Tuesday 25 January
RMIT X POLITIX NEXT GEN
Every year, in collaboration with RMIT University's School of Fashion & Textiles, we hand-pick the best textile design students in Australia and give them the opportunity to create a limited-edition POLITIX shirting capsule.
It’s a chance for the country’s brightest talent to blow us away (and a chance for you to score some seriously good shirts). Last year’s shirting collab was a huge hit, and we’re back for another round in 2022. “Nurturing the next wave of new Australian design talent
is something that we have always been excited about,” says POLITIX designer Brad Mclennan. “With a 40-year history of pattern and print we want to be able to share that knowledge and help flourish the talent of up-and-coming Australian designers.”
01
The Challenge
The competition was simple. We gave 30 RMIT Bachelor of Textiles (Design) students a brief to encapsulate ‘The Spirit of POLITIX’ through print. They were given an overview of the brand’s history, modern design styles and menswear trends, and how to translate a 2D print into a finished shirt.
02
Meet this year's design winner
After months of hard work, we’ve selected this year’s student design winner: Amy Gwak. Amy’s intricate hand-painted florals were a definite stand-out, and she was recently invited to a photoshoot in Melbourne, where she could see her designs come to life on actual human models. Amy’s got two patterns in this year’s shirting capsule – BUNCH and GWAK – both hand-drawn in watercolours, digitized and printed onto slim-fit shirts made from 100% BCI cotton. These guys are now officially part of the POLITIX shirting range. Amy will also be kicking off a POLITIX design internship in February 2022. We can’t wait to see what she does next. Huge congrats, Amy!
03
Q&A with Amy Gwak
Where did you get your inspo?
I wanted to make something to match my feelings exiting a long lockdown period in Melbourne. I wrote these words down as initial inspiration: ‘As people open their door and step out into a new winter, misty blues are accented by seasonal flowers like those seen walking through the front garden, slowly and calmly moving forward with a confidence that comes from classic floral motifs and soft but clearly stated colours.
What’s your design process?
I analysed the 2022/23 Autumn/Winter men’s fashion trends through my research at RMIT and reflected on the pattern and colour trends. I started by hand-painting my design motifs and then developed the motifs into the repeat patterns digitally.
What was your favourite part of this project?
I appreciate the opportunity I was given through the RMIT and Politix project to create my shirt designs and have them released into the world. Holding the shirts with my design for the photoshoot campaign was especially fun. I am so thrilled to see my designs get used and worn by people.
Got any tips for people looking to become a designer?
I feel grateful when I see people use or wear products that I designed. I recommend anyone interested in becoming a textile designer to find or make opportunities to get their designs fabricated and shared when they can.
What’s next for you?
I would like to learn and challenge myself to explore more in the Fashion industry and am taking my placement with Politix in February. I’m looking forward to learning and improving my skill sets through real industry experience.
04
Shirt Up
Amy’s two winning designs are both hand-drawn with water colours, manipulated and digitized via computer, and printed onto slim fit, cotton texture, stretch fabric shirts, made from 100% BCI cotton. You’ll can only get them at POLITIX, and they’ll be available for a limited time. So don’t hang about. Mclennan has this advice for other emerging designers looking to make their mark:
“Research, research, research,” he says. “It’s one thing to be ‘interested’ in fashion, but another to understand what a customer wants. Start by following your favourite brands on socials and keeping up with changes in trends. Knowledge and understanding of fabrication and fit is key to being a successful designer – so study hard and most importantly have fun!”
