of thought-provoking protest T-shirts in just seven hours.

The real-time global project brought together fashion design and technology students from RMIT with fashion students at the University of Salford.

The students communicated via Skype to design, customise and create a micro range of 60 protest T-shirts themed on environmental, ethical and sustainable issues.

Tina Guglielmino, Deputy Head of Vocational Education and Training in RMIT's School of Fashion and Textiles, said the future-forward project gave students from both countries the opportunity to enhance their learning experiences.

"The project is undertaken in real-time and simulates what is currently happening in industry, where designers are collaborating simultaneously while located in different countries," Ms Guglielmino said.

"The students form global connections and are challenged to think radically and creatively while working to very tight and realistic deadlines."

Bashir Aswat, Program Leader of Fashion at the University of Salford, said the partnership with RMIT allowed students to connect and think on a global scale.

"Using technology and social media to communicate and influence design allows students to debate ideas that help to establish a concept for the micro-range."

More than 150 students from both institutes took part in the project.

Amelia Rollins, who is studying RMIT's Associate Degree in Fashion Design and Technology, said the experience was an adrenaline rush and a shot of reality.

"It was fast-paced, fun and challenging," she said.

"I made great connections and exchanged some radical ideas with Salford. It really gave me an insight into the fast-paced world of ready-to-wear fashion."

The project culminated several days after the live collaboration when students opened packages that had arrived from England containing the exchanged T-shirt designs.

RMIT and Salford plan to continue exploring more exciting fashion collaborations in future.