Quiksilver spring summer collection

I've just checked out Quicksilver's new spring/summer collection and I love it! Quicksilver launched the stand alone range last year. I think it has been so successful is because it bridges the gap between lifestyle brands and more fashion lead retailers. I love board sports but also like to follow the trends and think this collection reflect both sports and fashion culture.

Free Alice Temperly Patterns in the Observer

Today's Observer newspaper has free patterns from Alice Temperley, Vivienne Westwood, Paul Smith and Martin Margiela. The magazine includes instructions on how to make your own designer outfit. In these troubled financial times maybe being creative and making your own clothes is the way forward. As well as being cost effective re-creating your own designer outfit comes with the huge satisfaction of completing it.
I will be posting my self addressed envelope to the Observer so I can be sent the pattern for her mini Diana dress from her spring 2009 collection.
When attending the Peclers Paris presentation they mentioned that there will be a shift in the way that people will buy fashion in the future with people opting for more high quality investment pieces. I think that more and more people will opt for making there own clothes or customizing old ones.
I would like to design a collection that could evolve into something else. For example a jacket with detachable hood and sleeves which included instructions on how to transform it into a waistcoat for the following season. I think this would give my designs longevity and would make them better value for money.

Designing in Australia?

After spending a year traveling Australia I fell in love with the lifestyle and had always thought I would love to live there in the future. I have been doing some research into the possibility of getting a visa to work there when I graduate. It is very difficult to get a visa as it operates with a points system and you have to have a particular skill usual in engineering and construction fields. However when I was scrolling through the list of trades that would make you eligible I saw fashion design. I have researched into it further and have found that Australia are desperate for fashion design graduates and I have a very good chance of getting a skilled based visa based on my qualification!.
I have looked at fashion recruitment websites and many of the jobs are based in Sydney and Melbourne and allot of the vacancies advertised are for a designer/buyer as apposed to two separate positions. Another benefit is that many of the companies are 'lifestyle brands' which is the area of the industry that I would like to work in.