To commemorate the 200th anniversary of the beginning of the Australian wool trade, our industry is pleased to mark the momentous achievement.
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Iconic image announced winner of ‘Australian Wool to the World’ Photographic Competition
An iconic image of a wool press, standing like a sentinel at the entrance of a 100 year old woolshed is the national winner of the Australian Wool to the World Photographic Competition.
Photographer Greg Healey, of Wodonga, Victoria, was presented with the award at an industry function at Parliament House, Canberra to commemorate 200 years of Australia’s international wool trade.
The competition attracted almost 250 entries from across Australia, providing the judging panel with a challenging task of selecting state and national winners. Many photographers entered images that played homage to the wool industry’s rich history, capturing the romantic image many have of Australia’s wool industry.
The award was presented by Vernon Graham representing competition partner Rural Press Limited and Robert Pietsch Chairman, WoolProducers Australia.
Mr Healey’s photograph, taken at Goolgumbla Station, Northwest of Jerilderie (NSW) features an ancient wool press, standing like a sentinel at the entrance of a 100 year old woolshed. To the right of the wool press is a new wool bale – and it was the mix of the old and the new which appealed to the judging panel as well as the composition and the technical ability of the photographer.
Mr Healey describes the press as “A relic that epitomises the resilience of the Australian Wool Industry. Scarred, but still solid and stoic, it is a timeless reminder of the tough people, and tough times behind a proud and resilient industry.”
As part of their prize package, each of the state winners were presented with Merino clothing from Red Island at last night’s function. For his winning entry, My Healey was presented with $1000.
200 Years of Innovation Celebrated
On Tuesday 24th July, 600 distinguished guests from Australia's fashion and wool industries celebrated 200 years of innovation at the opening of the Fashion from Fleece exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum in Darling Harbour, Sydney.
Initiated by Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), the exhibition presents key moments of wool in fashion with pieces from the likes of Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani and Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons.
The exhibition was opened by Dr Nicholas G Pappas, President, Board of Trustees, Powerhouse Museum, who applauded the important role the Australian wool industry has played within Australian history, and its contribution to Australia's rich cultural identity.
Also speaking on the night, AWI Chairman Ian McLachlan said ever since the first bale of wool was sent to England with the intention of commercial sale in 1807, the Australian wool industry has continually gone through an innovation revolution.
“AWI is proud to present the Fashion from Fleece exhibition in partnership with the Powerhouse Museum,” said Mr McLachlan.
“The 200 year anniversary of Australian wool heralds one of the biggest global marketing initiatives that AWI has ever undertaken.
“This is not only about celebrating our proud heritage, but also about showing what we have to offer our business partners for the future. AWI has already established strong business relationships with major retailers, manufacturers and designers around the world."
Guests attending the Fashion from fleece exhibition opening included Lady Sonia McMahon, iconic Australian designer Jenny Kee, contemporary Australian designers Lydia Pearson and Pamela Easton from Easton Pearson, Peter Morrissey, Jayson Brunsdon, Sydney Morning Herald Fashion Editor, Glynis Traill Nash and Marie Claire's Fashion Director, Jane Roarty.
Click picture to enlarge
Photographic Competition
Finalists have now been announced for the Photographic Competition. Each finalist will be flown to Canberra to partake in the Industry Commemoration Event on 13 August 2007 at Parliament House where the winner will be announced.
View finalist entries at Merino 200 in the “Photographic Competition” section.
AWI preserving the history of the Australian Merino industry
Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) has funded the preservation and cataloguing of historical wool collections which span the period from 1804 to the present and photographic material dating from the 1800’s.
Five thousand samples have been preserved. One thousand of those have been measured and photographed using modern equipment, to determine the characteristics and features of prominent Merino bloodlines across two centuries.
Dr Paul Swan, Knowledge Services Manager at AWI said through partnership with the Powerhouse Museum, AWI has helped preserve an important part of the heritage of the Australian Merino industry.
“It was common practice for studs to send the Museum (established in 1879), samples from prize winning rams and ewes. The result is that many of the most influential sheep studs, and stud breeders in the history of the Australian Merino industry are represented in the collection,” said Dr Swan.
