Sustainable Couture is a flourishing network of Australian textile artists and designers,
passionate about creating distinctive eco-fashion and promoting sustainability
About Sustainable Couture
An early eco-fashion movement, Sustainable Couture was launched in Alice Springs, Australia, in 2009 by a flourishing group of creative, eco savvy designers and textile artists.
Through its unique approach to recycling, refashioning and reconstructing textiles, Sustainable Couture has focused community attention on sustainability through presenting the endless possibilities of recycling, upcycling, repurposing and reducing textile waste.
The collective energy of the group is refreshed annually with new designers being invited to participate, or the return of past designers - the ebb and flow is managed by a core group of Sustainable Couture designers and makers
2024 Events
Sustainable Couture Exhibition 2024
Back to Our Roots
Thursday 20 June - Saturday 6 July 2024
June Marriott Gallery
Central Craft
Araluen Cultural Precinct
61 Larapinta Drive
Alice Springs NT Australia
Exhibition is open from 1000 -1400 Mondays to Saturdays
This innovative exhibition, featuring work by 12 designers
and the story of Sustainable Couture, was opened on
Thursday 20 June by Franca Frederiksen and Philomena Hali,
co-founders of Sustainable Couture.
Click here to see the 2024 Exhibition Gallery
This eclectic collection by 12 Australian designers brings us
back to the location of our first event held at Central Craft
in 2009.
This year, local Alice Springs designers Franca Frederiksen,
Kate Merry, Kristina Kidd, Jen Standish-White and
Marg Johnson are joined by Carmel Ryan and Janie
Andrews (Darwin, NT), Philomena Hali and Natalia Rodrigo
(Perth, WA), Nicky Schonkala (Victoria), Liz Wauchope and
Naina Devi (Adelaide, SA).
GGGG
From Gail Hayes' stunning 1970s and 80s collection - exemplifying Choose well, buy less.
Models Nicola and Kate
From our co-founders
This year Sustainable Couture returns to its roots - to the location of our first event at Central Craft in the Araluen Cultural Precinct, Alice Springs.
This year's exhibition will be our final bow. Since our launch at Central Craft in 2009, Sustainable Couture has contributed to a rich and innovative art, craft and design community in central Australia, and promoted Alice Springs as a creative community and flourishing centre of recycled fashion. And it has influenced people's thinking about sustainability and how every individual can make a difference, reducing textiles in landfill.
We thank all who have so enthusiastically embraced and supported Sustainable Couture.
We thank you for the good times!
And remember -
Buy less, wear preloved, wear it longer, swap and share clothing and…repair and restore what we have.
Philomena Hali and Franca Frederiksen
Sustainable Couture Founders
Meet our Designers
Co-instigator of Sustainable Couture and three-time recipient of ‘runner-up’ Wearable Art Awards, Franca is passionate about fashioning stylish garments from recycled and sometimes surprising fabrics.
Philomena is recognised nationally and internationally for her diverse work; her pieces are held in private collections, museums and galleries across Australia and overseas.
A long-time dressmaker and passionate about the environment, Carmel prefers to reuse and repurpose, and loves working with vintage pre-loved or found natural materials that 'come with a story’.
Galleries
"My experience in Alice Springs is that residents really embrace grass roots arts initiatives – not just for the aesthetic aspects but for the ‘bigger picture’ messages that are being promoted.
There is a growing demographic which is environmentally and socially conscious and Sustainable Couture events are held in high esteem by these people.
But I do think that Sustainable Couture reaches beyond this demographic and this town too – for those people who are straight out lovers of art, textiles and performance."
Alice Springs resident
We thank our generous volunteers and enthusiastic audiences
We thank our generous and valued sponsors and partners
for giving us the opportunity to develop our creative skills, contribute to a rich, innovative art, craft and design community
and bring attention to the national discussion around our environment and the urgent need to reduce textile waste in landfill.