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coalescence celebrating fashion sustainably
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coalescence; noun the merging of elements to form a whole.
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The Possibility Project and The Syndicate, with the generous support of North Sydney Council welcome you to Coalescence. We hope that our event helps deepen the conversations on how to create a kinder fashion industry. Fashion communities are at a turning point, where individuals and industry are increasingly aware of their importance in creating a more sustainable future, it is equally fitting that our backdrop is the magnificent Coal Loader Centre For Sustainability. Coalescence is the ‘meeting place’ for what can be created by reimagining our resources for a greater good. Gratitude is a demonstration that you are willing to share your ideas, talents, space, time and energy. Coalescence has been made possible because the following people and organisations have come together to express their gratitude towards this project. We wholeheartedly thank them. North Sydney Council. The Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability. The Syndicate. Tonic Lane. OzHarvest. LifeLine Australia. Heart People. Jess Scully. Storeroom Vintage. Young Henry’s. Chic Management. Our models. Lily Davis. Nancy Davis. Lucinda Pascoe. T-1 Print. Citizen Wolf. Lisa Brown. Embody Women. Michel Robert. Cabrie’ LifeLine Military Road. James Stibilj. Muse Hairdressing. Rory Farrell Design.
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brought to you by..
The Possibility Project is a Sydney based social enterprise created by Kath Davis and Kim Pearce. Kath and Kim have a driving desire to bring a mindset of possibility to solving our biggest social and environmental challenges. They are inspired by the power of going beyond self to transform complex issues. Many of their life lessons have been drawn from groups living under slum conditions in Jaipur, who in the face of adversity, continue to rise by thinking resourcefully as a community. Essential to thinking in possibility is to think creatively, The Possibility Project encourages others to think, speak and act creatively and in a way that magnifies pathways to positive change for all. We believe that creativity is sparked by the imagination (not by time and money). The Possibility Project recognises that at the heart of every organisation supporting Coalescence is the same story, like us, they started with one or two people that identified a problem and wanted to do something about it, the next step was to believe that possible, and the next step, well, thank you for making it your story too! Love Kath and Kim
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and..
We are a group of friends who met working backstage for fashion runways who share a love for fashion and nature in a time that was changing for both. It was clear that the response to fast fashion was rapidly impacting the world at the cost of human safety and life and it is no secret that the fashion industry had become the second biggest contributor to pollution, behind fossil fuels. What could we do? We started small by looking at our waste management habits as individuals and implemented these habits into our work life which became our business. It is a small start. A human heart-centred start. Sustainability within fashion has the power to transform. Coalescence 2019 to our team is the opportunity to be a part of excited, innovative thinkers who will help us to reimagine social and environmental action in response to a rapidly changing world. Coalescence is the start to a story towards positive change. In all actions of initiative and creation there is one elementary truth, the moment one commits themselves, they are helping things that would never otherwise occur and which nobody could of dreamed would come their way. W H Murray via Dilys Williams – Director of Centre of Sustainable Fashion.
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Located on the Waverton waterfront, the multi-award winning Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability is a unique venue which integrates best-practice sustainable technology, parkland, community gardens, a native bush nursery, heritage, and engaging events. Previously an industrial coal bunkering facility, North Sydney Council took ownership of this disused site in 1997 and transformed it into an accessible public space where the community can learn about sustainability, nature and heritage, and be inspired to make positive change. With the opening of the Coal Loader Platform in 2018, the site is now even more diverse and hosting a wider range of community events, from music festivals to fitness – and now its first fashion show.
Proudly Supported By North Sydney Council
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the coal loader centre for sustainability
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Jess Scully Councillor + MC
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I grew up in a household that lived and breathed fashion my grandparents were a tailor and a seamstress, and when I was in primary school my mum ran fashion boutiques while my dad drove around the country distributing local designers to regional stores. In high school, it was discovering independent Australian designers that helped me find my tribe, and at university, I realised I wanted to write about and promote those designers with my work, which started with fashion journalism and ended up as an advocate for the broader creative industries. I come from a long line of fashion lovers, and love of fashion has shaped my life, but I know now it is also the source of the worst impacts I have on the world as an individual. I don’t want to give up my love for fashion - I don’t know if I ever could - but I need help. I need fashion to be a part of the solution, not just a contributor to the problem. We need to work together to bring fashion’s dirty laundry into the light and reshape the systems that make vandals and slave drivers of us all. Jess was the founding director of Vivid Ideas, Australia’s largest creative industries event, and has curated creative sector events including Junket, TEDxSydney and Curating Participation. She is a passionate advocate for the knowledge economy, creative and cultural sector, cities and our public realm.
