Modest Fashion Design Studio

Participants will collaborate with industry leaders and emerging talent to explore contemporary design, cultural identity and sustainability. Led by Powerhouse, the program will be fully subsidised for successful applicants.

Workshop leaders include digital creator and fashion influencer Nawal Sari, designer Anjilla Seddeqi, Powerhouse curator Glynis Jones, head of school at the TAFE NSW Fashion Design Studio (FDS) Laura Washington, founder of Fabrics of Multicultural Australia Sonia Gandhi, co-founder of Twiice Boutique Nigara Momin and photographer Zahrah Habibullah.

Powerhouse is inviting expressions of interest from female identifying emerging and student practitioners who would like to learn more about sustainable design and modest fashion. Apply by Friday September 1, successful applicants will be notified by early September.

Widyan Fares migrated to Australia in 1995 after leaving Rafha refugee camp in Saudi Arabia, where she was born after her parents escaped from Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq. Widyan Fares is currently a Senior Policy Associate at the Premier's Department and has worked in the public service sector for over 10 years. Widyan has extensive media experience including working at Network Ten and SBS. In 2014 Widyan was selected as an SBS cadet reporter as part of SBS’ prestigious cadetship program. During her time at SBS Widyan worked in Radio, TV and online. Widyan soon became one of the first veiled reporters on Australian national television, making her debut in March 2014 with a story on the growing modest fashion industry. Widyan is also currently undertaking her PhD at Sydney University on the use of alternative media by the Australian Shia community and its role in shaping identity, belonging and the impact on social cohesion.

Sonia Sadiq Gandhi is the founder and CEO of Gandhi Creations, a multi-award-winning events company that creates sustainable platforms to address the social, cultural and business needs of communities. Gandhi promotes a more diverse Australia by engaging with multicultural communities and has executed more than 550 events in her career. On a broader level, her work has helped create meeting grounds for the exchange of ideas between nations, platforms for enhanced cultural diplomacy and improved foreign investment and trade.