Against the grain: the unique 2025 Emerging Designer award-winning piece

The design and its inspiration

Your dress, titled She Lives in a Dollhouse, stood out for its unexpected mix of materials and personal meaning. Where did the concept come from?

I was doing a class (at LCI Melbourne) where we had to find inspiration from architecture, and dollhouses have always resonated with me. My mentor pushed me to find more depth, so I started researching their history and found that Victorian dollhouses were used to represent wealth. Because they were made out of wood, they reminded me of my dad’s family’s house in Borneo. The difference is that his family was poor and had to build and fix most things themselves, but he went on to become successful, and I remember him giving me a dollhouse as a gift. I ended up combining those two concepts.

What made you decide to combine chiffon, organdie and wood in the same garment?

It was a go-with-the-flow situation. I wanted something weird and uncanny but pretty at the same time, and brown paired well with the blushy pink tone I had in mind. There wasn’t one moment where I thought “this is the right decision”. I just took the risk and saw the potential in something unfamiliar.

Walk us through what the six months of making the collection actually looked like, day to day.

I didn’t know how to sew before I started university, so it was a bit difficult at first, but I guess I was forced to keep up with everything. During the process of making the collection, I would wake up early to go to the boatbuilding studio (since I worked with a boatbuilder to bring the wooden pieces to life), then go to uni and continue my collection. Sometimes I would stay late with my friends and go home to keep sewing my collection. Sometimes I would go home just to sleep so I could wake up early and keep working on it. At times it could be hard because I also worked part-time, but overall the results were rewarding, and I think the hard work paid off.

How did the collaboration with the woodworker come about, and what was that process like?

We come from completely opposite fields, so it was challenging at first to translate my design perspective into something he could work with. I’d bring cardboard and paper prototypes to his studio, and over time, we found a rhythm. That led us to CNC milling with Amoora wood, which gave us the precision the design needed.

The bubble dress uses around 70 metres of sheer fabric. How did you approach building something that scale?

When my mentor and I saw the fabric inside out, with the organdie at the front, what was meant to be a toile became the final material decision. I’d never made anything this big, so I had no idea how much fabric I’d need. I kept going back to the fabric store again and again.

You said afterwards, “I can’t comprehend it. I didn’t expect anything. I just wanted to create something I love.” What has the win meant for you personally?

It’s a dedication to my dad. But it’s also a realisation that I can actually become a designer. I just loved fashion and art and wanted to make something I loved. I hope to keep inspiring others and push boundaries.

What's next?

You and your LCI Melbourne classmates took out first, second and third place. What did your time there give you as a designer?

LCI always emphasises going back to your roots. My mentors would tell me that a collection only becomes unique when you stop following trends and step outside your comfort zone. I’ve always loved delicate, pink fabrics, but my mentor helped me approach fashion differently. By the time I finished, I had created a garment out of wood, and I loved it. My time at LCI taught me more about myself, what I love, and what I want to push in fashion.

Your winning garment appeared in Vogue Australia’s February 2026 issue. What was it like to see your work on those pages, and has it opened any new doors?

It’s still unreal to me. I feel so proud and grateful. It made me want to keep pursuing fashion. I’ve been contacted by stylists for photoshoots and runways, and people have started recognising wood as a garment material and mentioning my work.

What are you working on now, and where do you hope your career takes you?

I’m currently taking sewing classes because I know I still have a lot to improve. I think it’s important to keep learning. I hope to work with people across the arts and use fashion as a way to bring art to a wider world.