Step into a world where fashion transcends its traditional boundaries with Jess Coldrey, a distinguished creative technologist and one of the Top 50 Women in Engineering, at the Bendigo Tech School’s Artist in Residence program.

From 12 February to 8 March 2024 at Bendigo Tech School, Jess will offer students a transformative experience that merges art, technology, and sustainable fashion. Recognised in renowned galleries worldwide, Jess is the ideal mentor to inspire students to think beyond the conventional.

During the residency, students will use hands-on learning and cutting-edge technology to actively navigate the fashion challenges of tomorrow. They will reimagine garment creation within a highly regulated environmental framework, where no new clothing fibres can be created and self-expression has changed radically. The project will draw on Bendigo's textile legacy and historical clothing rations to critically examine today's fast fashion practices.

This program is suitable for Textiles, Fashion, Media, Photography, Arts, Visual Communication, Digital Technologies, and Product Design classes from all secondary school year levels, but is particularly suited to Years 9 to 11. Jess is flexible in customising activities to fit your teaching needs and would be delighted to discuss the program further.

Learning Outcomes:

Students will…

• Engage critically with the interplay of fashion, sustainability, and identity.
• Discover the creative paths open to women in STEAM fields.
• Develop critical thinking skills and participate in object-based learning.
• Gain digital skills in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR).

Range of Activities Available:

• Rebellion, Protest, and Products: Linking advocacy with futures thinking, students will explore resource scarcity and social change from a youth-oriented, futuristic perspective.
• Experimental Design: Draping, upcycling, and AI will be tools in their hands as they gain practical experience in garment design.
• Sci-Fi and Climate Narratives: Participants will create and edit digital sci-fi landscapes, envisioning earth's future settlements and terrains shaped by climate change.
• Virtual Reality Fashion Show: A VR fashion show and/or physical exhibition will showcase the innovative student creations that emerge from this program.

Join us for a creative problem-solving adventure where fashion is redefined through technology. This is more than a learning opportunity; it's a chance to be part of a transformative experience that reshapes how we think about fashion and its impact on our world.

To get involved, please contact us directly via bendigotechschool@latrobe.edu.au.