“Much of this carefully preserved material collected by the Museum was uncatalogued and inaccessible to researchers, and so essentially we have not had a true appreciation of the value and scope of these collections. The Powerhouse Museum approached AWI in November for assistance with the collation and testing of the material, to ensure that it was preserved and made accessible.
“One thousand of the fleece samples have now been catalogued, tested using modern OFFM equipment, and digitally photographed including macro images. Some of the results are amazing, and tell a wonderful story about the evolution of the modern Australian Merino.
“For example, we have found Merino fleece samples from the 1890’s which have average diameter of 17 microns, are over 100 mm in length, with no fibres greater than 30 microns - in today’s terms, qualities many growers would like to emulate in their clips!
“The material will now be available for public or private viewing, and will be made available on the Museum’s database and website.”
Author Charles Massy is updating his book which chronicles the history of the Merino in Australia as part of the commemoration of 200 years of Australian wool.
Mr Massy will now have access to information about samples and images of the sheep and wool across this period.
“This is a very important step in the commemoration and celebration of the industry’s great achievement. Eight samples of wool from Marsden’s original flock, including sheep from whom the original bale would have been prepared are included in the collection,” said Mr Massy.
“These staples were sent to King George III in 1804 as evidence of the colony’s potential, and immediately preceded the sending of the first bale.
“There are between 3,500 and 5,000 samples available, which represent a sizeable sector of the industry. In fact, a number of the studs and bloodlines in the collection are still having an impact today.”
Protégé Participants
KARL LAGERFELD & JEAN-PIERRE BRAGANZA
Karl Lagerfeld
Karl Lagerfeld was born in Hamburg but moved to Paris, where, in 1955 he won a competition for a coat sponsored by the International Wool Secretariat. This acknowledgement helped him become a young apprentice at Pierre Balmain who actually produced the original coat Karl had designed. Three years later, he was awarded a position as creative director at Jean Patou, a 5-year-association during which Karl also explored other passions such as history, music and architecture. At the end of the 1960’s he began collaborating with Fendi, before taking the position of chief executive of design at the House of Chanel in 1983. In 1984 he launched his own collection “Karl Lagerfeld”.
Jean-Pierre Braganza
Jean-Pierre Braganza was born in London to an Asian father and Irish mother. As a child Jean-Pierre moved to Canada where he attended fashion college before moving back to London to finish his studies at St. Martin’s School. His exceptional skills made him stand out, and, after graduation he was offered the chance to cooperate with Cary Williams and Roland Mouret, from whom he inherited his love and appreciation for detail. His 2004 men’s and women’s wear collection was highly acclaimed at London Fashion Week.
DONATELLA VERSACE & KRISTIAN AADNEVIK
Donatella Versace
Donatella Versace was born in Reggio Calabria, Donatella spent her early years as a language student at the University of Florence. She soon began collaborating with her brother Gianni with her working on the Versace brand’s advertising campaigns. As her involvement in the business grew, Donatella began with the design of accessories and, in 1993, moved on to create Versace Young, her children’s line. The following year she became head designer for Versus, the trendy Maison Versace brand. Today Donatella is Vice President and Creative Director of the group and holds 20% of Gianni Versace S.p.A.
Kristian Aadnevik
This 29-year-old Norwegian designer completed his brilliant academic career, marked by prizes and recognition, at London’s Royal College of Art. His work experience includes collaboration with Harrods International in London and Charles Jourdan in Japan. His own label, created in 2004, is now in its sixth collection. Kristian’s style is appreciated by Mette-Marit, The Crown Princess of Norway and artist Jamelia who has chosen to wear Aadnevik in her latest music videos.
FRANCISCO COSTA FOR CALVIN KLEIN & JULIAN LOUIE
Francisco Costa
Francisco Costa was born in Brazil, with fashion in his blood. His parents ran a well known clothing business and his sister is a fashion stylist. With an ambition to design for a top fashion house, he moved to New York in the 1990s and soon after graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology. After winning the Idea Como/Young Designers prize, he went on to work with Oscar de la Renta and Pierre Balmain. In 1998 Tom Ford hired him to design evening wear for Gucci. Today, Francisco Costa is the creative director for Calvin Klein.
