The theme of the 2021 Wool4School competition was ‘Wool on the Go’, in which we asked students to design an outfit which is versatile, protective, dynamic and functional for commuting and traveling.
Sara Regan from Swinburne Senior Secondary College in Victoria was the winner of the Aspiring category for her wonderful ‘Go Go Go’ collection that comprised a wool coat, trousers, bag and jumper for students commuting via public transport. See her winning entry here.
The garments can be transformed into different formats, eg the long coat can be shortened into a casual jacket by zipping off the bottom section.
The winning design has been recreated into a digital avatar.
Amongst the prizes awarded to Sara for her Wool4School win is a life-changing scholarship at the Whitehouse Institute of Design.
We caught up with Sara and asked her about her experience of the Wool4School competition.
What made you enter the Wool4School competition?
I have always been a creative person, whether that be through fashion or everyday life. Because of this, I have always looked for ways to grow my knowledge and skills around all areas of design, whether that be fashion and interiors or styling for photoshoots, events.
Last year, as I was looking at pathways I could take to become a designer, I came across the Wool4School competition. Not knowing much about the wool fibre and Australia’s role in the wool industry, I wanted to learn more about it whilst using my creative skills.
Can you please explain your design?
Go Go Go is made for urban design students in Metro Melbourne (hence the illustration on the back pockets) who rely on public transport to escape the traffic in peak periods to reduce their carbon footprint. I’m sure many other students would understand the pain of carrying extra folios and resources to and from school.
The transformable coat, trousers, bag, and jumper were all chosen carefully through my own market research to ensure a user-friendly product with innovative features. All the pieces are of a similar beige tone that prioritise function over aesthetics for a versatile design that is suitable for the 24-7 commute via public transport whilst the aesthetics remaining a classic staple throughout time.
The transformable coat, jumper and bag is made from 100% Pure New Merino Wool whilst the trousers were made of a wool rich blend of 70% Merino Wool, 17% Polyester and 13% Polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT).
What was your favourite part of the competition?
My favourite part would have to be creating/illustrating the final coat, trousers, jumper and bag as I got to show my creative side as an aspiring designer and create something that would be beneficial to my end-user/s (inspired by my close friends).
However, I also loved learning about wool and the universal properties and characteristics the fibre has to offer.
What are your thoughts on your win?
Honestly, I never thought I would be close to winning. There are so many talented aspiring designers that all have different creative approaches and skills, so I am very honoured to be chosen as a winner for this competition.
Do you have any advice for students who are thinking of entering next year?
Give it a go! That’s what I did, and as you work more and more on your entry you will fall more and more in love with what you create. No matter the outcome, creating a design is a huge achievement as it not only allows you to learn and grow as a designer, but it also lets you have fun along the way.
What are you looking forward to the most attending Whitehouse next year?
I’m most excited to meet like-minded aspiring designers who I can learn from and also hopefully broaden my creative mindset. Along with this, I think being able to study what I love full time will be amazing.
