Meet the 10 designers featured in the UTS Fashion and Textiles Honours Graduate Runway

A glimpse into the future of fashion.

It’s a well-known fact amongst industry insiders that during fashion week, any student runway is guaranteed to be a standout. Showcasing the best in emerging talent and innovation, these runways provide onlookers with a glimpse into the future of fashion.

The University of Technology Sydney’s (UTS) Fashion and Textiles Honours Graduate Runway is no exception. A prestigious fashion and textiles program, UTS alumni include the Head of Womenswear Design at Isabel Marant, Robby Tjia, Bec + Bridge Founders Bridget Yorsten and Rebecca Cooper and PE Nation Designer Katrina Ho.

For more fashion news, shoots, articles and features, head to our Fashion section.

The 2023 runway saw thought-provoking work from the program’s brightest creatives, including collections grappling with gender, technology and cultural identity. Below, we speak to the 10 featured designers.

Luca Sheridan

Please introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Luca Stucci Sheridan, [I’m] 24 years old and have been making/studying clothes for five years. My other driving forces include music, writing, poetry and art.

When did you know you wanted to get into fashion and textile design?

At 16 I became interested in… fashion, but as far back as being a seven-year-old playing Club Penguin I was always obsessed with curating my image. It was concretely decided when it came time to do uni applications post-high school. Only then did I fully realise that it was possible to learn fashion design.

How would you describe your aesthetic?

Sincere. I wear my heart on my sleeve and think it’s a detriment to hide behind an ironic defence. The clothes I make are unapologetic and made to age. If we grow and change with what we wear, it forms such a special bond that no marketed newness can contest. I was the recipient of an Australian Wool Education Trust Sponsorship and was supported in using wool materials and fabrics in my work.

Brendan Plummer

Please introduce yourself to our readers.

Hey! I’m Brendan. I’m one of the honours students from UTS 2023’s graduating class, and I am a designer whose focus is on conceptual critiques of nothingness, dust, and nowhere-ness and their relation to cookie-cutter suburbia and the corporate world.

When did you know you wanted to get into fashion and textile design?

I had a strong feeling I wanted to get into fashion and textile design when I was in the midst of an existential crisis… I was still a labourer at the time and had a strong and growing appreciation for designer brands, so it was very much a ‘what have I got to lose?’ situation – why not study fashion? That and I’ve always adored being busy with my hands… [I have] a love for art and a love for Lego.

How would you describe your aesthetic?

My aesthetic for my collection is reliant on what is very much the day-to-day experience of clothing. It’s mundane and drab to a certain extent, it’s very casual. It’s mute. It’s nothing of the imaginary, but it’s real. I guess it’s not all, you know… funky shit and funny faces. It’s deep, but it’s not that deep. I was the recipient of an Australian Wool Education Trust sponsorship and was supported in using wool materials and fabrics in my work.

Jasmine Ho

Please introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Jasmine Ho and I am an Australian designer with a Chinese-Malaysian background. The core theme of my work revolves around the notions of belonging and connection.

Whether it’s my own sense of connection to my childhood in Malaysia or the broader theme of connection between individuals, my latest collection explores the relationship between people and nature and the interaction between wearers and their environment. Through these designs, I aim to foster a sense of belonging and connection, combating feelings of isolation.

When did you know you wanted to get into fashion and textile design?

I first got into fashion and textiles through a textile class in high school, where we learnt to sew. In class, we watched Dior and I – a documentary on Raf Simons’ journey as Creative Director for Dior. I was captured by the beauty of creating haute couture and since then, I decided I wanted to become a fashion designer.

Although my understanding and knowledge of fashion at the time were limited, I had the passion to pursue it through tertiary studies and now, the more I learn about this huge and multifaceted industry the more I am inspired to continue to learn and grow as a designer.

How would you describe your aesthetic?

I would describe my aesthetic as a designer as playful and experimental. I often use my own textiles to help convey the message of my collection as well as play with form through the use of flat patternmaking.

Judy Kang

Please introduce yourself to our readers.

I am Judy Kang, currently in my honours year at the University of Technology Sydney studying fashion design. I am Korean… [and was] born in America and came to Sydney, Australia in 2016 with my family.

As a designer, I explore voluminous and unique silhouettes achieved through my draping techniques. I like to enhance the depth and dimension of these silhouettes with colour and digital prints to set the mood of the garments, offering viewers a sense of both familiarity and intrigue.

When did you know you wanted to get into fashion and textile design?

From a young age, I have always been crafty and hands-on. I also loved clothes growing up and knew my dream was to be a fashion designer someday, as I used to style myself and illustrate clothes since I was a child.

How would you describe your aesthetic?

The essence of my style involves utilising draping techniques to craft garments that not only focus on the feminine form. but also exude strength and confidence. Each piece is a deliberate statement, designed not just to be worn but to make a lasting impression, commanding attention and sparking a sense of empowerment. I was the recipient of an Australian Wool Education Trust sponsorship and was supported in using wool materials and fabrics in my work.

Angelica Kilkolly

Please introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi, I’m Ange (@by.angelicamaria). I’m a Sydney-based fashion designer with a huge love for knitting and textiles. I currently am living about an hour and a half north of the city, inside a 101-year-old home on a citrus farm. My knitwear is made in my home studio on a 1970s Singer knitting machine, and I am obsessed with slow craft and keeping traditional craftsmanship relevant and contemporary.

