Meet Cassandra Steels | Emerging Designer Bursary 2024
An essential aspect of our Stitch Together program is how The Nest can integrate with and support fashion education in Queensland. Our Emerging Designer Bursary gives recipients a $1000 Nest resource voucher to encourage the use of reclaimed materials and alleviate the financial burden of final year collections.
In December 2024 we announced our first recipient, QUT third year Fashion Design student, Cassandra Steele and as it turned out, she was already an avid Nest customer. In her application she wrote:
“As a fashion student it’s hard to ignore the negative impact that the fashion industry can have on the environment. The Nest is always my first point of call, and sometimes my only choice, when it comes to sourcing materials. My dedication to reclaimed materials extends beyond fabric as I source all of my materials, trims and equipment from The Nest as well. Earlier this year I purchased a knitting machine from The Nest that I am excited to use for my graduate collection”.
Choosing to be sustainable informs design practice
Though prioritising reclaimed materials in fashion seriously bucks the trend and can be challenging, she has found it a rewarding pathway:
“Sometimes, it can be hard to source fabric second hand when you can’t always find what you have in mind; this is why my design practice has adapted to this way of working. I find that I am much more inspired by the materials that I have available to me. My silhouettes are often influenced by this and informed by the fabrication and experimentation that I develop”.
Cassandra’s love of making began through the influence of her Nana and Grandma. She learnt to hand sew at a young age and did Home Economics, learning machine sewing at high school. Sadly, those classes were discontinued and after school Cassandra lost her way until she picked up from where she’d left off.
“I found a box with an unfinished sewing project and my old sewing machine. I decided to finish the project and I just kept sewing, doing small upcycling projects with clothes from the op shop. Eventually I found The Nest and quickly collected lots of the vintage patterns, which I made using the upholstery scraps I found as well. The more I sewed, the more I realised this was something that I wanted to continue doing”.
Australian designers making their mark overseas
Even when she started her degree in 2022, studying overseas was on her agenda. At the time of winning the bursary, Cassandra was studying at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute [AMFI].
“Studying in Amsterdam taught me a lot; it’s given me more confidence not only in my creative abilities but also within myself. However, it did take some time to adjust to AMFI’s way of working, and to feel that I belonged in such a talented environment. The teachers in Amsterdam were very hands-on and expected a certain amount of work every week; it was a way of working that I wasn’t used to, but I quickly grew to love. There were classes for everything; knitting, designing, concept development, pattern making, and digital knitting. The specialisation was very in-depth and I felt very supported by the amount of equipment and resources that were available. I feel very lucky to have been able to study at AMFI and it’s an experience that I will always look back on fondly”.
The second half of her exchange is currently underway in Manchester. Undoubtedly this international experience will continue to be part of Cassandra’s evolution. She also has some role models like Brisbane born, QUT Fashion Design graduate
Michaela Stark, who is now based in London producing body morphing lingerie that’s making waves in the fashion industry.
Like Stark, Cassandra shares a love of experimentation and hand making.
“My design process is often informed by the textiles that I am exploring at the time, allowing the techniques that I have explored to influence the outcome of my designs. My design practice centres around sustainability, using second-hand materials, remnant fabrics, and natural fibres. It highlights the importance of slow fashion and craftsmanship; two things that I hold very dearly”.
Cassandra is returning to Brisbane soon to complete her final collection. She says the bursary will allow her greater freedom and not have to compromise her vision through financial constraints. But it’s not just resources she’s gaining. She also has a community of craft-loving, knowledgeable women waiting to help her along the way. We are excited to see what’s next.