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designers exhibitors
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slumwear108 fashion designer
The Indian term for slum is Jhuggi, it describes the ability to fashion what you want out of what you already have, slumwear108 imbues the Jhuggi spirit of resourcefulness. One of our passions at The Possibility Project is to tap into our creative mindset and materialise the immense value in the resources that already exist. We use the journey of the slumwear108 product to gently flip mindsets. Each piece is lovingly made with fabrics sourced from India, sometimes new, but mostly preloved, all stitched with pride and dignity at either I-India’s vocational training centre or through processes we have a personal connection with. We hope our clothing will spark thoughtful conversation on how individuals have the power to change the fashion industry, and how getting dressed can be a powerful act. We have created a unique T-shirt for Coalescence, rescuing some T’s from our friends at Citizen Wolf, featuring an original James Stibilj artwork and printing at T-1 print with the words ‘why not’ – this being an answer not a question to us. Love Kath and Kim
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slumwear108
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slumwear108
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slumwear108
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slumwear108
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slumwear108
slumwear108
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slumwear108
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Lifeline Designer exhibitor
Think about it…how many clothes do you own right now? How many have you owned throughout your whole life but no longer have, where are they now? The issue of textile waste is holistically underrepresented in our community, when in fact it is the second highest waste contributor next to oil, shocked? We were too. Lifeline is working to shed light on the impact of textile waste and how we can get involved to help reduce the issue. Lifeline are creating a shopping experience to showcase a new way to look at recycled clothing and how it can be infused into your new season wardrobe. All this, while supporting local suicide prevention and counselling services. ‘Coalescence’ for Lifeline will be a unique night filled with creativity, fashion, art and textile. Creating environmental awareness, while utilising our collaboration with like minded souls. “As soon as we were asked to be involved, we knew this was something we wanted to get behind” Says Jason Fox Lifeline Manager Retail Operations.
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Our runway presentation will be styled with current bohemian trends in mind and the lifestyle that comes with relaxed weekends and a chilled cocktail. All looks will be available on the night at our cleverly curated pop-up shop with plenty of on trend bargains to be snapped up.�
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Lifeline Designer
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Lifeline Designer
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Citizen Wolf designer/exhibitor
Made To Measure T-shirts ‘It’s time to reboot our relationship with clothes’ Citizen Wolf is built on a simple idea, the clothes you wear everyday can and should be custom made just for you. We believe that if you create exactly what you want in your favourite fabric and it fits perfectly then you’re guaranteed to love it. And if you love something you’ll take care of it, use it more and repair it rather than rush to replace it. We created a Magic Fit Algorithm, using your height, weight, date of birth and bra size, we can create a mathemagical model of your body which is 95% accurate. We call it smarter casual and T-shirts are only the beginning. This is what we mean by rebooting your relationship with clothes. We’re on a journey to make fashion better for you, better for the skilled artisans making your clothes and ultimately better for the planet. Zoltan Csaki & Eric Phu Co-Founders
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Storeroom Vintage designer/exhibitor
Storeroom Vintage is Australia’s most renowned go-to store for unique, collectable and impossible to find vintage threads and more recently, designer vintage pieces. You can find classic Harley Davidson T-Shirts and second hand Levis 501’s worn to perfection alongside rare sought after Dior, Gucci, Versace and Chanel pieces. Lee hand selects each piece himself in Los Angeles, visiting the city every couple of months. His intuition, eye and knowledge of quality and authenticity contribute to the desirability and demand of his collection. Storeroom Vintage has caught the attention of anyone and everyone who has a genuine interest and passion for vintage clothing and he has put himself on the map as one of the best spots for high end and casual vintage, not only in Australia, but on an international scale. He has hosted the likes of Drake, Post Mallone, Anderson Paak and A$AP Rocky in both his store and showroom where each has walked out with curated range of hand picked pieces. Major publications such as Vogue Australia styled by Christine Centenera for Kim Kardashian, i.D Magazine and RUSSH Magazine have sourced from Storeroom which is another tribute to Lee’s offering.
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T-1 PRINT designer/exhibitor
T-1 PRINT was established only a few years ago, providing a premium garment printing service, with four automated printing carousels and the latest in screen technology. Screen printing is a dirty business, it is therefore important to embrace new technology in an attempt to be as sustainable as possible. There is a slogan I like, “Continuous Improvement”, we really try to put this into practice by targeting an area we need to work on and then involving everyone to get us there. It could be as simple as talking to our suppliers about the unnecessary plastic used in the packing of t-shirts or purchasing new machinery that minimises plastic and toxic chemicals from the printing process.We invite our customers to be involved in this process if they wish. We hope that more people will get behind printing in Australia because there is an interest in the industry to clean it up. Pamela Mannell
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slumwear108
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Michel Robert Cabrié Light Gallery
Michel Robert Cabrié was born in Alice Springs, in the heart of central Australia, and moved to Melbourne during his younger schooling years. Forever fascinated by light and colour, Michel has experimented in a variety of creative media, from photography and light painting, to film, and even lead lighting and glass blowing. Driven by a desire to employ environmentally sustainable production methods, and avoid the waste generated by mass production, all products in the LIGHT GALLERY are individually made to order. “I’m obsessed with the refraction of light… and with shadow. As an artist driven by the aesthetic... colours and textures, patterns, shadows… these are all an extremely crucial part of the way I see the world.”
