The year of 2018 has been a game changer within the world of creativity, especially within the creative education environment. We all love to see and hear the stories of young creatives who are exploring innovative ways to not only manifest new styles but also to tackle larger issues within their industries.
The Masters Institute of Creative Education is Australia’s only integrated creative education provider offering everything from your non-accredited short courses all the way through to a Bachelor of Fashion Business Degree. The creative principles it offers are within the fashion, hair, beauty and makeup fields, truly a unique college for unique creatives.
The last time I wrote for Melbourne My style I wanted to respond to some common yet quite complex issues within the fashion industry. This time I want to introduce you to the newest members of the creative industries, their work and their experiences.
Earlier in the year, a team of hair and makeup students from T. M’s, Melbourne campus were asked to fly up to Sydney for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. This team worked with Tre Dallas backstage for the Thurley show. They also worked with Sheena Reyes, designing unique hair and makeup looks for the filming of her reviews. Aprina, one of the five students lucky enough to be selected to work at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, told me that it is these types of industry engagements that are what dreams are made of. “Most professional hair and makeup stylists want these opportunities, we are still studying and we are asked to come and work with people like Tre Dallas and Sheena Reyes for a full week, its surreal”. Aprina now regularly works with Tre Dallas and has been nominated for makeup Artist of the year at the T.M awards night on November 18th. I wish her all the luck in the world.
A small but mighty college, The Masters Institute of Creative Education, was successful in having four of its students selected to showcase their graduate collections at this year’s Melbourne Fashion Week, one of those, Lucy, taking runner up for the Designer of the Year. I interviewed Vincci, another of the four students selected, I found her collection resinated with me personally, she has an intelligent way of extracting ingredients form multiple conceptual ideas and stream lining them into one cohesive story. I asked her about her Melbourne Fashion Week Experience, “The process began months beforehand; fast forward momentarily and I was presenting my concept; Mystic Nights to the selection panel for Melbourne Fashion Week. I remember speaking to a close friend about the selection process and her words were so relevant, ‘accelerated learning’. It was exactly that. Not long after, I learnt I would participate in Melbourne Fashion Week. As the fittings approached, The Masters Institute of Creative Education became my new home and the other students became my second family. Working twelve hours a day became the norm. I had regular welfare checks from staff members too. On the day of the parade, I moved with great purpose. Tantamount to a category five cyclone, on reflection, Melbourne Fashion Week was pure hard work but also emotionally enriching. As my outfits appeared on the runway, I saw what began as ideas turn into reality and I saw my dedication and support from others come to fruition”.
I am sure you noticed the many magic installations around the City during Melbourne Fashion Week. The City of Melbourne attributed space within the city to local creatives in order to showcase both their work. Headed up by the amazing Creative Director and Stylist Virginia Dowser, the T.M student cohort once again jumped at the opportunity to work alongside her and the City Melbourne team on all of those installations. It was at this time The City of Melbourne took notice of what was happening within the walls at The Masters Institute of Creative Education and offered up their art gallery space within the City Library. Student work from across all creative principles was curated into a beautiful story demonstrating how important collaboration between different creatives is in order to achieve an overall successful outcome. Over sixty thousand people across the month of September came to view this exhibition.
It was only a few weeks after Melbourne Fashion Week that Myer Fountain Gate decided they wanted to put on a Spring Racing Fashion Runway. I partnered with Melinda from Melbourne My Style for this runway and it was at one of our meetings the idea to include The Masters Institute of Creative Education as a sponsor came up. Once again T.M provided a full team of hair and makeup students to work with the celebrity models that included Anthony and Susie Koutoufides and his family, Tahlea Knowles and Nicola Charles also making both Melinda and I look our very best for the ever so important role of comparing the event. The Myer Fountain Gate Runway was an important runway for Myer and all those involved. With the inclusion of the National Myer Management team front and centre, the press and Melbourne’s social elite, the pressure was on to bring about a cohesive, strongly curated, on trend Spring Runway that communicated directly to the Myer consumer. The T.M students had been handed a huge job and as you can see in the imagery not only did they rise to the occasion but they worked professionally and with such joy. We thank them.
So what’s next for this dynamic little power house of creative potential we tenderly call T.M?
Two very talented young designers Dani and Lorraine from the T.M fashion department have been selected to showcase their collection at the Myer Fashions on the Field this Melbourne Cup day. Both of these innovative new designers are up to win the emerging designer award. If you are out and about that day, please come and support them and come and say hello to Melinda and myself.
In just a few short hours another hair and makeup team will leave the Melbourne campus for the Lexus Angels with Wings Couture Runway Media Launch. The team will be working with world Paralympic gold and silver medallist Kelly Cartwright, Miss World Australia 2015 Tess Alexander and other amazing athletes prior to them walking in Australia’s first Couture Runway.
The Masters Institute of Creative Education is not only the first integrated creative educational institution of its kind in Australia, it is already proving itself to be the place to go for industry ready students who are actively engaging in major industry events. It is their students who are building a reputation for the institution, one of great professionalism supported by strong skill sets across multiple areas of creativity, a place to watch.
Todd Anthony.
[email protected]
www.themasters.institute
