Designing the Future: Innovation & Industry Transformation

3:00pm, Tuesday May 12

AFC Theatre, MCA

FROM $50

AFC Talks, presented by Afterpay

What does fashion research look like in 2026, and how does it support a thriving Australian fashion sector? This panel features academics from leading fashion + textiles Universities, UTS and RMIT, alongside industry and creative practitioners, to explore how academic insights are influencing fashion’s transformation. Speakers will discuss advances in materials, manufacturing, and sustainability, and consider how research partnerships with industry, independent researchers, and among universities, can accelerate innovation while addressing the industry’s most pressing challenges.

Moderator:
Dr Lisa Lake, Director, Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Fashion + Textiles

Pannelists:
Dr Rachael Cassar, Senior Lecturer Fashion + Textiles, UTS
Distinguished Professor Peter Ralph, Executive Director of Climate Change Cluster (C3), UTS
Professor Alice Payne, Dean, School of Fashion + Textiles, RMIT

Image:
Designer Isabella Harris
Photographer Copper Taylor-Bogaars
Model Lucinda Levant (Priscillas)