Upcycling and whimsy: Meet the fashion student behind our favourite emerging label

Through upcycling, Heart Couture celebrates the beauty of individuality.

Growing up, Jodie Tian was taught to sew as a necessity, rather than an artistic pursuit. But despite her family’s function-first approach to clothing, Jodie’s drive was always about the creative. Using materials found around the house (ripped curtains, mesh loofahs), she’d fashion tiny dresses for her dolls – honing the skill of how to “make use of the beautiful things that already exist.” 

Now in her final year of the Bachelor of Design (Fashion and Sustainability) at Collarts’ Fitzroy campus, Jodie’s ability to breathe new life into found materials is what defines her burgeoning fashion brand, Heart Couture. Put simply, she “creates garments that come from the heart”: delicate rosettes made from fluffy mohair, cable-knit tops covered in cross-stitched bunnies and singlets embellished with vintage buttons along the straps. 

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With the support of Collarts’ industry-based educators, 21-year-old Jodie balances study while building her fashion business. “I have collaborated directly with brands, I’ve been stocked at stores… I don’t think it could be possible without the inspiration and support of so many brilliant and wonderful people,” she says.

For those considering a similar career path, Collarts’ upcoming Open Day (August 29 in Melbourne, or August 22 for the Sydney campus) offers the chance to experience campus life, meet other creatives and get a feel for the courses on offer.

 

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Below, Jodie shares more about her journey as a student and designer, and speaks on the importance of sustainability in her fashion practice.

Hi Jodie! What drew you to pursue a career in fashion?

I have always dreamt of a life that is both creative and stimulating, and I’m drawn to fashion because I think it’s such a beautiful medium that every single person interacts with every day.

I love how it communicates in a very universal way, and yet encapsulates cultural differences and identities so fundamentally. Fashion also combines many of my favourite art forms, with its references to literature, history and film.

How did Heart Couture start, and what was the inspiration behind it? 

I launched Heart Couture as part of my Capstone Project in my second year of uni. The name is a reference to my Chinese name, in which the character literally means the ‘heart’ or ‘core’ of something. I’ve always felt really connected to my culture and wanted to honour it. The name… is also a homophone of haute couture, emphasising the beauty and individuality of my work… The practical goal of the brand is to create unique, one-off garments that use reclaimed materials and fabrics to create upcycled diffusion lines and custom couture gowns.

What do you love about working with reclaimed materials?

Though I want to produce something beautiful, I don’t believe this should come at a cost to the world… In undertaking my Bachelor of Design (Fashion and Sustainability) at Collarts, I learnt so much about the negative impacts of fast fashion. I was really drawn to the practice of reclamation and upcycling – using fabrics and embellishments that would otherwise sit in a thrift store or storeroom, and turning them into garments that are given a whole new life.

 

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Where do you find inspiration?

Art has always been beautiful to me in all its forms… [in particular], the pastel haze of a Sofia Coppola set, the lyricism of Lana Del Rey, the cultural heritage obvious in Guo Pei’s gowns and the political movements captured by designers like Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen… It’s beautiful to use fashion as a form of protest. 

I find passion in people, too… I’ve been overjoyed to hear that I created someone’s favourite top, something they feel beautiful in. Someone cried when they saw a bonnet from the Heart Couture x Knit by Peonies collab, and another sent their boyfriend home to get the shirt I had made off the washing line to change into. It’s these stories that warm my heart and push me to keep creating. 

How has studying Fashion and Sustainability shaped the way you design?

Sustainability plays an integral role in my process. I’ve learnt a key lesson: creativity comes not from excess but rather from restraint. When I work with deadstock fabrics, or a thrifted collection of glass pearls, I’m working with something finite… Creativity is constrained then in the physical sense, but only burgeoning in imagination.

Collarts is a place where the industry grows and thrives. Our lecturers are all currently working in the fashion world, and we’re surrounded by peers who similarly want to make a name for themselves. You can’t help but be immersed in the thick of things… Abstract dreams and ideas become tangible in an environment like Collarts, and I am so grateful for everything I’ve learnt! I’ve grown immensely as a person and a professional.

What’s next for you?

I am so excited to be headed to Paris for an exchange to finish my last semester of university. I plan to launch myself into the culture, and I’m interested to see what an artistic world as developed and lauded as Paris can provide for my development.

I’m also working behind the scenes growing Heart Couture, dreaming daily and actioning plans to make it a thriving business. I am hoping to launch a website soon, and am always open to collaboration, feedback and all the wonderful things that those passionate about fashion can provide!

For more information on Collarts Open Day, head here.