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Natalie Wakeling Embody Women
At Embody Women we value slow fashion that is timeless and classic. Sustainable fashion means buying investment pieces that you will keep in your wardrobe for years to come. With clothing landfill becoming a huge environmental issue, we aim to encourage our customers to invest in quality over quantity. The entire Embody range is manufactured in Australia, where we know the makers by name, and have complete confidence that all workers are being paid Australian award rates & work under fair conditions. Within the denim industry, there are issues in terms of the environmental impact of the dying process in different parts of the world. The damaging effects of indigo poisoning are widespread, as chemicals can flow into rivers & contaminate food sources. To avoid this, each embody denim garment is washed in an industrial family-run laundry & dye house in Sydney, that complies with Australian rules and regulations when disposing of chemicals.
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Lisa Brown
The label Lisa Brown was originally born from Lisa’s passion and creative flair in creating her own individual fashion looks. Lisa’s signature designs are individual, feminine and feel as beautiful on the skin as the look on the body. A combination of hand washable silks, cotton and linen, exquisite attention to detail and with generous use of fabric. Most importantly to Lisa, she has created a fashion label for women who are unique in their style and appreciate the detail and quality of their clothing. Each Lisa Brown garment has been lovingly made in Australia by our talented and local team. By supporting us, you are supporting the local economy and supporting the diminishing fashion manufacturing industry in Australia, As we are able to be more responsive to consumer demand, you are also helping us to reduce the amount of unwanted clothing waste in our country. We strive to create clothing that holds its place within your wardrobe year after year, and makes you feel effortlessly beautiful, every time. Thank-you for allowing us to do what we love. Lisa Brown x x
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supply partners
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Chic Models supply partner
Chic Management, founded in 1992 is recognised as one of the world’s most respected modelling and talent management businesses. With a global client base and network of affiliated agencies, Chic is often the first point of contact for clients looking for both emerging and established talent. Chic is a family owned Australian business which has launched hundreds of successful international careers and nurtured a vast array of creative talent. It embraces the future, takes risks and prides itself on maintaining strong morals and ethics. beti chuol. georgia farley. india. jess fonti. madelaine. mali. sameerah.skye. tallulah. hannah. ben adams and special thanks to ailish kaleda.
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Tonic Lane supply partner
Lovers of seriously good coffee, Australian spirits, freshly baked goods, engaging conversation and of course all those growing supporters of sustainability will find their spiritual home at Tonic Lane on Tour. A roaming café able to bring sustainability opportunities to the people. Tonic Lane on Tour has a retro atmosphere and a preloved touch as they move around town in their converted very noticeable 1984 Toyota Coaster Bus. Tonic Lane was the first café in Sydney to stand solo and charge a levy for single-use disposable coffee cups in 2017. They created the ‘The Mug Movement’ project which encourages hot drink lovers to BYO or to help themselves to a free mug, in an attempt to reduce unnecessary waste going to landfill. The Tonic Lane Tour Bus will be buzzing around the burbs and the beaches popping up at community events, private functions and will keenly support any gig with a sustainability ethos. On board the bus will be a mass of real coffee mugs & cups, glass jars, recycled bottles, metal straws and preloved crockery. A true example of their ‘Say No’ to single use slogan and is guaranteed to be a ‘War on Waste’ conversation starter within the hood.
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slumwear108
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Young Henry’s supply partner
Like most good stories, ours started over a beer. Meeting on opposite sides of the bar, Richard Adamson and Oscar McMahon got talking over their love of beer and music, also discovering they shared a view that the Australian beer scene was behind the times – that it should be more adventurous, innovative and fun. With Richard’s brewer experience, and Oscar’s hospitality expertise, they decided they should do more than talk. In 2012, after a long search for a permanent home, Young Henrys Brewery was officially born in Newtown. With a few friends and a small brew kit, they set about ensuring no local would ever go thirsty again! Now the brewery is growing at breakneck speed, with a bustling tasting bar and servicing hundreds of local and national watering holes. Young Henrys has most recently incorporated a distillery into the family, with their gold medal winning Noble Cut gin and more hand crafted spirits to be released soon. Young Henrys stands behind an unwavering vision to create beer and gin loved by their local communities and like-minded mates around Australia are proud to call their own. By keeping things local, reducing environmental impact, and collaborating with like-minded, passionate, creative people, Young Henrys helps turn up the volume on diverse (sometimes smaller) voices in our community.
