Creativity

FOLIO launches at Readings Carlton: LCI Melbourne designers in print at Melbourne Fashion Week

FOLIO, an independently published art book celebrating Melbourne’s next generation of fashion designers, launched at Readings Carlton as part of Melbourne Fashion Week 2026. Featuring over 70 emerging designers from six Victorian institutions, the publication includes six recent LCI Melbourne Fashion & Costume Design graduates and one current student. Proudly supported by LCI Melbourne, FOLIO celebrates emerging creative talent, collaboration and the future of fashion education.

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This image displays a magazine spread featuring two distinct fashion editorials. The left page shows a black and white portrait with a quote about balancing contrasting elements, while the right page showcases a model in a dramatic red gown.

On Monday 19 October, a Carlton bookshop filled with people at the very beginning of something. FOLIO, an independently published art book celebrating Melbourne/Naarm’s next generation of fashion designers, was launched at Readings Carlton as part of Melbourne Fashion Week.

The publication was initiated by Katrina Khan, a fashion design student from RMIT, and brings together the work of more than 70 emerging student designers across six Victorian institutions. It captures the creativity, ambition and voice of a fashion scene finding its own way.

LCI Melbourne was proud to support its production, and prouder still to see so many of our own community featured in its pages: recent Fashion & Costume Design graduates Valentina Barrios, Caroline Caroline, Phoebe Clark, Bryanah D’Costa, Margaret Hogan and Rhiannon Todd, alongside current student Khara Leukes.

The launch included a panel discussion on fashion education and independent publishing, with LCI Melbourne’s former innovation lead, Angelo Pantalone, among the panellists. Our Executive Director APAC, Adriano Di Prato, attended the event, and an article he wrote, “What the Megatrends Are Telling Fashion Education”, also appears in the book.

In that article, Adriano writes that creativity comes from encounter: “intentionally purposeful, and repeated attention to self, to place, and to other people, the ground from which creativity draws voice, agency and advocacy.”

It was a wonderful evening, and a reminder of why we encourage our students to step beyond the studio and into the wider cultural and creative life of the city. Whether it is a publication, a festival or a panel, engaging with the world around them is how our students find their voice and begin building their careers.

Huge credit to Katrina Khan for turning an idea into a book, and congratulations to every designer who now has their work in print.

Interested in studying Fashion & Costume Design or Fashion Styling? Explore our courses: Explore Fashion Design Courses - LCI Melbourne

The image displays a book open to a page listing names and corresponding numbers, likely an index or directory. The text is presented in two columns with a clear, sans-serif font.
This image displays a book open to a page featuring the title "DISTORTED BRUTALITY" with abstract art on the left and fashion photography on the right.
A group of people are gathered in a bookstore, listening to a speaker at a panel discussion. The room is filled with books and records, creating a cozy and intellectual atmosphere.
This image displays the open pages of a magazine or book, featuring a collage of fashion photography, sketches, and text. The prominent title "GRIT." is visible on the left page, while the right page showcases a model in avant-garde attire.
A panel discussion is taking place with four people. A man in a white suit is speaking into a microphone, with two women and another man seated and listening.
The image shows a newspaper article discussing megatrends in fashion education, featuring a quote about the limitations of machines in understanding human experience and creativity.
This is an image of a plain, light brown, hardcover book or portfolio with the word "FOLIO" printed in black, sans-serif text on the front cover.
A woman in a black off-the-shoulder dress and a man in a black suit with a red cape are posing for a photo in a bookstore, holding a book.