The Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival (VAMFF) in March 2017 saw the city turn into a kaleidoscope of design, colour and collaboration.
With the collection of cultures, people and places forming the fabric that is Victoria, it only seemed right that VAMFF celebrate the voices that have crossed seas, hopped on planes and walked a mile to be here. Study Melbourne’s A Stitch in Time, A Place of Mine does just this. Uniting a string of international students from across Victoria, this a runway with a difference because it’s made from just that.
We sat down with RMIT international student and fashion designer Hauchun (PInni) Wu from Guangdong, China to learn more about her story ahead of the runway launch on Wednesday 15 March.
Fashion capital Melbourne feeds Pinni's curiosity
Growing up in China, Pinni always had a strong fascination with Western culture. Intrigued by the fashion industry, she looked for a place that would feed her curiosity.
”I decided to come to the fashion capital of Australia – Melbourne – in 2009. For me, Melbourne with all its diversity is an intersection of fashion and culture, particularly European and Asian cultures. The multitude of people here is really reflected in the city’s creative outputs. There’s always something being created, built up, knocked down and reinvented.”
Pinni enrolled at RMIT University, where she has completed a Bachelor Degree with Honours in Fashion Design.
“I got so much from my degree and to build upon my studies, I’m pursuing a Master of Entrepreneurship while preparing for the Study Melbourne fashion show.”
Pinni’s collection draws inspiration from Traditional Chinese Han clothes and Cristobal Balenciaga, and is an ode to the Chinese romantic aesthetic. Exploring gradual tonal changes with layers, Pinni binds lace and organza material to highlight each layer of her garment and reveal new structures and forms.
”This collection is really a reflection of past and present. Being able to showcase the final product at the Queen Victoria Market’s Deli Hall seems like the perfect fit to show the community my collection.”
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A Stitch in Time, A Place of Mine launched on Wednesday 15 March at The Queen Victoria Market Deli Hall. View our videos at A Stitch in Time, A Place of Mine.