When did you know you wanted to get into fashion and textile design?

I have always loved sewing, since I was quite young, and used to sell handmade and upcycled clothes on Depop back in 2016 and 2017. In high school, I only really enjoyed creative subjects – especially textiles – so I decided to pursue future studies in fashion at uni to really hone my skills.

How would you describe your aesthetic?

I would say that both my design and personal aesthetics are pretty aligned. I absolutely love vintage, I try to only shop secondhand and most of the garments I design start from a vintage block. I also love knitwear – in particular grandma-esque sweaters and vests, as well as plaid/checks and quirky pops of bright colours.

I am the recipient of the Calcoup Knitwear sponsorship. Working with a local industry leader in knit design and technology, I designed a jacquard knit design that was produced and featured in my collection.

Alexander Enticknap

Please introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a designer primarily interested in exploring applications of new technology within the fashion industry and exploring fashion as a tool for the metacritique of the broader design economy. My collection, Zero-Sum Game, explores the use of creative artificial intelligence for a fashioning purpose.

When did you know you wanted to get into fashion and textile design?

I was studying a different degree in STEM that I was not particularly interested in… and couldn’t really apply myself properly to. I would spend my days going to class and in the evenings, I would trawl auction sites looking at archive clothing and watching runway shows. At the time I felt unhappy with where I was and where I was going, so took the chance to immerse myself in something I saw that I had a passion for.

How would you describe your aesthetic?

Warped, distorted, compressed and abstract. It’s a blend of carnival surrealism and sculptural silhouettes. I am the recipient of the Kullu Karishma industry sponsorship. I designed a woven textile that was crafted and produced by Kullu Karishma, an artisanal weaving company in the foothills of the Himalayas.

Jaimie Novick

Please introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Jaimie Novick, [I’m a] designer at Love From, Jaimie. I have just finished my graduation collection titled The Curation of Unwantedness, which focuses on the importance of sourcing in the design process. The collection is completely developed from sustainably sourced fabrics and found objects, with a focus on furniture and chairs as a motif due to the commonality of these being discarded and left on the street.

When did you know you wanted to get into fashion and textile design?

I have always been a creative person and found such joy in making things. I kind of always knew I wanted to work in fashion and through studying have really found myself excited to work in a sustainable fashion context.

How would you describe your aesthetic?

I have a constant internal struggle to create sustainable designs while still knowing that I am adding things to an industry that already has too much. My solution to this is to push my aesthetic to something that is truly original and specific to my processes… I was the recipient of an Australian Wool Education Trust sponsorship and was supported in using wool materials and fabrics in my work.

Lina Yu

Please introduce yourself to our readers.

I am an emerging designer exploring colour, knitwear and digital print to create exciting textile narratives that enhance my inclination towards sensory design… My collection seeks to invite movement, interaction and playfulness to create more meaningful connections between people and garments.

When did you know you wanted to get into fashion and textile design?

I had an interest in studying fashion and textile design at the end of high school but couldn’t commit to the idea of not pursuing a safe and academic future career. However, after studying a year of medical science and being completely unstimulated by it, I realised that my creative outlets (drawing, sewing, crocheting) could be more than simple hobbies.

How would you describe your aesthetic?

Unexpected but exciting and fun. I collage print on print and [use] unexpected colour harmonies throughout voluminous, bulbous forms but also pay attention to detail in… the finishes and details.

I am the recipient of the Calcoup Knitwear sponsorship. Working with a local industry leader in knit design and technology, I designed a jacquard knit design that was produced and featured in my collection.

Bridget Matison

Please introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a trans designer working on Gadigal Land. My work dwells on ideas of ephemerality and transience – clothes that exist between states of gender, body and motion. My garments use a broad variety of mixed media approaches to create chaotic bricolages of jostling texture with the body at the centre. I use wet moulding with leather and starch techniques to create silhouettes that ripple on and off the body as if in motion…

When did you know you wanted to get into fashion and textile design?

I had a very academic upbringing and felt constrained by the traditionally masculine way I was made to dress. As I grew out of this space, I became interested in fashion as an aspect of self-expression that was often denied to me – in reflection, it functioned as a tool to express my gender and explore non-normative presentation.

How would you describe your aesthetic?

Messy, off-kilter, expressive and wholly unique femininity. I was the recipient of the Liberty London sponsorship, and I was able to select Liberty-print fabrics to design with in my collection, inspired by the legacy of Liberty London.

Melinda Butina

Please introduce yourself to our readers.

Melinda Butina. I have a young family, I am Australian and have lived all over Sydney.

Where are you from? Tell us about you.

Born in Lithgow, I moved to Sydney when I was 18. I have lived in London for three years. I worked in the fashion industry as a designer for 15 years for a number of well-known brands. I decided to take this course part-time to explore my design identity, broaden my design skills and create more opportunities for me in the long term.

When did you know you would like to get into fashion and textile design?

I was always creative as a child – collaging, painting and doing crafts. I did a one-day course in graphic design when I was 17, but decided I wanted to do something more ‘hands-on’. I got more serious about fashion.

How would you describe your aesthetic?

Modern, feminine and tailored with a focus on bold silhouettes and unconventional draping. It’s a mix of vibrant and muted colours with a variety of textures and patterns. I was the recipient of the Liberty London sponsorship, and I was able to select Liberty-print fabrics to design with in my collection, inspired by the legacy of Liberty London.

For more on gender and fashion, head here.