International and National Agencies enable creative collaboration
Support from national organisations can enable innovative design collaboration as often demonstrated by the UK’s agency for cultural exchange: British Council. In past events, your curator has collaborated with BC India/BC Scotland (‘India Street’) and BC UK/BC Germany (‘Maker Library’). Here British Council Australia brings together two designers who also credit the Australia Council for the Arts in supporting their collaborative project.
‘I am an independent fashion and accessories designer. I make clothes inspired by rebels and my fantasies of living in the Tropics, often using textiles sourced on my travels. As well as designing for my own brand, I run fashion and textile workshops and do freelance work for clients including interiors companies, theatres and performers.’ Emily Millichip in Conversation with Craft Scotland with whom the Designer has collaborated to offer workshops.
Indij Design is 100% indigenous-owned and operating in Gordonvale, Queensland Australia. Textile and Interiors Designer Francoise Lane of Indij initially knew of Emily Millichip and her eponymous fashion label through a hyperactive Instagram presence and visited Emily’s studio in Edinburgh during her UK trip for Accelerate, a BC Australia creative industry leadership programme.
An extended ‘virtual’ design journey with many learning curves led to the wonderful MILLICHIP X LANE backpack, a successful experiment in expressive colourways using linen. Your curator first saw the design in The Skinny, Scotland’s leading independent events newspaper which had recently begun to offers readers a regular Design section. This column continues to provide insightful coverage of many local design heroes complied by writer/curator Stacey Hunter.
The original backpack sold out. Journeys in Design is delighted to exhibit a new commission in this striking linen for our current exhibition at Dovecot Edinburgh.
Photo of Emily in tropical dress, courtesy of Caro Weiss Photography (http://www.caroweiss.com).
Photo of Emily in studio with fabric, courtesy of Ross Fraser Mclean / Studio Ro Ro.
