Free to Fashion

In 2024, The Social Outfit and Story Factory collaborated on a special project to raise the profile and voices of the young women from Birrong Girls and Bossley Park High Schools in Western Sydney. The students were introduced to the refugee and new migrant women who were trained by and employed at The Social Outfit, as well as the dedicated team operating the organisation. The students, sewing technicians, artists and storytellers explored fashioning as it relates to clothing, identity, culture, history, and self-expression, what it means to the students, and their fashion inspirations. The young women wrote their stories and shared their ideas. They explored these topics further with artistic facilitators Issy Parker, Chatcha and Sonya Price-Kelly who supported them to create ceramic formations and pastel works of art. The culmination of these diverse creations were the catalyst for internationally renowned textile artist, Clementine Barnes, to bring to life a fabric design. The skilled creatives and sewing technicians at The Social Outfit then designed and manufactured a garment using this print. The print, garment, publications and artworks created during the project were displayed during the Social Outfit’s 10th Birthday celebration at Carriageworks in September in Eveleigh, Sydney.