Samantha Morrice

BIO

My name is Samantha Morrice and I am a graduate from Whitehouse Institute of Design with a Bachelors in Fashion design. I am a twenty year old woman that lives in Melbourne, and I am a daughter, a sister, a girlfriend and a friend. I’ve been told I’m an old soul or wise for my age, I think I am quite a calm and collected person who is friendly and loves to to be social with friends. Fashion is such an important part of my life because it’s not only my outlet but how I express myself, whether that be with what I am wearing, illustrating, researching or sewing. History is a large part of my inspiration, I enjoy celebrating and honouring important moments in history, so by bring that into my designs I can. More recently I’ve been inspired by studio 54 the most iconic nightclub in history and 70’s pop culture. This collection was shown at Melbourne Fashion Week 2021 on the student runway under the guidance of Stuart Walford with the idea of re-glamming and re entering the world our after the pandemic. 

CONCEPT

This collection is inspired by the iconic glamour of Studio 54 and 70’s culture. Studio 54 was located 254 W 54th St, New York and ran for only thirty-three months in the late 70’s but it didn’t take long for it to be the most popular and exclusive club in town making seven million in the first year alone and now being recognised as one of the most famous clubs of all time. Amongst some of the club’s most famous patrons were David Bowie, Tina Turner, Elizabeth Taylor, Al Pacino, Dolly Parton, George Michael, Andy Warhol, Robin Williams, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Elton John, and Michael Jackson, to name only a few. Live disco acts like Grace Jones, Donna Summer, Liza Minelli, Dianna Ross, and Gloria Gaynor all graced the club’s stage in its brief life. It was extremely hard to get in but once you did it has been remembered as the first non-judgmental, queer friendly mainstream nightclub, it was a mix of gay straight, rich and poor.