Fashion Machine Workshops

Children ages 9 to 13 are invited to participate in Fashion Machine, an arts project that culminates in a public show where audience members outfits are redesigned in less than one hour. No experience necessary!

The Other Guise from Victoria, Canada are bringing their international hit show Fashion Machine to Bunjil Place. Five adults from the fields of textiles, photography and theatre will spend four days training 28 young makers, to prepare them for a show where they will remake outfits in less than one hour.There’s a lot of pop music, videos by the children, and plenty of joy. The show has been on tour since 2015 with previous stops in the US, UK, and Hong Kong.

What do participants do on workshop days?
•    Participate in media-enhanced conversations about fashion and style (and learn the difference between the two)
•    Learn about the history of fashion
•    Begin to design and practice a free-form interview that they will end up conducting with a select audience member  
•    Play drama games to prepare for the role they’ll play in the performance   
•    Split into teams and create impromptu costumes from bed sheets and simple templates.  
•    Learn how to use a sewing machine and hand-sew a few basic projects  
•    Stretch their creative muscles by sketching revised outfits for interview subjects   
•    Practice their sewing skills by modifying sample clothes – cutting off and hemming sleeves, turning pants into skirts and vice-versa, bejeweling and sequinning and trimming
•    Recording videos that we edit and show during the performance.

What is the time commitment?
Approximately 16 hours of training and 2 ½ hours for the actual show. The dates and times participants must be available are:

Workshops
•    Monday 28 September: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
•    Tuesday 29 September: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
•    Thursday 1 October: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm 
•    Friday 2 October: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm (including dress rehearsal)

Fashion Machine Show
•    Saturday 3 October: 1:15 pm arrive, 2:00 pm Showtime, 3:30pm end of show

What happens on show day?
•    Brave audience members who are happy to have the clothes they wore to the show cut up and completely remade into brand new  works of art, volunteer for a clothing redesign by putting on an “I’m In” sticker when entering the Studio.
•    Seven lucky volunteers are selected and taken inside the Fashion Machine
•    Brainstorming session happens between volunteers and makers
•    Volunteers hand over the outfit they came to the show in and pop on a robe
•    Makers get busy redesigning outfits at their station in the Studio 
•    Audience members can move around the studio and watch the action in real time with a live broadcast on screen in an ever-expanding slideshow loop 
•    Once complete, volunteers don redesigned outfits and showcase their new looks in a catwalk fashion show with commentary by the makers.

What should you bring?
•    Packed lunch and water bottle or cash to buy lunch from the cafe at Bunjil Place Cafe.
•    Two to three articles of clothing which can be cut up and changed(this is optional – we will also have garments you can choose from)

Please note a parent/guardian will be required to provide a completed copy of the this consent form prior to the first workshop. Printed copies will be available on the day.

If you have any questions email mlarkin@casey.vic.gov.au or phone +61397927250

Presented at Bunjil Place as part of Melbourne Fringe Festival, Victoria’s longest-running multi-arts festival, platforming independent artists and creativity for over 40 years.