By Sarah Kempson
The inaugural Blondes to Brunettes RMIT fashion friendship was launched last night with the pop of a champagne cork and inspiring words from the people that made it happen. Fashion folk, dynamic designers and engaging entrepreneurs gathered at the Blondes to Brunettes salon in Prahran, Melbourne to celebrate the start of an inspiring partnership. But what is a fashion friendship and how does the concept work?
The brainchild of Jane Smith, owner of Blondes to Brunettes (B2B), the fashion friendship recognises upcoming designers who study at RMIT and gives them an opportunity to showcase their imagination in the B2B window space. Acknowledging that fashion is so much more than just the clothes we wear or the shoes we walk in, Jane explains how hair and beauty are also ‘wearable art’ and that using them to express our individuality and personality are just as important as what we can get in the stores. She envisages the fashion friendship closing the gap between what is interpreted as fashion, and what fashion actually is.
The salon window, usually an empty space, has been transformed into an art piece, designed by students Takahiro Kunitoshi and Ayisha Tutone. Thrilled to be chosen to display their works at the beginning of the program, Takahiro and Ayisha created their piece, Giving, in line with the spirit of the season. Featuring three pairs of floating hands that seem to deliver flowing fabric from one to the other, the designers embraced the concept that hands give and receive.
Presented to the group by RMIT fashion lecturer Peter Allan, the pair was modest in the appraisal of their works, and shied away from the well deserved attention. Peter Allan spoke of their dedication to fashion and design and of the future of the partnership with B2B. He also introduced past student Nikolina Kucan, a designer and milliner who has started her own business, Nikolina Concepts, after completing her studies in 2008. Nikolina spoke of the benefits of the fashion friendship, and how it allowed students to have an opportunity to show their works and experience design outside of the classroom.
As someone who loves her gossip and chat time while at the hairdressers, the fashion friendship is a unique opportunity to expose the designers work to a wider community while encouraging questions and networking. Clients at the salon have been very interested in the RMIT developments over recent weeks and staff enthusiastically agreed when asked if the window display had bought in new customers, wondering about the origin of the window display.
365 Days of Design is a lot of days, but the fashion friendship has a lot to offer not only the students, school and salon, but also the public who are being invited to experience art unlike any other.
You can view the current window, Giving, at the B2B salon, 479 High Street, Prahran, Melbourne but get in quick, you never know when the window will be redesigned and another student will be given the chance to shine.
For more information on Blondes to Brunettes, visit their website.
