The Social Studio: Fashion, Food, Art and Community

BACKGROUND I am the editor and primary author of the publication The Social Studio: Fashion, Food, Art & Community, which was commissioned by commercial publisher Melbourne Books in 2014 and published in 2015. The 250-page publication celebrates fashion, food, art and community in Melbourne's multicultural community of artists through the lens of The Social Studio, a vibrant community enterprise situated in Collingwood. The Social Studio is a non-profit social enterprise, whose purpose is to create meaningful and long-term social change for young people across Melbourne's multicultural landscape. The Studio is a fashion label, digital printing studio, shop and café that creates awareness, transforms public perceptions and generates employment and educational pathways for new migrant communities. The Studio unites distinct cultures in a celebration of knowledge, skill and diversity and is a safe place of belonging that strives to create awareness and change public perceptions for people who have experienced being a refugee. CONTRIBUTION The Social Studio: Fashion, Food, Art & Community is a 250-page book that showcases portraits and interviews of 60+ artists and designers while also documenting the creation and evolution of The Social Studio since it began its journey in 2009. In so doing, it charts the Studio's impact on Melbourne's artistic and cultural landscape. The colourful publication includes artwork, fashion photography, food, interviews and portraits. SIGNIFICANCE Over 1000 copies of the book have been distributed through bookshops, libraries and other retail stores. The book has received a variety of media coverage including Frankie Magazine, Broadsheet Melbourne, Assemble Papers and 3RRR Radio.