Botanical Artist Deborah Wace exhibited 14 stunning evening wear ‘looks’ as part of an evening runway show at the 2024 Tasmanian Fashion Festival.
The range showcased not only her exquisite botanical art designs but also how her intricate designs featuring Fagus leaves, orchids, seaweed, mosses, seed pods and other Tasmanian flora designs can be applied to a range of luxury evening wear and fabrics.
The Tasmanian Fashion Festival (TFF) is the states premiere fashion festival, which this year ran from 31 August – 1 September 2024. The festival started 3 years ago in response to Tasmania being the only Australian state which did not have its own dedicated fashion event. From the inaugural event in 2021, the festival has grown to become Tasmania’s leading platform to showcase home-grown fashion brands, businesses and labels.
Guests at this exclusive event were treated to a selection of Deborah’s bespoke botanical art silk satin dresses, scarves, men’s shirts, body suits and an intricate jacket that has become known as the ‘Nudibranch Creature Silk Jacket’, which was created by Sabio Evans exclusively for the TFF event.
Deborah collaborated with Sabio Evans, an acclaimed experimental costume maker, artist and sculptor to create the Nudibranch Creature Silk Jacket.
Only a few weeks before the Festival, it was constructed as a double-sided flanged ‘Nudibranch like’ creature costume using a combination of luxurious Deborah WACE ‘Red & Green Seaweed on White’ and ‘Red & Green Seaweed on Black’ silk satin fabrics.
Just in case you haven’t heard of them before, Nudibranchs are commonly known as sea slugs, a soft-bodied mollusc. They are incredibly beautiful marine creatures that come in a very wide range of vibrant colours and shapes.
Botanical Artist Deborah Wace commented:
“To wear this marvellous garment is to become a living creature from the sea, embodying the other species in a sapien skin. We had so much fun in its creation.”
When the Nudibranch Creature Silk Jacket took the stage worn by runway model Treza Odhiambo, the audience made a loud audible gasp.
Who would have thought that a Nudibranch would rock the show?
The Deborah WACE collection comprised garments created by some of Tasmania’s renowned fashion and costume designers. Having worked with Deborah over the years, these designers understand how to use her unique botanical designs to create fashion ‘works of art’. The designers include:
– Anna Chilcott
– Willy Priestly.
Seaweed lycra body suits modelled by Laura Potter & Maggie Robbins (L-R) were designed by Celyna Ziolkowski, created to resemble a Leafy Sea Dragon. They were made for ‘The Sartorial Naturalist’ film & product range.
A team of sensational models engaged through the Festival, strutted down the runway on the evening. A special thank you goes out to all the models who brought the garments to life on the catwalk.
Deborah has created a digitised, element library of 200+ distinctly Tasmanian pressed rare and endangered plant specimens linked to Australia’s botanical historical record. She combines these pressed plant images with drypoint (scribing onto an acrylic printmaking plate) and mono-print original artwork and etchings, which she digitally layers to create rich, complex botanical designs onto her fine fabrics that have a robust supply chain and sustainable practices embedded at every stage.
Her botanical artistry and designs communicate the need to protect our fragile land-based and marine ecosystems to the wider community, amplifying the work being done by the scientific community, bringing Art together with Science.
Deborah WACE is proud to embrace all aspects of slow fashion and sustainable design practices, creating bespoke and individual pieces that encourage consumers to invest in a unique piece of quality clothing or a fashion accessory. Her repeat pattern fabrics and homeware products are made to last. The entire range has been produced with less impact on the environment – whilst harnessing ethical business networks, and the skills of local creatives and consultants to execute bold projects. At Deborah WACE we are constantly evaluating ways to further reduce our environmental footprint.
The Tasmanian Fashion Festival was an incredible opportunity to showcase a selection of the Deborah WACE bespoke fashion range.
“I’d like to thank all the staff and numerous volunteers at the Tasmanian Fashion Festival and expend congratulations to all of the wonderful stylish creatives out there who showed their garments!
I’d also like to thank cinematographer Michael Gissing for compiling my runway experience and collection.
It was such a pleasure to be involved in my first ever runway show. Milan next or maybe New York?
Who knows!”
Deborah WACE has a selection of sumptuous botanical repeat pattern fabrics and ready-made garments in her Hobart studio to explore.
If you would like to commission a bespoke garment for a special occasion or to view the range, feel free to contact Deborah.
Photo credits:
All model runway photos supplied courtesy of @helpcapture.
Hero image courtesy Ange Boxall.
