Inspiring students in partnership with South Metropolitan TAFE

Westfield Whitford City is excited to be partnering with South Metropolitan TAFE again in 2022, after the success of our collaboration last year.

Working closely with a group of five fashion business students, we gave these fresh up-and-comers the opportunity and creative challenge to flex their design skills, by visual merchandising our display cabinets in centre this season.

Get ready to feel inspired as we take you through their creative journey and finished designs below.

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Vote for your favourite display

We invited our Westfield Plus members to vote for their favourite design and get the chance to win a $250 Westfield Gift Card*. The winning group of students has now been chosen and revealed in the Westfield Plus app. Not a member? Join now and download the free Westfield Plus App today >

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The brief and concept

To create an Autumn/Winter fashion display for Westfield Whitford City that’s unique and visually striking. Students worked in small groups to ideate and bring their visions to life through sketch, moodboards and graphic design.

Pictured: The moodboard that students created and used as inspiration for their design.

Pictured: The final concept and digital impression that students worked towards.

The big reveal

We’re proud to unveil the below concepts in our centre. Brought to life in true form, from the creative minds of South Metropolitan TAFE students. You can see that their creative journey from the initial moodboard and digital design phases came to fruition.

On your next visit to Westfield Whitford City, be sure to stroll by our display cabinets near Country Road and Sussan to appreciate these eye-catching displays. You’ll walk away feeling inspired and in-the-know for all things fashion this season.

The talent behind the design

Meet Tyler, Jada, Netanela, Kaitlyn and Darcy, the masterminds behind the design. Read on to discover their inspiration, challenges and favourite moments working with us.

Why did you choose to study Visual Merchandising?
We believe Visual Merchandising is a hands-on way to express one’s creativity and elevate the garments on display. It also gives the individual freedom to express their personality and style.

What inspirations did you draw upon to create your design?
We took a lot of our inspiration from natural elements in nature, as well as the trending colours of the season. The suspended preserved moss and rope elements really captured this feeling.

Who did you partner with to bring your concept to life?
We partnered with Pyromax to provide the vinyl for the floors and the suspended foam boards of both our displays. MOSSwall provided the preserved moss and MDF for our suspended nature elements. Our South Metropolitan TAFE lecturers Lisa and Silvana assisted us in the entire process.

What did you enjoy the most about this project?
We loved seeing our concept slowly come to life. From inspiration to implementation, it was extremely rewarding being involved in this process and having complete control of our creative ideas in a well-known, retail environment.

What was most challenging about this project?
The most challenging part of this project was Covid. Many team members and lecturers had to isolate themselves at home which made it hard to communicate our individual ideas with each other. Finding the perfect resources was also a challenge especially when it came to the preserved moss. We needed to make sure the moss was completely preserved to ensure it stays in the same condition throughout the entire display period.

Pictured: The students from South Metropolitan TAFE that worked on the display concept.

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This successful partnership has provided students with practical experience, working with timelines, budgets and suppliers from different industries. Most importantly, it gave students a public podium to spotlight their creative work for our community and retailers to enjoy.

As a result of this collaboration, two of the 2021 Fashion Business students who participated in the program have gone on to work with the suppliers who helped the students with bringing their displays to life, providing further invaluable industry experience.

You can find more info on Fashion Business courses at South Metropolitan TAFE here >