The present paper aims to combine the fabrics for casual style with the most historical material for making clothes in the Australia fashion industry. Australian has a 200 years history of cultivating sheep and high quality Merino wool which is mostly link it with warm clothes so With considering the warm climate of Australia a sharp decrease can be seen in the use of this material in the everyday clothes. By considering the cultural identity of Australia I intend to make a link between Australia localized street dress and its global Fashion identity by mixing street style materials and the oldest industry of Australia which is wool to shape a viable fashion identity for Australia.
Through this paper, I am going to answer the following question :
What is the fashion identity of Australia? How Australia can make a viable fashion identity? What material, technics, symbols and fashion can introduce fashion austral to the world?
This paper content that, having a viable fashion identity play a key role in political communication and having a strong economic improvement. In the twenty- first century, when the focus is on aesthetic innovation, claiming a role in the global fashion system can be a necessity for a country or city to express its` cultural and aesthetic difference which would led to place making and place marketing.
Considering the geographical situation of Australia with harsh situation functionality has been regarded as the most important factor for designing clothes in fashion industry. According to the Jennifer Craik ‘Australian style is considered as anything that is practical. Following the mentioned reason denim and cotton is among most used fabrics in the Australia. Craft and handcraftsmanship, has been also directly linked to the Australian life style specifically for adding details in the surface of clothes. Margaret Maynard, fashion historian, note that there is an obvious connection between handicrafts and Australian motifs in Australian fashion history.so, the Australian fashion identity can’t be shaped without using handcraft in the process of making. As the result I chose tapestry and felting technic to make the fabric I am using for my collection.
In conclusion, my collection would represent all the historical, cultural, and industrial background of Australia which shape the fashion identity of Australia in the world. I would focus on the history of Australia wool as the oldest industry which is highly related to Australian fashion. By mixing most popular fabric among the majority of people in the Australian contemporary fashion such as denim and cotton I am aiming to offer a more casual, cool and usable aspects of wool to show wool as an everyday fabric which can be used in different style and is not confine to the warm clothes for cold seasons.