Career Transition and New Venture
Following the impact of COVID-19 in 2020, bridal designer Helen Manuell, in her 50s, transitioned her career to focus on zero-waste sustainable knitwear. This pivot involved enrolling in a fashion course at RMIT, where she developed her new collection, concurrently taking a weaving class with her daughter.
Previously, Manuell was known for designing custom wedding dresses and dressing public figures at events like the Brownlow Medal. The shift prompted her to re-evaluate her livelihood.
Academic Achievements and Industry Recognition
Manuell's enrollment at RMIT's School of Fashion and Textiles in 2023 allowed her to pursue a long-held ambition and address feelings of imposter syndrome. She graduated in the top 3 percent of her class and received the 2025 Graduate Student Award for her collection, "A Slow Mindset."
The 14-garment collection draws inspiration from a First Nations painting by Emily Kame Kngwarreye. This work marked her move from machine sewing to artisan handcrafts.
Manuell cited the significant decline of the bridal industry due to COVID-19 lockdowns and rising interest rates, along with personal divorce, as motivations for her career change. She plans to continue her studies with an honors year and a potential PhD.
Overcoming Criticism and Reclaiming Identity
Manuell had previously won multiple Fashion Awards Australia Gown of the Year accolades starting in 2006, and was the winner of Project Runway in 2008. Despite these achievements, she faced criticism from some peers regarding her lack of a formal RMIT degree.
Her return to study and acceptance at RMIT enabled her to reassert her professional standing, which included showcasing at Melbourne Fashion Week. She states that at 56, she has shifted her perspective from self-criticism to self-belief and no longer gives weight to external critics.
Sustainable Craftsmanship
Manuell's childhood interest in making clothes was not encouraged in the 1980s. She initially pursued accounting before returning to fashion in her 50s. During her studies, she learned a First Nations weaving technique for seam construction without a sewing machine.
Her knitwear distinguishes itself through the use of spun yarns to create movement. The pastel color palette, featuring pink, red, and cream, references Emily Kame Kngwarreye's "Untitled, 1994" painting, which she encountered in the early 1990s.
The garments are produced using yarns primarily sourced from second-hand marketplaces and deceased estates, reflecting a commitment to sustainability. Manuell now creates one-off, hand-stitched knitwear pieces that do not require electricity. Her lecturer, Esther Paleologos, introduced her to the knitting machine, to whom she dedicated her collection.
Manuell states that her university experience reinforced her dedication to sustainable fashion and provided her with creative autonomy, allowing her to feel a sense of self at this stage of her life.