QUT Fashion School is hosting 25 Indonesian fashion and textile designers, entrepreneurs and members of the Indonesian government this week for a two-week professional training course in international fashion business for the Government’s Australia Awards in Indonesia Program.
QUT fashion academic Carla Van Lunn designed the course to give key Indonesian designers and retailers insights and skills to enter the international marketplace.
“While Indonesia has a large population that supports many home-grown fashion businesses internally, its fashion industry wants to look outside the domestic market to grow their businesses,” said Ms Van Lunn, who has just returned from Jakarta where she gave a pre-course workshop.
“The fashion relationships forged between Australia and Indonesia are strong thanks to the first short course QUT ran last year as part of the Government’s fashion diplomacy strategy with the Indonesian industry’s leading lights which coincided with the 2016 Fashion Week Australia.
“Participants of last year’s program have had international success since their training in Australia and all have seen growth in their businesses and careers.”
Ms Van Lunn said workshops, site visits, networking and collaborative projects made up the program.
“Australian fashion luminary Lydia Pearson of Easton Pearson will mentor the participants on product and business strategy," she said.
“Participants will meet with Alpha 60 designers Alex and Georgie Cleary who have shown their garments at Jakarta Fashion Week.
“We will visit Noosa to meet Maxine and Erin McMaster of Toscani boutique and Jacinta Richmond, director of the Sunshine Coast Fashion Festival.
“We will connect with Australia’s leading sustainable and ethical fashion organisation, Clean Cut Australia, in Sydney.
“This session on ethical and sustainable fashion had a big impact on the 2016 group and led to significant changes in business practices.”
Ms Van Lunn said Indonesian and Australian designers were well-positioned to take advantage of the large and lucrative global resortwear market, thanks to our warm weather and coastal lifestyles.
“Muslim fashion and modestwear is also a booming international industry valued in the hundreds of billions annually. Indonesia is a leader in this market,” she said.
‘International Business Readiness for the Fashion and Textiles Sector’ is the second QUT-run Australia Awards short course supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and runs from March 13 to 24, 2017.
Media contact: Niki Widdowson, QUT Media, 07 3138 2999 or n.widdowson@qut.edu.au
After hours: Rose Trapnell, 0407 585 901 or media@qut.edu.au.