Julian Louie
Julian moved from Santa Cruz, California, to study architecture at New York’s Cooper Union and developed a side interest in fashion. Julian explored the relationships between architecture, fashion and painting. In 2005 he started an internship with the label Imitation of Christ and spent an entire month painting on yards and yards of silk chiffon for the Haute Couture Paris collection. Today, with a degree in architecture and a passion for painting, he is in Francisco Costa’s staff of designers.
PAUL SMITH & IOANNIS CHOLIDIS
Paul Smith
Paul Smith is one of UK’s most well-known fashion designers. Paul entered the fashion industry almost by chance, enthralled by the enthusiasm of young students at Nottingham Royal College of Art. His first step was to take tailoring lessons and open a small shop in London in 1970. With the support of his wife Pauline, Paul Smith has managed to become, arguably, Britain’s foremost fashion designer.
Ioannis Cholidis
Ioannis Cholidis was born in Greece and has a degree from London St. Martin’s School. His achievements in his fashion career include designing a sneaker line for Puma and a freelance cooperation with Stella McCartney, designing the clothes worn by British band Coldplay.
FRANCA SOZZANI & SANDRA BACKLUND
Franca Sozzani
Franca began her career in journalism after completing her BA at the Milan Cattolica University. In 1988 she became Editor-in-chief of the Italian edition of Vogue, Editor of Condè Nast Italia in 1994, and Editor of L’Uomo Vogue in 2006. She is also the author of several books about photography, fashion, art and design, as well as curator of exhibitions and has a special interest for talent-scouting. Several important photographers, artists and designers attribute their success to her commitment to the promotion of young talent, an undertaking for which she has recently been acknowledged with an international award.
Sandra Backlund
Sandra Backlund is a young Swedish designer with a passion for knitwear. With a degree from Beckmans School of Design in 2004, Sandra rapidly became known and appreciated for her amazing talent in handicraft. The human body is the starting point and, with the approach of a sculptor, Sandra constructs her work around the silhouette, arranging different shapes as in a 3-D puzzle. First prize winner of the Hyeres Festival International De Mode & De Photographie, Sandra has opened a tiny atelier in Stockholm where she spends day and night experimenting new shapes and volumes.
Protégé Program
To commemorate renowned designers who have been spun up in Australian wool during their past, and to celebrate the future for wool; a protégé program has been established with five key international designers.
- Jean-Pierre Braganza for Karl Lagerfeld
- Kristian Aadnevik for Donatella Versace
- Julian Louie for Francisco Costa - Calvin Klein
- Ioannis Cholidis for Paul Smith
- Sandra Backlund for Franca Sozzani (Vogue Italia)
Each designer will work with their design protégés on an Australian wool collection for the future. The challenge to each of these young designers is to create a whole collection with Australian Merino wool as the primary focus. Fabrics for the collection will be supplied by renowned Italian manufacturers such as Zega Baruffa, Ermenegildo Zegna, Loro Piana, Grignasco, Chiavazza, Reda, and Tollegno.
The five “protégés” will showcase their Merino wool collections at a catwalk event in Milan in January 2008.
200 Year Ambassadors
Eight Australian industry ambassadors have assisted in taking the story of 200 years of Australian Merino wool to the world.
The eight ambassadors include woolgrowers, a champion shearer, Australian wool fashion awards director, and other industry representatives.
- Kelly Dowling - a woolgrower from Dalton near Gunning in southern New South Wales, believes the 200 year anniversary represents an ideal opportunity to commemorate the industry’s achievements while looking to the future for this versatile, unique and luxurious fibre
- Liz Foster -Managing Director of The Australian Wool Fashion Awards (TAWFA), Liz Foster says the 200th anniversary is an ideal time to highlight the versatility of Australia wool and to profile its place in the international fashion industry.
- Adam Stobart - a woolgrower from Carrick in the north of Tasmania, Adam believes the 200 year anniversary represents a chance to focus on the relationship between the fibre he grows and the finished product.
- Dwayne Black - a champion shearer currently holding six shearing records, Mr Black believes the 200 year anniversary presents an opening to see the shearing profession increase in standard as a key to the wool industry.
