Leading SA fashion designers set for CBD residency
Some of the state’s top designers will showcase a “behind the scenes” look at their sustainable fashion initiatives in a three-month exhibition in the CBD.
Three of SA’s leading fashion designers are set for a residency at the City of Adelaide’s ART POD to showcase sustainability and local manufacturing within the state’s fashion and textile sector.
The Circular Fashion Residency is a three-month initiative run in partnership with the South Australian Fashion Industry Association (SAFIA) and City of Adelaide from April 1 to June 30. It will feature a different designer each month, with Adelaide customers to be given a behind-the-scenes look at innovative sustainability initiatives in the fashion industry.
Leading handbag designer Katya Komarova, who first established her stitch-free handbag business in 2015, is the first to take residency at ART POD on Pirie Street.
“I see this project as a great opportunity to showcase what is being done and how we address the ecological issues with the fashion industry in South Australia,” she said.
“It allows people to get inside information on what brands are doing to change the industry, create brand awareness and showcase sustainable practices.”
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Komarova will be followed in May by fashion brand Threads of India, which will exhibit handcrafted accessories inspired by textile traditions in India.
Blakesby Hats is scheduled for residency in June, where founder Blake ‘Blakesby’ Canham-Bennett will highlight his wide-brim hats made from natural materials.
According to data from the Australia Institute, more than 300,000 tonnes of clothing were either sent to landfill or exported from Australia.
Komarova said it was her brand’s mission to minimise its environmental footprint by incorporating eco-conscious practices.
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“Not only do we work with natural materials which are biodegradable, we’ve also introduced a circular economy initiative called Second Chance, which allows our customers to trade in our bags so we can repurpose the material and reduces waste.”
The Moscow-born fashion designer moved to Adelaide in her 20s. It was here that she started her brand, which has since established a global customer base.
“We recently completed some deep research on our existing customers, and what we found from this research is people love buying local produce, and we produce everything here in Adelaide,” she said.
“There are very few brands that do stitch free bags with interchangeable straps and handles, that’s the whole concept of the brand which sets us apart from competition.”
She is set to host a lunchtime talk on April 15th, where members of the public will have the chance to meet the designer and gain insight into her sustainability principles.
The ART POD was first opened by the City of Adelaide Council in 2020 to allow local artists to display artworks, workshops, performances or art-making demonstrations to raise their profile.
SAFIA board chair Nathan James Crane said ART POD would provide “a powerful platform” for the public to engage in meaningful conversations about how fashion is “made, valued, and kept in circulation”.
“Each of the selected designers brings a distinct perspective on sustainability and circular practice, and together they demonstrate the depth of innovation emerging from South Australia’s fashion community,” he said.
The Circular Fashion Residency will be open from Wednesday to Friday between 11am to 3pm for the three months.
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