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Oz Harvest supply partner
“OzHarvest is Australia’s leading food rescue organisation, stopping good food going to waste and delivering it directly 1300 charities supporting people in need across the country. OzHarvest was founded in 2004 by Ronni Kahn, who, after noticing the huge volume of good food going to waste from the hospitality industry, decided there had to be a better way. Now in its 15th year, OzHarvest operates nationally, rescuing over 180 tonnes of food each week from over 3,700 food donors including supermarkets, hotels, airports, events, restaurants, and more. OzHarvest has delivered more than 100 million rescued meals to vulnerable Australians and saved over 35,000 tons of good food from going to waste. The OzHarvest Food Truck is one of the more recent additions to the fleet. When it’s not on the road nourishing those in need, it brings delicious and sustainable menu options to private, corporate and community events. 100% of proceeds go back to OzHarvest, and every $1 helps OzHarvest deliver two nutritious meals to Aussies in need. To book the OzHarvest Food Truck, visit https://www. ozharvest.org/what-we-do/foodtruck”
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Heart People music
A duo born of the collective creative consciousness of former Canyons (Modular / DFA) member Ryan Grieve and model / visual artist Rachel Rutt, craft a unique and expansive sound incorporating elements of dance music with emotive vocals and lyrics.
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Philip Barwick hair
Philip Barwick lives and breathes hairdressing, as leader of Sydney’s dynamic MUSE HAIRDRESSING team in Sydney, Australia. A long standing career and a passion for precision cutting, session styling, education, training and people, has seen Philip hold on to a position of respect, credibility and industry mentors. Twice recipient of the prestigious AHFA, Australian Hairdresser of the Year award, finalist for Hair Expo Australian Hairdresser of the Year in 2005 and 2012, twice awarded AHFA NSW Hairdresser of the Year and along with 2005 Hair Expo Excellence in Hairdressing Education, Philips’s creativity and imagination, in cohesion with his strong technical ability, is what makes him one of the best in the business. As a leading Hair Director for Australian Fashion Week and Singapore Fashion Festival, alongside his salon work, Philip has also been a regular contributor for freelance editorial, advertising and runway clients. Philip is regularly invited as a Session Stylist for New York Fashion Week and has directed runway hair for regular designer clients.
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Philip has evolved into a leading international hair educator, mentor and platform artist in Australia, London, Sweden, South Africa, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Canada and America where he holds a position as a Redken Exchange Artist and has presented at Redken Symposium and the International RAC. As the current Artistic Director for Redken Australia, Philip’s experience is one of a truly world class career.
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Coalescence. Towards Zero Waste Events.
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The Syndicate Group understand the waste that can be generated through many disciplines of fashion which is harmful to the environment we love. Therefore, we committed to Sustainability as a business practice for all the services we offer. For our events, despite the best of recycling efforts, waste can remain largely unseen until post-event. From removing props to beverage and food packaging, we wanted to implement a flexible, simple and resourceful waste management plan that has the aptitude to change with each event. We committed to 90% diversion of waste for 2019 with an aim for zero waste. We liaise with venues to understand their own waste removal system. We support paperless marketing and promotions. We provide biodegradable paper cups and cutlery to backstage teams for events where we can. We partner with different businesses for prop storage and disposal. We are active members of recycling programs for soft plastic and hair and beauty product packaging waste. We try to repurpose and reuse materials where possible. We are constantly working on Sustainability plans for our services which include marketing and dressmaking. We would love to discuss and share Sustainability ideas with you. Please feel free to email us on info@the-syndicate-group.com.
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slow fashion champions And if you feel like you have to do something
‘Slow Fashion is an awareness and approach to fashion, which considers the processes and resources required to make clothing, particularly focusing on sustainability. It involves buying (and exchanging) better-quality garments that will last for longer and values fair treatment of people, animals and the planet’ goodonyou.eco The slow fashion movement is as much about mindset as market, The Possibility Project acknowledges the following slow fashion champions who have helped shaped our mindful journey. iindia. ladlivocationaltraining. fashionrevolutionorg. mrspress. ecoage. goodonyou. peppermintmagazine. safiaminney. gurusingh. viviennewestwood. Dr Maureen Roach. orsoladecastro.ellenmacarthurfoundation. bobbrown. gandhi.rachelrutt. eightcorners. lushcosmeticsaustralia. friends. family. copenhagenfashionsummit. liviafirth. janemilburn. rais. emilyhunt. motherearth. meltually. wardrobecrisispodcast.
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