- Tom Small - runs 10,000 sheep on 5,000 acres on Tottington, one of Victoria’s oldest wool growing properties. Tom says the 200 year anniversary can be seen to link the fibre to the international trade via its impact on the fashion industry.
- Cameron England - A fourth generation woolgrower, South Australian Cameron believes the 200 year anniversary is a time to commemorate the industry’s achievements while looking to a positive future for the fibre.
- Andrew McFarland - from Oxley Station in the Riverina, he believes the 200 year anniversary provides an opportunity to reflect on the Australian Merino and look to the future of the Merino breed.
- Tony Overton - a woolgrower from Walcha in northern New South Wales believes the 200 year anniversary provides hope for the future with the new technology available to make even more luxurious and versatile textiles.
Interviews have been conducted with the ambassadors for radio, television, and print media reporting.
22 June 2007 - Milan, Italy
The announcement of the 200 years of Australian Merino wool was made at the international menswear trade show Pitti Immagine Uomo. The event was attended by senior members of the European apparel trade.
Trade partners for the announcement at Pitti Immagine Uomo included renowned Italian spinners and weavers; Ermenegildo Zegna, Cerruti, Zegna Baruffa, Reda, Loro Piana, Vitale Barberis Canonico, Chiavazza and important apparel trade industry groups; Sistema Moda Italia, Federazione Imprese Tessili and Moda Italiane.
19 June 2007 - London, England
Australia House was the venue for the announcement of 200 years of Australian Merino wool commemoration in London, England.
Apparel industry, key media, and industry officials attended the event which presented the story of the Australian wool industry and introduced all activities set for the 200 years of Australian Merino wool commemoration in Australia, England, and Europe.
At the event was a number of innovative Australian wool textiles created as a select 200 years of Australian Merino wool fabric collection. Mills throughout London produced the unique array of fabrics to commemorate a fibre that has assisted in the development of fashion trends across the world. The fabric collection will be presented to trade partners globally.
Edwin Woodhouse, a partner of the M200 program, created a replica of Samuel Marsden’s fabric, which was given as a gift to King George III in 1808, which was presented to the Australian High Commissioner, HE Richard Alston by AWI CEO, Craig Welsh.
Exhibition - 200 Years of Australian wool in Fashion
Opening 25 July 2007 at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, the exhibition will run through until 22 August 2007.
This historic exhibition has been created specially to mark 200 years of Australian wool in fashion. It will include modern, vintage and historical fashion design pieces from major Australian and international designers celebrating wool and its extraordinary role in the history of modern fashion.
Historical material in the exhibition will include some of the earliest fleeces from the Australian Merino flock and other outstanding material from the collection of the Powerhouse Museum, Australia’s largest museum of science, technology, design and decorative arts.
The exhibition coincides with Sydney Design Week, one of Australia’s premier design festivals. Produced annually by the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney Design showcases home-grown and international talent across the breadth of design. Speakers from the Australian wool and fashion industries will give presentations throughout the festival.
The core of the exhibition will be fabulous fashion pieces comprising of early historical, vintage and modern pieces by leading international and Australian designers. The vintage selection includes names such as Christian Dior, YSL, Chanel, Balenciaga, Giorgio Armani and Jenny Kee. The contemporary designers include Akira Isogawa, Josh Goot, Easton Pearson, Jayson Brunsdon, Proenza Schouler and Martin Grant.
Other material will include pivotal fashion photographs gleaned from design history spanning two centuries. Central to the design of the exhibition will be large video screens projecting archival and contemporary footage including the bicentennial wool show of 1988 and recent footage on the collaboration of AWI and contemporary Australian designers.
Powerhouse Museum
500 Harris St
Ultimo NSW 2009
Australia
Australian wool industry event
Held at Parliament House on 13 August 2007, the Australian wool industry event will commemorate the achievements of the Australian wool industry.
The event will serve to inform government, wool industry officials, and key stakeholders in the Australian wool industry about the 200 year milestone.
A display of historic materials and contemporary apparel focusing on the trade of Australian Merino wool will feature at the event.
Attendance will be by invitation only
Please contact Australian Wool Innovation -
t. +61 2 9299 5155 for further information.