Throwaway fashion is out of fashion: RMIT experts are available for comment during the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival

Circular fashion: Brands need to design for longevity

Dr Rebecca Van Amber, Senior Lecturer, School of Fashion & Textiles,

Program Manager, Bachelor of Fashion & Textiles (Sustainable Innovation), RMIT (rebecca.vanamber@rmit.edu.au)

“One of the most significant things the fashion industry can do to reduce waste in the industry is to design garments that are durable and long-lasting. Circular fashion is becoming increasingly popular and mainstream however we can only repurpose, re-sell, rent and repair fashion if it is made from quality fabrics and designed to last in the first place.

“One of the fascinating things that has happened with the proliferation of the fashion rental market - whereby you can rent special occasion clothing from online and bricks and mortar fashion rental boutiques - is that the brands who supply to this market are redesigning their products to make them more long-lasting. Previously, evening gowns weren’t designed to be worn over and over again. But that’s changed and they now need to be much more durable.

“Similarly, the sophistication of the second-hand fashion market, which has moved well beyond op shops and eBay to curated second-hand fashion boutiques who charge a premium means that well-made, quality garments are becoming increasingly valuable in that resale market, and that can only be a good thing when we are thinking about reducing fashion waste.

“This appetite for circular fashion - whether it be renting, re-selling or re-purposing garments - means there is increasing value in making and investing in good quality garments, which in turn reduces waste.”

How the pandemic prompted the rise of the capsule wardrobe

Dr Kate Sala, Lecturer, Design & Technology, School of Fashion and Textiles, RMIT (kate.sala@rmit.edu.au)

“I definitely think people are more aware now of what they have in their wardrobes than they were before the pandemic.

“You’ll find many people used those long periods of lockdown to clear out and sell superfluous items in their wardrobe and as a result I think people may be more mindful now of what they do and don’t need in their wardrobes.

“People are also more mindful of how they can use what they have available in their wardrobe to style different looks for different occasions. We have become resourceful.

“I think the fact that many of us are only in the office two or three days a week, or even less, means perhaps we’ve come to realise we don’t need as many clothes as we used to.

“And when we do leave the house, I think we are much more considered about what we wear. There is this real sense of occasion to be celebrated when we go out now.

“At the same time I think we’ve become accustomed to a sense of comfort that extended periods at home have given us. So, while people are loving the opportunity to dress up for social occasions and going into the office, they are combining comfort with occasion, by being more experimental with their fashion and embracing relaxed silhouettes, comfortable footwear and items that can take them easily from home to working away from home."

For interviews, contact Rachel Wells, RMIT Communications, tel: 0402 354 321 or rachel.wells2@rmit.edu.au