With second-hand clothing set to overtake fast fashion in the next 5-7 years, Good Thing presents Making Fashion Circular: a panel discussion about embracing circular and sustainable fashion.

Featuring leaders from the sector, the panel will explore the ‘new disruptor in retail’ and consider the growth opportunity in the second hand clothing and sustainable fashion market and how we take the concept beyond op shops and weekend markets to engage ‘traditional’ consumers in this growing trend. Speakers will discuss the shift needed across the fashion industry, as consumers and retailers start to consider the environmental and human impacts of our fashion industry.

This panel is presented as part of VAMFF's Independent Ideas Program and will be introduced by Helen Steel, Founder of Good Thing Australia.

Drinks and canapés will be served.

Speakers:

Moderator- Genevieve Brannigan | Director, Communications Collective

After beginning her career in the fashion industry, Genevieve Brannigan founded Communications Collective in 2011 as a full-service agency focused on culture, arts, design, and luxury. Genevieve has consulted to leading creatives, brands and organisations to deliver creative advisory and innovative campaigns. A passionate supporter of arts and culture, Genevieve founded Collectivity Talks in 2016, bringing together industry leaders to discuss trends and ideas, and is also a board member of the Melbourne Centre for Contemporary Photography.

Elle Roseby | Managing Director, Country Road

Named the most influential retailer in RagTrader’s Power 30, she is regarded as an authority in strategic brand development and retail management.

The mother of two has forged a remarkable career through fostering positive, results- driven cultures with a focus on innovation and collaboration. Over 30 years, she has risen through the ranks of some of Australia’s most respected retailers, including Myer, Sportsgirl and Supre, her tenures at the latter two cementing her reputation as someone who can orchestrate a rapid brand turnaround.

Known for her ability to redefine and reposition retail brands, Elle is regularly called upon to share her expertise and insight with audiences across Australia including Inside Retail events, WGSN, Melbourne Fashion Week, women’s leadership panels and private mentoring sessions.

At Country Road, Elle has been influential in repositioning the brand as a leader in sustainable design, both in fashion and retail environments. Her guidance in this area has led to brand partnerships with Oritain and Green Building Council, as well as the launch of Our World, a dedicated platform for Country Road to share its sustainability journey with its wider community. Under Elle’s leadership, the brand’s Chadstone flagship became the first fashion retailer in Australia to achieve a 5 Star Green Star Design Review rating.

Elle is passionate about community enterprises and has spearheaded initiatives such as the Butterfly Foundation and collaborated with charities like Redkite, Headspace, Dignity Dreams and the Graeme Dingle Foundation. Elle is adherent about young local talent and has been involved in the RMIT TRI Project.

Alongside these projects, Elle is busy reinvigorating the lifestyle brand famous for its quality, design and effortless style. She has embedded a fresh leadership team and delivered a clear brand vision, which aims to inspire modern Australian living every day.

Gordon Renouf | Founder, Good On You

Offering a digital perspective, Good On You co-founder, Gordon Renouf, is a driving force in the ethical and sustainable fashion movement. The largest app of its kind in the world, Good On You provides brand ratings, articles and guides on ethical and sustainable fashion.

Jade Sarita Arnott | Founder, Arnsdorf

Jade Sarita Arnott is Arnsdorf’s founder and creative director. She studied fashion design at RMIT University in Melbourne as well as Creative Arts at the University of Melbourne. The label launched in 2006 and quickly gained fame across Australia through regular shows at Sydney Fashion Week and as well international press.

She decided to close the label in 2012 and relaunched it in 2017 under a sustainable fashion business model.Arnsdorf was the first major fashion brand in Australia to obtain a B-Corp Certification, and Arnott is passionate about revealing the costs associated with each garment made, as well as the origin of the fabrics and materials.

To date since relaunching with a sustainable focus Arnsdorf has not gone on sale, as part of the commitment to a new and long lasting way of consuming fashion and clothing. Arnsdorf is offering an alternative to the current sales culture that devalues the resources and craftmanship that has gone into creating garments and preys on customers behaviour making it harder to buy less and choose well.

Rosie Dalton | Fashion Writer, Editor and Consultant

Rosie Dalton is a writer and ethical fashion advocate, specialising in conversations around sustainability and craftsmanship. With a Bachelor of Media and Communications from the University of Sydney, she runs a content studio called On the Collar – through which she consults for sustainable brands like Paspaley and Bassike, while writing fashion features for titles like Russh and Jane Magazine. In 2019, Rosie launched the OTC Style Study – a toolkit for conscious consumption.