Hi-tech fashion: ‘It’s not grandma’s sewing class’

Swinburne University of Technology says a new course is not about stitching fabrics but encouraging students to push the boundaries of technology for the future of sustainable fashion.

Swinburne University of Technology is fusing high tech and high fashion to launch a new forward-thinking Bachelor of Design (Fashion) preparing graduates for a rapidly transforming industry. Picture: Supplied

A new bachelor of fashion course pitched as “not your grandmother’s sewing class” will teach students how to use augmented reality, generative AI, wearables and 3D printing to design clothing and interactive retail experiences.

The new and improved Swinburne bachelor of design (fashion), which is taking enrolments for semester one next year, will educate students about technology-enabled garments, wearable technologies such as smart jewellery, novel and innovative fabrics, 3D digital design and prototyping, and sustainable manufacturing processes.

Swinburne University of Technology school of design and architecture dean Blair Kuys says the course is not about stitching fabrics but encouraging students to push the boundaries of technology for the future of sustainable fashion.

“These technologies are fundamentally reshaping how consumers interact with fashion and how designers create innovative outcomes,” Kuys says. This includes virtual fashion experiences and smart apparel that interacts with the world around us.

“This program represents a critical shift towards technology-enabled fashion design, where students will explore sustainable practices, advanced manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing, and the application of innovative textiles into tech-enabled outcomes such as smart garments, footwear, soft goods and sporting apparel, to name a few,” Kuys says.

Padraic Crunden-Smith, a member of the Swinburne University advisory committee for fashion design, says he hopes Swinburne graduates will be able to “revitalise the industry” with tech skills.

“What is most appealing is the practical application of new and emerging technologies to create functional fashion outcomes that have the potential to revolutionise our industry,” says Crunden-Smith, who is also director of design and product development at Aquaterro. “Technology is a catalyst for innovation in fashion. Our graduates will be at the forefront of designing smart apparel, next-generation wearables with embedded sensors, and will be poised to redefine the trajectory of future fashion industries.”

Graduates also will be well placed to manage concerns about the fast fashion clothing industry, which has exploded in the TikTok era, with a “strong underpinning” in sustainable fashion practices.