RMIT’s trendy new Master of Fashion (Design) an Australian first

RMIT is hoping its new Master of Fashion in design and entrepreneurship will put the university – and Australia – on the world map alongside leading fashion institutes in London, Paris and New York. Yuzuha Oka reports.

Melbourne might just cement its position as Australia’s fashion capital. After international retails giants H&M and Uniqlo bypassed Sydney to open first in Melbourne earlier this year, Victoria’s cultural capital will now have another first to boast about.

Last week, RMIT University announced it will offer two new Master programs in fashion – the Master of Fashion (Design) and Master of Fashion (Entrepreneurship).

Associate Professor Robyn Healy, head of RMIT’s School of Fashion and Textiles, said the introduction of the new programs was an important initiative for RMIT, aligning the university with the world’s leading fashion institutes in London, Paris and New York.

“It confirms our position as a global leader in fashion and textiles, benchmarking us against the best design institutes in the world.

“These programs will be highly sought-after and competitive, with our graduates equipped to step into high-end industry positions,” she said.

 The Master of Fashion (Design) will be the first of its kind in Australia and students enrolled in the course are expected to work closely with local and international fashion labels and designers to research and develop original responses to fashion. 

Assoc Prof Healy said the program would develop a level of expertise for designers to extend their fashion design practice.

The Master of Fashion (Entrepreneurship) will seek to plug a gap in the global market for high-level and specialised fashion entrepreneurship, with a focus on management, business and strategic branding.

Associate Professor Karen Webster, who is the deputy head of the School of Fashion and Textiles and a former director of the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival (2005-2010), said the global focus of the program would build on students’ business knowledge skills and increase their management career opportunities.

“This innovative leadership program will enhance the students’ creative business and strategic management capabilities to allow them to be global fashion entrepreneurs,” she said.