Fashion Awards Australia staged their first post covid schools competition on Friday 13 October. Our fashion students made a triumphant return to the competition. Awards were given for Calico, Sustainable (recycle and upcycled garments), Day Wear, Evening and Long Gown.

Year 10 designers Cynthia Dinh, Minh Pham and Aliya Rustiawan were first in the winners’ circle, with a clean sweep of the Calico Award. They were followed by Jessie Tran Tuyet Mai, Cynthia Dinh and Megan Truong first, second and third in Day Wear. Amy Vo won Evening Wear against an extensive field from several prestigious private schools. She was joined at the podium by Cynthia Dinh who won third prize in the Award.

Jackie Tran led the 11/12 Awards with second prize in Costume. First prize Costume went to our VET Fashion student Kathleen Pham. Long Gown is nationally recognised as the Australian Gown of the Year. Jackie Tran won the Australian Gown of the Year, becoming the first secondary school student to have achieved this accolade.

During covid, Australia lost an icon of the fashion world, Ross Weymouth. In the 1950s, he and his contemporary designer John Claringbold, introduced contemporary couture in Australia. The national Gown of the Year awards were launched in 1953 by the Australian Mannequins and Models Guild to elevate local brands and encourage innovative design. Ross Weymouth and John Claringbold were staunch supporters of the Award. In their memory Heather Marcus, the convenor of Fashion Awards Australia, has created two Awards that acknowledge innovative design and excellence in production. The John Claringbold Schools’ Cup and the prestigious Ross Weymouth Young Designer of the Year.

The 2023 Ross Weymouth Young Designer of the Year was awarded to St Albans SC Cynthia Dinh.

St Albans SC was also presented with the John Claringbold cup and acknowledged as the only school in the thirty-year history of the Awards to have won the Claringbold cup eight times.

Mr Nick D’Aglas – Art and Fashion Teacher